things couldnt be much worse

[inthecity77]

I am one with a tendancy to overreact at times. However, I think even I am entitled to be right unhappy now.
There was me all churpy driving to pick up a bargain set of 97 gti alloys with tyres for the very respectable price of 60quid.

Thats where the day stopped being good and turned sour.On the way home from picking up the wheels (which are great) I noticed the dreaded rotational humming noise of a wheel bearing on the way out. That was pretty bad, but I thought, oh well, at least I have a bargain in the boot, so I can afford a little more on sorting a simple wheel bearing out.

Trying to stay happy I parked up the car, popped in the house to tell the missus I was going to be an hour or so changing the wheels over then went back out and proceeded to jack up Mr 8v to change the front drivers side wheel over. I got the trusty jack under there (a bit of a struggle as the car has been dropped) and the began a winding. The car got to about 50mm higher and the BANG!, the f'ing thing slipped off the f'ing jack! Looked under the sill to find this:







Now I aint no expert but this looks bad right? I mean, what am I looking at in terms of cost (if its worth it) here? I am also very concerned as to how it passed the MOT just before I bought it with this? Is this classed as rusting sills? as I know cars should fail on this.

I am not a happy bunny as this pretty much spells an end to any mods, including the fantastic blue flame exhaust the guy has just offered me for a bargain price! Can anyone advise me on my mk3 rust bucket?!

Cheers guys, sorry for the moan, I should have picked up on this when buying, the plastic sill covers hide a multitude of sins 

[Dom Mk3]

it's only really jacking points... my driver had this, passed mot fine

[Mk1Mad J - 16v]

tell me you're not using one of those sh!tty scissor jacks to work on your car 

Get yourself a trolley jack  you can pick them up for less than £20 

[Len]

That looks pretty bad to me! And looks like you had the jack in the wrong place!

[steviem]

Ar' matey, looks loik ye didne get thar Bilge Pump in that there hull intime...

She is ne longer ship shape and Seaworthy..

Erm, well, it looks like it'll need a bit of welding to get MOTable again, but totally get yourself a trolley jack for the future, they're actually pretty cheap and a lot more stabler than the scissor jacks..

Don't get too down beat about it, plus it slipped at the right time, imagine if a wheel was off and it collapsed...

[monzablue16v]

That looks like a rusty sill and a half matey. If the MOT was done recently a call to VOSA will soon have you feeling a bit better
Other than that buy a trolley jack and get a bodyshop to have a look.

[ibmike]

Not too bad mine was worse than that
Already done by the previous owner all it took was a few gentle hits with the hammer NOthing at all to worry about

[inthecity77]

That looks pretty bad to me! And looks like you had the jack in the wrong place!

thanks for all the replies guys, had a closer look and it only seems to be rust on the seem, the top of the sills and underside of the car are ok. As far as the jack in the wrong place, im pretty sure it was in the right place as there is a indentation in the plactic for the jack to fit, same on the back too. At least my head wasnt under it! mind you its thick enough to hold up a golf.

So to clarify, are we saying I just get it looked at by a garage to make sure its legal?
as far as the people I bought it off pulling a fast one, I can rule that out pretty much as they were two elderly people who had the car for 10 years. Mind, you, old folks could get away with all sorts, being old and that

thanks guys

[Mk1Mad J - 16v]

  When i'm old i'm gonna be like one of the old-gits off harry enfield, old people get away with everything 

[mowgli]

Easy fix, had mine done recently for £40 cash in hand at a local body shop.  Should be in and out the same day.