MOT question

[johnik]

Greetings all, i recently bought a wheelchair accessible Citroen berlingo due to me loosing a leg.
crawling around underneath it today, i noticed rust, lots of it and a couple of small holes, the bit that was rusty looks non standard, i know the floor has been modded to allow the wheelchair to enter via the back door, the rusty bit looks like a 1 1/2 inch box metal framework.
i bought the car from a legit dealer with a years MOT and he seemed an ok person but the rusty bit has me worried so my question to any MOT testers on here...would that be a fail meaning it was dodgy or are "adaptations" exempt, the original structure / floorpan are all good. TIA peeps.

 

[tigdlo]

Probably not a failure but doesn't make it right.

Corrosion that would fail would be within prescribed areas which are supporting panelling 30 cm from a suspension mount, seatbelt mount, etc.

Are you seated in your wheelchair while driving? Does it have seatbelts that attach to the corroded framework?

See here for the revevant section on corrosion, specific prescribed areas are also covered in the relevant sections like suspension or seatbelts. https://www.gov.uk/guidance/mot-ins...appendix-a-structural-integrity-and-corrosion

 

[johnik]

Thanks for the reply, the rusty bits appear to be reinforcements and not original, i dont sit in the wheelchair while driving, seat belt mounts are not on the rusty bits.
i had a look at the sections you sent, i dont think it covers "extra bits" tho, i did ask my MOT tester if i could pop down for him to have a look but he was very busy.
thanks. John.

 

[carbonarc]

Take it back and request a full refund.

 

[rhubarb7]

Why don't you go and see the dealer you bought it from?

Why didn't you have a look underneath prior to buying it?

Have a look at the mot manual online to see if the tail lift/ramp and adaptations are part of the Mot test.

Photos speak a thousand words, otherwise you're going to get lots of duff answers.

 

[marlinspike]

You can look up the mot history of UK vehicles by entering the reg here:

https://www.check-mot.service.gov.uk/?_ga=2.50200486.1436581879.1695925760-3697924.1695925760

Worth checking to see if it had any advisories re rust.

 

[JOEPRO]

Why didn't you have a look underneath prior to buying it?

Yes because everyone gets under every car they ever buy. Did you also read the part about OPs needs for buying the car in the first place?

 

[rhubarb7]

Yes because everyone gets under every car they ever buy. Did you also read the part about OPs needs for buying the car in the first place?

Yes I did. But I also read he had a good look under it himself since he bought it. Did you?!

Only a fool doesn't check a vehicle over fully, then whine about it later.

 

[rhubarb7]

Thanks for the reply, the rusty bits appear to be reinforcements and not original, i dont sit in the wheelchair while driving, seat belt mounts are not on the rusty bits.
i had a look at the sections you sent, i dont think it covers "extra bits" tho, i did ask my MOT tester if i could pop down for him to have a look but he was very busy.
thanks. John.

John, just take it back to the dealer and get him to rectify it.

 

[dobbslc]

Yes because everyone gets under every car they ever buy

I do. My wife says it's embarrassing but I dont care, I want to know if someone has put a jack though the floor in the past

 

[JOEPRO]

Yes I did. But I also read he had a good look under it himself since he bought it. Did you?!

Only a fool doesn't check a vehicle over fully, then whine about it later.

I do. My wife says it's embarrassing but I dont care, I want to know if someone has put a jack though the floor in the past

Nonsense!!!!

Some of my best buys have been sight unseen. That's why they invented welders ya know! We are on a welding forum - this sort of sensible buying advice should be outlawed.

Where do you think alf of the content comes from? It wasn't from making sound buying decisions I can tell you that.

 

[dobbslc]

Ooof!

 

[JOEPRO]

Ooof!

The best bit is, even if I did look under them I'd have still bought them.... I guess it depends on the car (classic or modern daily/ throwaway) and the type of buyer.

 

[johnik]

thanks for the replies peeps, looks like i will be rejecting it and getting my money back....pity cos it,s nice to drive and has remote for tailgate and ramp

 

[CompoSimmonite]

I had a cheap Berlingo MPV that looked great on the outside but inner sills rotted away

 

[maroon]

thanks for the replies peeps, looks like i will be rejecting it and getting my money back....pity cos it,s nice to drive and has remote for tailgate and ramp

Depends on how bad it is.. If cars failed on rust there would be nothing on the road.

Send it in. The mot guy will poke it with a screwdriver and assess if it's dangerous or not on how critical location it is.

 

[Morrisman]

Doesn't the rust have to be within a certain distance of a critical component to be an MOT failure?

I didn't think you could actually start chopping the monocoque of a car about without incurring the legal wrath of the DVSA and their BIVA inspections.

 

[maroon]

As long as you're not slicing through a chassis or weakening I would assume it's OK.
I used to have lola checks on adapted vehicles that you could have a chimp sign off on. As long as the adaption dosent affect the structure. I dare say you could possibly get a mot pass with no boot floor(non leaf).

 

[johnik]

thing is, the rust is on non factory parts, i rang the conversion co who say it,s not structerial but it is there to replace the strength where the floor was cut out for the ramp, awaiting for the statment in writing

 

[bricol]

it,s not structerial but it is there to replace the strength where the floor was cut out

Well that sounds to be entirely contradictory . . .