Rusty arches on my Vectra!!!!

[Charlie Croker]

Hello everyone. As i said in another thread i ve got myself a rather nice Vectra off my pals Mum and Dad. Now i wasnt sure what i was going to do with it i.e run or just use it as a trade in. Well its just passed the MOT just needing a tyre so after doing over 3000 miles in less than 3 months i`m going to keep it long term. So what i want to know is how much should it cost me to replace the drivers side rear wheelarch? My pals Dad has made a good effort with some filler but its clear there not much metal under there.lol. As the rest of the body is really good i would like to do the arch proper. So i`m wondering is a repair panel available and what do you think i should pay to have it fitted? Thanks guys.

[John F]

Expect to pay 30-ish quid for the repair panel (http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/VAUXHALL-VECT ... 0273902311), and then about £150-£250 for a professional job of welding it on (maybe less than half that for a home bodger).

 

Price will depend on how much work is involved in cutting out & prepping the old metal, tbh. And removing any adjacent carpet, seats, etc. that might get torched.

 

And paint, etc. is extra, naturally...

[Split_Pin]

Glad you are keeping it!

 

A favourite Vectra rust spot, particularly on the prefacelift cars.

 

Not helpful to you, but inexplicably, I have never seen a rusty Vectra that is Jungle Green (L359). The rear arches on mine are therefore strangely solid!

 

Some before and after pics would be good too

[Shep Shepherd]

A good friend of mine had a Rembrandt Silver 1997 Vectra 1.6 LS back in the day, and the only place it showed rust was the offside rear wheelarch, which was bubbling nicely by 2005. The rest of the car was immaculate

[gearoil]

There 4-5 bodyshops all within a few minutes of each other along Gordon Street & Jane Street in Leith - you could have a load of quotes in a short space of time.

 

I've got a silver front bumper with foglights if you want it FOC.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I recently had the wheelarches done on the Granada.

 

I asked for quotes from 4 places:

1) Small family-owned bodyshop, central Sheffield: 'we'll look into parts pricing and availability and send you an e-mail quote'. It's been 3 months since, no quote has been forthcoming.

2) Big independent garage/bodyshop, middle-class Sheffield suburb, 'proper' classics sometimes seen: 'That'll be £350.'

3) 'Approved repairer' type place in Croydon (sight unseen- a mate works there): 'I think about £400-450 at mates' rates'

4) Smallish Pakistani-owned bodyshop in Bradford: 'We can do'em for £150'.

 

It did take them the best part of a week to sort it, but a decent job seems to have been done, and they also threw in all sorts of tidying of odds and sods around the car (little bit of bubbling at the top of the windscreen, bumpers needing some extra fastening and so on). If there's a moral to the story, it'd be to look around as much, and get as many quotes, as possible.

[STUNO]

I recently had the wheelarches done on the Granada.I asked for quotes : 'We can do'em for £150'.It did take them the best part of a week to sort it, but a decent job seems to have been done

 

That will be cash then mate

[Charlie Croker]

Thanks guys. I thought around the £200 mark so i was not too far off.

I seems a lot off cash to spend on a basic 1.6 Vectra like........BUT thats not the point is it?lol. Its a great car that drives superb and puts alot of the much newer cars ive had to shame. Also my pals Mum who had the car for AGES dosnt want it scrapped as she loves the car and only got a newer one because my pals dad wanted one and im not gonna be the one who tells her "ive scrapped it".lol.

So im gonna save up some pennies and into the body shop she will go. Im not sure how to put piccies up on here as im computer stupid.lol. I will get there though so keep your eyes peeled.lol.

[Luxobarges_Are_Us]

I recently had the wheelarches done on the Granada.I asked for quotes : 'We can do'em for £150'.It did take them the best part of a week to sort it, but a decent job seems to have been done

 

That will be cash then mate

 

I can neither confirm nor deny that.