MOT time and decision time RX300 '04 question

[Shepherd]

Hi all , so this was last years MOT result
 

Repair as soon as possible (minor defects):

• Offside Front Steering rack gaiter damaged or deteriorated, but preventing the ingress of dirt (2.1.3 (g) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

• Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened and rear (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Rear Suspension arm corroded but not seriously weakened (5.3.3 (b) (i))
• Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))
• Rear Suspension component mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive inner sills (5.3.6 (a) (i))
  
  
  However, the MOT station guy told me not to worry about it , it all looked OKish and I should get some waxoyl on it. 
  
  Long story short , I got it waxoyled at a local garage and got some quotations for the suspension work but didn't do much all as I only drive it about 4K a year so a £800 bill looked a steep for a car I keep hoping will die one day and I will be able to buy another by force, but she refuses to die and refuses to fail MOTs
  
  Any way, there is about a month left for the next MOT and the radiator is leaking a bit which I will sort (already bought a the replacement)
  
  Question now is, as I am very non-technical when it comes to cars, from the list above  what should I prioritise ? Planning to keep the car for one more year before I sell it to we-buy-any-car-type-thing
  
  Its done 148K miles. 
  
   

[Bluemarlin]

The advisories are somewhat vague, in that they don't tell you the extent of any corrosion, so it's hard to say. If it's been waxoyled and there's no visible corrosion then that shouldn't affect the MOT.

The supsension arm bushes could look worn for years, without causing problems. It they're just a bit worn, and aren't torn apart, I'd be tempted to apply some silicone spray to them and leave it at that.

I'd probably be most concerned about the corrosion on the inner sills, but if that's waxoyled and hasn't gotten any worse, then it should be ok for the MOT.

All told, if the waxoyl has stopped any corrosion from getting worse then you're probably ok until you come to sell. In the end it might just come down to how picky the MOT tester is.

[PCM]

11 hours ago, Bluemarlin said:

I'd probably be most concerned about the corrosion on the inner sills, but if that's waxoyled and hasn't gotten any worse, then it should be ok for the MOT.

 

+1 from my own experience.

[Shepherd]

Thanks both , much appreciated. I called the MOT test station and asked them for a pre-MOT MOT , i,e unrecorded check to see what I need to get fixed to pass smoothly, make sure car is safe. They agreed to have a look for a price which is OK. 
 

[PCM]

Just an FYI...

 A pre-MOT check sounds like a good idea.

Corrosion underneath seemed to be the biggest problem for me ( my car that is! )

Also water getting behind the plastic wheel arch inner covers and causing rust.

Not easily visible but certainly worth being aware of...

[Bluemarlin]

Good point Piers. I'll be taking my arch liners off over the next week or so to have a look and give things a clean, before  liberally spraying some corrosion protection around, before doing the same to the underside.

I'm keepiing my fingers crossed, as last year I only did the nearside rear, to check on the fuel filler pipe. I assume the liner had never been off before and, whilst there was a fair bit of caked on mud to clean off, underneath that the paint looked as good as new.

I'm a bit paranoid about rust, as I tend to keep cars a while, and my previous one was forever needing bits welded.

[Malc]

reading on here times past of the earlier RX300s being copiously failed thru' rust issues .....  so keeping all that at bay should give you the confidence to pop money into the other bits and bobs to keep her going for another 100k miles hopefully .....  it's really only the rust that's the real killer ........ I've found that on several cars over the years / decades of motoring ....... as I've often been ( or tried to be )  a long term holder of a car or two ........  just to be defeated by rust in impossible places to remedy 

Malc

[Shepherd]

Result is back 😞

 

[Malc1]

so is the only Rust Fail the OS/R outer sill ?  .  get that fixed and your mechanic to sort the remainder " easy " Fails and you're " good to go " for another year  

Malc

[Shepherd]

all fixed, MOT gained. Fixed the OSR outer sill myself (Was quoted £450 by two body shops). Hope to get one full year out now. New shock (£75 of eBay) New sensor (£90), new front  suspension bushings £40, Labour £320 (including Mot)

 

[PUKU]

If its any consolation my RX300 year 2000 Gen1 Looks rusty but isn't! I live in deepest country and mud and s@"*t all over the place, roads more or less always flooded; I only wash it when the windows get too muddy for the wipers to cope with, but when I do (wash it), it gleams and sparkles and all is well in the world. So lives another year....