OK,

Thanks (probably) to the lovely UK weather!, and the excess salt & grit on the roads these days, my car failed its MOT yesterday, due to excessive Sub Frame corrosion (the mechanic said he could put his finger through areas of the corroded sub frame), and the garage said that there's nothing they can do...

They said that they aren't allowed to weld Sub frames, and that replacing it isn't an option, so basically, they said it is good for nothing but scrap value now...

It is a 2003 XKR, done about 66,000 miles, and I am gutted that it is basically good for nothing now...

Is this the case, is my car done?

Thanks,
Kevin

 

I had my rear subframe replaced a couple of years ago due to corrosion. I have subsequently had the rear end of the bodywork largely rebuilt due to corrosion (there is a separate thread on here showing that work), so I would not write off your car as scrap. I have since had the car comprehensively waxoiled to protect it from our roads.


The subframe was replaced by my local indie and the bodywork was carried out by Paragon.

 

absolutely not a write off. check out this thread (https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...repair-149852/)
for an excellent writeup of subframe removal and rust repair behind the subframe.
You should be able to replace any parts that are too far gone using parts from a car being broken for spares.

 

Hi there, the first thing you need to do is change your garage, they are feeding you BS.


The front sub-frame is made of aluminium and the rear is replaceable.


Ask them to be more specific about where the problem is, and get some pics taken and post here for more advice.

 

Thanks for that info...at least there's a chance that my car might not be a complete write off, just yet...

Though where I would go to get it sorted, I do not know, as it's obviously something that my local garage aren't capable of, and if I take it to my official Jaguar garage, I can see them charging £3000+ for the work, and I have to wonder if it is worth spending that much on a 13 year old XKR...

I might just pop the car into my Jag garage, as they said thy will give the car a free health check, and we can take it from there...

Thanks for at least giving me hope!

Cheers,
Kevin

 

Kevin,

Not a regular issue but for corrosion I do recall reports of the aluminium front suspension being replaced due to accident damage.



A beautiful piece of engineering and vastly superior to the steel front subframes on earlier models.

It shouldn't be beyond a competent DIY'er or repair garage to change. Definitely NOT a reason to consider the vehicle a scrapper.

Graham

 

What is up with the horrendous corrosion problems that owners have shared on this forum ? Of course it seems to be associated with salted roads and weather conditions in general, but some of the photos look like what you would expect for a car parked at low tide and left to sit on the beach for a year. Like photos in post #3 here: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...heared-156575/


What amazes me is that my 1955 Sliver Dawn survived 115,000 miles and 16 years in GB with negligible corrosion on the chassis and only minor on the body panels. Perhaps the lead based primer on the frame, the paraffin wax, and the generous coating of oil from leaking gaskets and the central oiler was all it required. Or did they use less salt on the roads prior to 1971 ?


Good luck with the repairs, but I think you have certainly reminded potential buyers of these cars to carefully check for corrosion. Certainly makes me grateful I have a California car.

 

I know the man responsible for sending out the gritters (salt spreaders) in West Suffolk and they get sent out every time there is a danger of frost. If somebody slides off a slippery road it is the fault of the local authority for not salting the road. Prior to 1971 we had a less litigious society and if you slid off the road it was your own fault for driving too fast for the conditions. The result is that the amount of salt we have on the roads is probably the equivalent of the car being parked at low tide.

 

Found this from a 2009 article (explains a lot).
Do local authorities have a responsibility to grit theroads?
They do now. Six years ago, the Highways Act of 1980 was amended to place them under a legal obligation to keep the roads clear. According to the amendment: "A highway authority are under a duty to ensure, so far as is reasonably practicable, that safe passage along a highway is not endangered by snow or ice."


Here is what the inner fender well of my unrestored 1955 RR looks like and as I said it went through 16 years of GB driving and another few years in Montana being driven on muddy cattle ranch roads prior to me bringing it to California. Just goes to show what the grit brigade has wrought in recent years. Apologies for semi-hijack of thread, but seems relevant.

 

Its not just the salt on the roads here, Jag are at fault for the use of poor quality steel, poor seam sealing and poor quality paint/undersealing. My 37 year old 450SL has less rust than my XK8.

 

I've just had a new rear subframe fitted, cost £600.00 for the sub frame £400 to fit. My local garage did the job, and fitted new shock absorber bushes at the same time.... I've also had both rear arches rebuilt cost £1800.00, and also had the whole of the underside wax oiled. So no rust left. This is now an appreciating asset so well worth it. Prices are starting to go up quite quickly for good clean cars.

 

Last year had to replace the diff and found the rear subframe where it touches the body corroded that it could not be mounted anymore. Impossible to find good used one and impossibe to buy new. So we repaired it. You cannot see a difference as like it is original.

 

I just spoke to my Jaguar garage, specifically regarding the sub frame repair/replacement...

initially (last Friday) they quoted me £1350 to replace and fit a new rear sub frame, and allocated 6 hours of labour time for the job...

Now, they have emailed me, and said they are having difficulty sourcing the replacement, and also they are now saying that the labour time is now estimated at 8 hours, and the price will now be £1550...

Firstly, I know this is an official Jaguar garage, and that their hourly rate is excessive (£100/hour), but is that price, and the 8 hour estimate a reliable one?

I just don't want them to come back after they are half way through the job and say it's going to take another 4 hours (£400) to complete it...

Also, they did a health check video for me...Here is the link...Does that sub frame damage look like £1550 worth of work?

https://video.citnow.com/vt9Jm40M7p3

How about the rest of the car? The total bill Jaguar are now quoting me to repair everything (but not replace the rear tyres...that'll have to wait until next month), is £2500

£2500 was really my top budget for everything, as for a 13 year old car, I had thought that the £2500 might be better spent on going towards a replacement XKR, and I really only want to get 2-3 ore years out of this one (it's only done 65,000 miles), before I upgrade to an F-Type in 2018...

Any thoughts would be appreciated

Thanks!

 

I think that is a very good price for all the work needed, almost unbelievable, given their hourly rate.

 

Actually, I did think that it wasn't a bad price...I just wanted to make sure that I wasn't being "fleeced", as I know the hourly rate Jaguar charge for their labour...

Hopefully, I will get the car back in a week or so, "as good as new"!

Thanks

 

I don't know why I read "subframe" in you first post and immediately thought front - possibly because I've always called the corroded part in the video the "A Frame"!

Probably the least of the worries as it can be thrown away and replaced reasonably quickly. The front floor corrosion is a much bigger problem in terms of the time required to strip down, cut out and replace the metal.

Not an unreasonable time estimate for the work involved.

Graham

 

Just to give you an idea of what is likely to be lurking around your sills and rear arches, here is a thread showing the work carried out on mine. From the outside, there were just a few visible bubbles: https://www.jaguarforums.com/forum/x...t-****-132166/


Don't be put off by the title, it is perfectly clean!

 

Great work, very impressive. It is raining right now, think we'll take the Blazer when we go out to dinner and leave the Jag in the garage.... ; )