Repairing a damaged sill ?

[swil00]

Gave the car a good spring clean at the weekend and was horrified to see the state of the sills.

The section above the protected area is getting pretty bad now with corrosion even with a few coats of wax on them during the year, pity the stone chip protection doesn't cover the whole sill area......

More annoyingly though is one of my recent trips to the garage has seen the sill become damaged.

Can only track it down to one of two garages, the MOT centre or the new specialist I've starting using, although have my own ideas which one caused it

Question is, how best to repair this ?

If I'm keeping the car, the sills will need painting anyway, but not sure how to pull the dent of the sill since its in the area with the stone chip protection on it.

[Wardy]

Have you got a picture of the damage?

A bodyshop could sort this for you. I also remember my parents got sill damage repaired by a Chips Away franchise, on the drive. They did a decent job but as it's a franchise setup it does depend on the quality of your local operator.

I am a bit worried that you're seeing corrosion in this area though, on what is not a very old car! What year is yours, and how many miles?

[swil00]

I'll try and get a picture up tomorrow. Its not bad, more annoying that its happened and trying not being sure where as I've always been careful lifting it myself, have the modified hockey puck etc...

The car is an early 2005, but have done 142K. Well maintained mechanically, but it could have done with a little more TLC body wise although far from being left unwashed all the time. Somehow I think winter 2010-11 has a negative effect on it....

I've always been on top of the stone chips and given them a good seal after touching up. A few of the stone chips I've done have started corroding, but maybe I just didn't get them on time.

Just wish I'd payed more attention to the sills now.... ahh, the wonders of plastic sill covers/skirts. :-)

Mine are peppered with tiny stone chips, so I'd recommend people get a good sealant on theirs and build up some wax too.

I've been educated, modern cars still rust !

[silver1011]

Cars shouldn't rust, at least from the outside!

These are the sills on my 12 year old 150,000 mile Peugeot 306...

[swil00]

As much as french cars get slated postsor other areas such as electrics, peugeot seem to have very good rust proofing. I'll post a picture of mine in the morning.... Just a little different and only 7 years old.

[keith3289]

Agreed, my Peugeot 306 was 11 years old when I sold it and not a spot of rust. Unlike most 11 year old Fords I see - and I doubt new ones will be prove any better.

[Aspman]

Mine is the same, some big stone chips and the start of corrosion on the sills. Nothing too bad yet but disappointing on an 07 car with 60k.

[swil00]

The mud flaps have really only helped protect the worst of the stone chips.... You can see where the peppering starts.

Further along the sill.

My new dent...

[Davidsr20]

Never seen any rust in Ireland and I test a lot off them, rust is really a huge problem in the uk for some reason, when we get under a uk car over here it's sickening ;(

Sills on vag cars are very soft in general, iv a small dent on mine too.

Would u not just fit a set of mk5 golf Gti side skits they look very well

[swil00]

Without becoming obsessed about rust, I had a look at my brothers 2007 vRS the other day as I was telling him the state my sills were in. Seems that his 07 car that covered has just 35k is showing signs of stone damage to the sills above the textured paint protection.

That brings me to another point. It looks like the MK2's till 2007, perhaps later textured rust protection started a 2-3 inches down the sill, leaving the normal paint exposed.... I've since noticed that on the FL model, that protection area starts much higher, meaning a better protected sill.

wonder what brought about the change, is the sill stone/corrosion a known issue on pre FL models ?

[Sullyman]

Hi I have a Jan 2010 vrs and it has paint damage to the sills just behind the wheel arch.  Think as I said elsewhere that this is because Skoda fitted wider wheels and tyres so more chance of damage.  Also the dealer missed this at service when they ticked all boxes for corrosion as OK!  Audi recognised this fault on their S-line which had wider wheels etc and fitted clear helicopter plastic to combat stone chippings, just as Skoda fits it on the rear wheel arches!  So my dealer needs to answer why they missed the damage and Skoda re design.

[garylee79]

I just noticed this problem on my 58 Octavia VRS last week when I was washing it. I've opened a case with Skoda to see if I'm covered with warranty. Glad I'm not the only one. Anyone here have this problem and get covered by skoda?

[silver1011]

Skoda very much like to use stone chips as an excuse for all paintwork / alloy wheel complaints as this is specifically excluded from their warranty and is very hard to disprove by their customers.

 

I think you are going to struggle, Skoda offer a 12 year warranty on the body work but this is only for when the car rusts from the inside out.

[Aspman]

I solved the problem by painting over it then selling the car.

 

Very disappointing to see 15yr old French motors without a spot of rust on the sills and yet my 7yr old VRS was quietly rotting.

 

If you check around the forum I think a few guys have had success with claims against Skoda on this.

[garylee79]

Well they want to do a paint test to check it has not been resprayed so it looks like I'm getting somewhere with this. Just hope the previous owner did not spray it!

[baptistsan]

It starts with a paint test. Then they want photos. Then more photos. Then photos under a microscope. Then a paint report from an engineer. And so they continue to give you the run around hoping you will go away!

My advice, don't give up, keep hassling them. Also check the rest of the car for these areas of rust. Mine has it on door panels and door shuts too. Boot lids also suffer, mine seems to be okay thankfully!

Audi have a similar paint problem with some of their cars apparently but deal with it in an entirely different way.

[meaty101]

The paint on my sills is coming off in patches. And it's only done 70k. As funds are a bit short after my summer holidays am i likely to get any joy complaining to Skoda? It's an 06 vrs tdi.

[Aspman]

You're well over 6yr so sales of goods act won't help you. Corrosion warranty is longer but I've no doubt you'd have a fight on your hands.

 

You've nothing to loose though.

 

Failing that it's about £400 to get the sills repainted with the stone chip paint. I looked into it but the car was due a load of other work (2nd cambelt) and tax so I took it as a sign to move on.

[meaty101]

You're well over 6yr so sales of goods act won't help you. Corrosion warranty is longer but I've no doubt you'd have a fight on your hands.

You've nothing to loose though.

Failing that it's about £400 to get the sills repainted with the stone chip paint. I looked into it but the car was due a load of other work (2nd cambelt) and tax so I took it as a sign to move on.

£400 doesn't seem too bad but really it's p@#s poor workmanship. I thought Skoda's were past all this rust carry on!

[Aspman]

£400 doesn't seem too bad but really it's p@#s poor workmanship. I thought Skoda's were past all this rust carry on!

 

Beancounting. They saved £10 on each car by not putting as much stone ship paint on. Skoda obviously knew there was a problem because on the facelift cars the paint level has been raised up to the bottom of the doors. Same as the Golf.

 

The Mk1 doesn't have the problem because the sill flares out and acts as a shield for the bottom of the doors etc.

 

Also I guess the sills filling with damp leaves etc is only going to hasten any corrosion.

 

I look more carefully at the sills now. My Honda has a plastic sill covers (maybe because it's the GT spec) so any stone chips are on that are only cosmetic.

Edited 24 August, 2015 by Aspman

[christophVRS]

my 07 vrs has this corrosion starting on the sills i will get it sorted before winter as i have just bought the car will get the stone chip painted higher up

[garylee79]

Well I had no luck with Skoda on getting my rusty sills done. They blamed external damage, stone chips, which I agreed but stressed the paint work was not protected enough. Funny enough I have a dent on the sill on drivers side where it looks like wheel jack has been used. I'm getting both sills done by local garage for £400 and they said they will do a proper job and apply strong Lacker (sorry wrong spelling I know) to protect against stones etc. Lightcliffe Skoda wanted £600 to get them done!

The 12 yr warrenty only covers you if you can push a pencil through the rust and it goes through. Mine is surface rust so only goodwill is offered. I got my G201 fault fixed for free recently so I guess they thought I had my freebie.

I'm hoping the repair and respray will protect it now but I'll keep any eye on this area especially after its been to the garage.

Edited 6 October, 2015 by garylee79

[blackspaven]

Reminds me, no rust on my sills but must get round to painting them with black hammerite up to the FL level.

[Aspman]

Some of that 3M chip film would probably be a good idea if you can get it.

[Wardy]

Good idea. At this price a non-3M variant might be worth a try:

 

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Clear-Glossy-Vehicle-Protection-Film-Sheet-Stone-Chipping-Protection-Layer-Cover-/320960725771?var=&hash=item4abac0030b