Vauxhall Corsa Sill Repair Job

Rotten sills cause the Vauxhall Corsa to fail the MOT; this is a common occurrence with a local solution.

At **Pellon Tyre and Autocentre**, we frequently see Vauxhall Corsas pulling into the MOT bay, but this one, an older 2010 model, ended up requiring a little more attention than usual. Due to a pretty large and concerning hole in the sill region, which is a common weakness on vintage cars as they age and are exposed to our beautiful Yorkshire climate, it failed the MOT.

If you’ve never seen them before, the sills run along the sides of the automobile behind the doors and are essential to maintaining the vehicle’s structural integrity. They’re also among those locations that endure year-round water spray and winter road salt, particularly up here in Halifax, where the Pennine weather is at its worst. The thin metal quickly becomes eroded by the rot. According to UK MOT rules, this one was a complete failure because it had a hole large enough to fit your fist.

A Brief Overview of the UK Heritage of the Corsa – Vauxhall Corsa Sill Repair Job

I always want to quickly review the car’s history before getting too involved in repairs. The Vauxhall Corsa has established itself as a true mainstay on British roads. It was introduced to the UK market in 1993 as a successor for the Nova (do you remember those?) and has since become one of the best-selling small cars in the nation. Produced in Germany by **Opel** but rebranded as Vauxhall in the UK, it has long been a popular with new drivers, families, and anyone else in need of an affordable hatchback.

Since then, they have been produced in various forms, each one being slightly more contemporary and well-rounded than the one before it: the B, C, D, and E generations. This specific model, a **D model**, was in production from roughly 2006 to 2014. They are known to be good little runners, have good fuel economy, and parts are rather cheap to find. However, as these cars get older, rust on the wheel arches and sills has become a typical problem. This one was caught off guard precisely because of that.

A Repair in the Yorkshire Style – Vauxhall Corsa Sill Repair Job

The owner gave us the all-clear to fix it after we failed the MOT, and one of our mechanical guys got right to work. To restore it to its original strength, we had to remove the rotten metal, strip the region back, and weld in a new portion. We take pride in providing quality work that lasts; thus, we don’t accept shoddy work here.

Given the quantity of grit and salt that travels on our roads during the winter, we always advise getting a thorough dosage of underseal and rust prevention after welding. The last thing you want is for your newly welded metal to rust out again within a year or two.

Once everything was completed, we put it through the MOT retest, and it passed with outstanding results. Another satisfied local customer and another vehicle saved from the scrapyard.

Honouring Our Local Heritage – Vauxhall Corsa Sill Repair Job

Knowing that we’re keeping Halifax’s vehicles safe and operational is always comforting. Industry and graft are nothing new to our town; in the past, Halifax was all about mills, machines, and labour. Even if we don’t make textiles anymore, we still fix items by hand and maintain that spirit in our garage.

Since we opened **Pellon Tyre and Autocentre** in the late 1980s, many individuals have grown accustomed to driving vehicles like the Vauxhall Corsa. Whether it’s a young driver’s first vehicle or a runabout for someone rushing to school, we’re here to ensure their safety and comfort on the road.

Give us a call if you have an older Corsa (or any other car, for that matter) and you’re concerned about rust, crashes, or anything else that could interfere with an MOT. No bullshit, just straightforward local service; we’ll take a look and let you know where you stand.

Watch those sills until the next time!

*Eric Roberts, Halifax’s Best Tyre and Auto Centre*

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