Advice Appreciated - Z3 with Very Rusted Inner Sills Jacking Points

[t-tony]

They “should” use finger and thumb pressure aided by light tapping and scraping with the approved “corrosion assessment tool”. Then, if they can’t make a hole some use a screw driver or other sharp object. The thing is there does not have to be a hole to fail for excessive corrosion.

Tony.

 

[mrscalex]

They “should” use finger and thumb pressure aided by light tapping and scraping with the approved “corrosion assessment tool”. Then, if they can’t make a hole some use a screw driver or other sharp object. The thing is there does not have to be a hole to fail for excessive corrosion.

Tony.

Thanks. More leeway there than I thought.

 

[Mazza]

Where abouts are you @whippetoven , I have about 10 axle stands ( dont ask !,) and you are welcome to borrow 4 if you are close..

 

[Sean d]

Funnily enough I remember you quoting the figure of £700 at the time and I nearly mentioned that in a post. Glad I didn't as I thought that was total! But it was what I was alluding to when I said a patch it approach might be the only viable option.

Yes Robert, a previous member bought a 50k mileage z3 andcboth inner sills where toast, I quoted 700 per side to fit the parts that he had provided

 

[whippetoven]

I do wonder why the garage who did all the other work didn't see this rust underneath, particularly when doing the brakes - hard to miss. Is it the same garage that did the MOT? I'd go back to the MOT garage and ask why they deemed it roadworthy as you've spent a load of dosh on the oily bits assuming as it had passed, it was surface rust underneath. I feel for ya!

To be fair it was both lurking behind the outer sills and nowhere near as bad until I started to properly 'investigate' it with my screwdriver and wire brush - the irony is if I had left it and just waxoyled over it I could have got it through another 1 or 2 MOT's im sure. Got the diagnosis today and without either whole new sills (not available at the moment from BMW, I checked) or a lot of specialist fabrication she isn't going to be rescued. Hence I will be putting her up for sale and hopefully I can at least get back the money for the headwork (the Z3M wheels are worth most of that on their own tbh). Anybody interested in a widebody conversion or would like a brilliant parts car (sooo much new or newish stuff on it) for an M44 hit me up with a DM

 

[whippetoven]

Where abouts are you @whippetoven , I have about 10 axle stands ( dont ask !,) and you are welcome to borrow 4 if you are close..

Thanks for the offer … I managed without in the end by jacking up then putting some very big wooden blocks underneath whilst I worked in the wheel wells

 

[ktnez99]

There is no risk jacking under the Diff.

Tony.

We know, don’t we?

 

[Woodsta888]

To be fair it was both lurking behind the outer sills and nowhere near as bad until I started to properly 'investigate' it with my screwdriver and wire brush - the irony is if I had left it and just waxoyled over it I could have got it through another 1 or 2 MOT's im sure. Got the diagnosis today and without either whole new sills (not available at the moment from BMW, I checked) or a lot of specialist fabrication she isn't going to be rescued. Hence I will be putting her up for sale and hopefully I can at least get back the money for the headwork (the Z3M wheels are worth most of that on their own tbh). Anybody interested in a widebody conversion or would like a brilliant parts car (sooo much new or newish stuff on it) for an M44 hit me up with a DM

Such a shame mate. The decision you've come to is a tough one. Feel for ya.

 

[whippetoven]

Such a shame mate. The decision you've come to is a tough one. Feel for ya.

I'm genuinely gutted …. a lot of money, time and love has gone into it but I need to let it go now. Hopefully someone can either make some use of it or take it forward as a project.

 

[ktnez99]

The inner sills are no longer manufactured by BMW so does anyone know where I can get one from please? Driver’s side. Might buy the pair if they can be sourced.

 

[t-tony]

Not available Dawn, never have been as far as I’m aware. What people have done in the past incur a good section from a scrapped car and had it grafted in.

Tony.

 

[ktnez99]

Sopers say the inner sills were made for sale Tony but no longer.

 

[whippetoven]

I think they must have been available at some point. When i was trying to rescue my car i tracked some inner sill parts down to a company in The Netherlands .... they were something like 1100 euros per side and i was quoted about the same per side to do the work to weld them in. My advice, get a welder to look at them and assess if they can do a custom repair. If not i'm afraid the answer is to move it on and find another one. I now have a late 2.2i which is a much nicer car tbh ...

 

[Pingu]

My M has this problem. It's not easy cutting all the metal away and fabricating the new shapes. I do it outside, so I can only work on decent days. Luckily, the damage is covered by the outer sills, so the repair doesn't have to be as neat as something that you will see every day.

It takes me about two days per jacking point, but two days of labour may take a month to find. Two hours here, an hour there, etc.

Lots of hammering to confirm what's strong enough. Lots of sweeping up the rust that falls out of the car. Lots of flap disking and cleaning to prepare the car. Lots of painting to protect what's left. Lots of cereal boxes to get the shapes right. Lots of bending of thick 1.5mm steel (too thick to bend by hand). Lots of trial fitting. Lots of welding. Lots of flap disking to get things looking presentable, and to make the outer sills fit back on.

It will never be the same again, as the jacking point plasic blocks now attach with bolts into captive nuts, and the securing bolts will self tap into the new steel. Even with lots of copper grease, I still expect them to be rusted solid within 12 months.

It's also a temporary thing, as welding heats the steel and changes the properties. It may last a decade, but next time the repair will have to be even bigger.

 

[Althulas]

I just drilled small holes and used a square tapered drift to continue using the oem fixings.

I think if you treat the inside box sections annually to your inhibitor of choice it will hopefully keep the rust awayTime tell I suppose.

 

[Pingu]

I just drilled small holes and used a square tapered drift to continue using the oem fixings.

I think if you treat the inside box sections annually to your inhibitor of choice it will hopefully keep the rust awayTime tell I suppose.

It looks better than my effort

 

[Althulas]

I was fortunate to be able to find a local pro due mine though Pingu and was not to expensive compared to renting decent kit and self learning but the square hole thing the last bit of sage of advice I got from my dad.

 

[Matt Barnes]

I've got the same problem.. nowhere near as bad as @Althulas had.... I've ordered the same plate, but if it needs extending then cutting out from a donor might be necessary....

 

[Matt Barnes]

_

 

[spurs fan in a coupe]

These are c60cm sections that I cut from my solid cars and keep in stock to help provide the right shape parts for repairs