Rust around windscreen A Pillar

Hi, has anyone got advice on the method of fixing rust as per attached photo? Or is this uneconomic to get professionally fixed? I ask as there has been a couple of disco’s with this sort of rust issue on sale recently, and I was wondering if they worth bidding for, or not.

In nz repairs to structural parts of the car MUST be professionally carried out be qualified welders etc, if you do it yourself and the repair is noticed it can give issues getting the car its WOF (equivalent to the MOT in the uk)

That's a new one for me how do you prove its been done professionally, do you get a certificate with photos included?
Seems strange the WOF can decide if rust is unsafe but can't decide if a repair is safe

The problem with "A" pillars is the are not just a tube there are inner sections that may also need repairing, if you go to a scrap yard an cut a complete "A" pillor off at the very top and bottom , maybe even take the corner of the roof, first you will see the inside section the you can decide where to cut your "A" post to join in the replacement section in steps that allow them to be welded in steps, for example a straight cut on the inside to reduce the welding inside the car, depending on how many internal layers, the next section could also be just on straight cut but the outside will need a piece remove to let you weld the inside section say a 8-10 in long meaning you then have two welds on above the cut point and one below the cut this will ales add to e "A “post strength and the if you do a bit of the roof, joddle it if you can, once it welded inside and outside, add a strip of metal welding on the inside to increases the strength welding both sides of the strip


personally I always joddle, a joint and pin it in place with Aircraft pins or the Intercrip tools, I tack weld in-between the pins once it’s all tacked remove the pins and weld up the holes and they add strength to the joint as plug welds

kermit_rr said:

That's a new one for me how do you prove its been done professionally, do you get a certificate with photos included?
Seems strange the WOF can decide if rust is unsafe but can't decide if a repair is safe

Click to expand...

The WOF tester can fail a car for rust and then refuse to pass it at a retest unless it is accompanied by paperwork that shows it was fixed by a professional (certified) repairer, which would usually be a panel beater for minor rust issues. If you have a good relationship with the inspector and maybe even leave repairs unpainted you might get away with welding yourself, but thats not always going to work and carries some risks.
https://vehicleinspection.nzta.govt...cle-structure/structure-incl2.-frontal-impact

Thanks frosty, so basically one has to find a (rust free) donor car and get a repair section (I guess that involves screen removal), and also take the screen out of the car to be repaired, and respray the lot afterwards, that’s likely to be expensive but sounds doable if the car is at the right price. With Discovery prices as they are in nz it may only be worth doing a repair like that on the more desirable models eg manual Discovery 1’s.

I still have my red ‘96 300 tdi auto, and will be carefully checking for rust in the a pillar region.....

Depending on the hole after you cut back to good steel you may be able to leave the windscreen in as the repair may be in the outer section only, you need to investigate how far the rust has gone in,


I looked at the inspection sheet you posted it very interesting, and I have book marked it to keep as a good reference,


Good luck with car hope the outcome is favorable