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Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - blueshore

Hi

I am about to buy a 2010 Corsa 1.2 16V Energy 3 door from the local Vauxhall Dealership. They have just MOT'd it last week and are awaiting a couple of parts for it before I take delivery of it.

When I looked up the MOT history I was pretty worried to see :-

August 15th 2018 :-

Pass

No advisories

August 14th 2018 :-

Fail :-

Do not drive until repaired (dangerous defects):

Front Sub-frame has excessive corrosion which adversely affects braking or steering (6.1.1 (c) (ii))

February 7th 2018 :-

Pass :-

with Advisory notice item(s) :

Front Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)

February 6th 2018 :-

Fail :-

Reason(s) for failure :

Nearside Front Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened at lower arm fixing (2.4.G.1)

ie 6 months after a sub frame repair in February it had a serious defect again.

Although they appear to have repaired it, I am wondering if this could be a sign of big problems in the future with this car due to rust.

It also had these faults in addition to the sub frame problem :-

August 14th 2018 :-

Fail :-

Repair immediately (major defects):

Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn (5.3.4 (a) (i))

Monitor and repair if necessary (advisories):

Front Brake disc worn, pitted or scored, but not seriously weakened (1.1.14 (a) (ii))

Offside Front Suspension arm pin or bush worn but not resulting in excessive movement (5.3.4 (a) (i))

February 6th 2018 :-

Fail :-

Reason(s) for failure

Nearside Front coil spring broken (2.4.C.1a)

Nearside Front Sub-frame corroded and seriously weakened at lower arm fixing (2.4.G.1)

Nearside Track rod end ball joint has excessive play (2.2.B.1f)

Has anybody had experience of these kinds of problems with Corsas of this age group ?

The Vauxhall Dealership has quite a good reputation so I am hoping they wouldn't sell me a bad car. However the warranty they give me is only for 60 days.

I have only put a deposit down, so I am considering asking to cancel the purchase based on this defect that has emerged after the agreement was signed.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - BMW Enthusiast

Get your deposit back and walk away. The 60 day warranty isn't worth the paper it's written on and the dealer knows it. They legally have to fix any faults that happen within 6 months of ownership anyway and you know that car will end up giving you problems.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - badbusdriver

Not sure where you would stand legally with getting the deposit back, i'm guessing as long as the garage has given you the car in a roadworthy condition you won't have much success. It's a pity you hadn't looked up th MOT history and came on the forum beforehand. Corsa's are generally bought and driven by younger drivers due to lower insurance groups and how easy it is to get parts. But this means a lot of them are thrashed mercilessly to within an inch of their lives!.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - blueshore

I only seen the MOT fail on 6th February when I bought it, and I didn't think that was a show stopper. This Vauxhall dealer sells loads of Corsas around this age as part of its "value range". I would imagine they should know what they're doing, they are not a shabby outfit. However I am thinking about trying to cancel it to be on safe side. I am guessing they will let me.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - Avant

How on earth did they repair that lot between 14 and 15 August? Something doesn;t ring true. I;'m also surprised that a Vauxhall dealer would have an eight-year-old car for sale: franchised dealers normally trade them out even if they're taken in PX.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - SLO76
It’s possible they’ve repaired it, they are a Vauxhall dealer and should have everything on the shelf for one of these. They’re not that bad for rot though so I’m surprised it was bad enough to fail though which makes me wonder if it’s been through a hedge. Possibly it’s came from a seaside area or been owned by a farmers wife/son/daughter as we found regularly Colts etc traded in by them were often rotten due to being caked in muck and sat on wet grass and other unmade roads. I’d certainly want a good look underneath before committing and if that subframe hasn’t been replaced I’d be wanting out of it. It would be unusual for a main dealer to retail an older car that wasn’t good though as it’s too risky.
Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - daveyK_UK

Has this car been in ditch or a flood to have such bad rust on a 8 year old car?

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - blueshore

So is this level of rust unusual for a Corsa of this age ?

And thus indicating I might be best to avoid this car ?

What if Vauxhall Dealer says they put in a new sub-frame, and all is OK, Should I trust them ?

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - gordonbennet

Cars from Scotland in particular, due to it's worse winter weather and consequential extreme salt bathing, can suffer bad rusting underbody.

Some other factors can come into play too, if a car is stood for an extended period during a summer after getting its winter salt bath without having the benefit of spring rains to wash the muck off, ie a rental that covered its miles rather quickly and stands in a compound for 9 months, will have a bad start to its life.

Many people never think to give the undersides a hose down, most short term owners don't do this and sadly few long term owners either.

This is luck of the draw i'm afraid, the MOT history should be the very first thing you consult with an older car before you bother going to see it.

I'm not aware that Corsas have a serious rust issue, but in all honesty i'd be trying to get out of buying this particular one and start looking again, if the subframe is rotten then chances are the suspension and brake pipes etc will also be in less than ideal condition.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - njgleeds
Just bend down and have a look underneath the engine...it'll be quickly apparent as to wether or not it's got a new subframe. It's the big lump of metal underneath the engine that the bottom suspension arms bolt to.
Vauxhall are well aware of the subframe corrosion issues on this model and indeed have been replacing them even on cars well out of warranty.
As long as it's been replaced which I assume it will have, I wouldn't have an issue with the car. I've seen plenty of these through my workshop where the subframe resembles something from the titanic but the rest of the car is immaculate.
Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - Andrew-T
Vauxhall are well aware of the subframe corrosion issues on this model and indeed have been replacing them even on cars well out of warranty. As long as it's been replaced which I assume it will have, I wouldn't have an issue with the car. I've seen plenty of these through my workshop where the subframe resembles something from the titanic but the rest of the car is immaculate.

On the cars I am familiar with (Pugs) the subframe is a solid item, commonly not painted, which means surface rust develops because they get all the road spray under the car. The weak point is the bodywork they are attached to, which is much thinner - but with several coats of paint. So a brand new subframe may not be a complete answer to any problem.

However a reputable VX dealer would know about this. If the car comes with a NEW MoT pass, that should be reliable, as this kind of corrosion is one of the main examination points.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - Leif

Aren't these small cars only made to last 7 years anyway? It's eight years old, my previous small cars that reached that age were starting to fall apart.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - SLO76

Aren't these small cars only made to last 7 years anyway? It's eight years old, my previous small cars that reached that age were starting to fall apart.

Not necessarily. I regularly walk past a 99 T plate Fiesta I sold to a punter about 6 years ago for £500 which is still giving reliable service... should’ve charged more for it. I’ve flat fed plenty of 7yr plus motors that’ve gone on for many years without major issue and my mother has a 9yr old Jazz that is like new. If it’s maintained properly and of good quality (usually Japanese) then age is just a number.

Edited by SLO76 on 20/08/2018 at 11:27

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - Leif

Aren't these small cars only made to last 7 years anyway? It's eight years old, my previous small cars that reached that age were starting to fall apart.

Not necessarily. I regularly walk past a 99 T plate Fiesta I sold to a punter about 6 years ago for £500 which is still giving reliable service... should’ve charged more for it. I’ve flat fed plenty of 7yr plus motors that’ve gone on for many years without major issue and my mother has a 9yr old Jazz that is like new. If it’s maintained properly and of good quality (usually Japanese) then age is just a number.

I had an old style Micra (looks like a mini) which fell apart after 8 or 9 years. Had quite a bit of rust too. My old style Ford Ka fell apart after ten years, unrepairable a rust bucket. Both cars were well maintained, or at least serviced by the main dealer. I sold my VW Up after 6 years, and that did look in nice condition. It had lots of rubbery underbody rust proofing, and generally looked well made. Surprised about a Fiesta surviving. I see lots of old VW Polos in nice nick, old Fiestas all tend to look tatty. Not surprised about Japanese, my neighbour's Toyota Yaris (looks like a van) is 15 years old and running sweetly. A few signs of rust starting to appear.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - Andrew-T

<< I had an old style Micra (looks like a mini) which fell apart after 8 or 9 years. Had quite a bit of rust too. >>

Way back when Nissans were called Datsuns, most Japanese cars were notorious for being made from steel that was rusty to start with - so were BL cars of course. Until the 1980s probably most everyday cars were pretty rust-prone.

As has been said, owners can take steps to slow the process down, and if they live in salty areas they may have to, to prevent premature disintegration.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - madf

Aren't these small cars only made to last 7 years anyway? It's eight years old, my previous small cars that reached that age were starting to fall apart.

Not necessarily. I regularly walk past a 99 T plate Fiesta I sold to a punter about 6 years ago for £500 which is still giving reliable service... should’ve charged more for it. I’ve flat fed plenty of 7yr plus motors that’ve gone on for many years without major issue and my mother has a 9yr old Jazz that is like new. If it’s maintained properly and of good quality (usually Japanese) then age is just a number.

Our 2003 Yaris looks like 3 years old (apart from scabby alloys). Washed 3-4 times a year, serviced, never polished.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - catsdad
Subframe corrosion was a common issue on earlier Corsa Ds. Maybe its creeping up on 2010 models too?
I know that common cars like this will inevitably have a long list of potential problems but if you look at HJ good and bad on this model its a sorry list. We have a 2010 one as a second car and its had quite a few issues that googling shows are well known - more than HJ lists.
If its not too late I suggest the OP looks elsewhere. A Fiesta or Yaris for example will be older or dearer but probably a better option.
Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - blueshore

The car reg is SV10 TJY, and you can see the full MOT history here - just enter the reg :-

https://www.gov.uk/check-mot-history

Question is should I be put off by this MOT history - because many other Corsa's of this age range seem to have a similar range of problems - I've checked quite a few.

Or is this sub-frame issue and maybe also the "Nearside Front Suspension arm pin or bush excessively worn" something especially bad ?

I don't think the Vauxhall dealer would deliberately conceal anything from me - the salesman was really helpful, and I got a £200 cash discount. He is saying he is making sure the car "is right for you".

But then again even with all the dealer's best efforts could this still be an unlucky car ?

They are awaiting a couple of parts being delivered - I didn't ask which parts these were. And this is AFTER the MOT was passed.

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - Avant

SV10 TJY means it orginated in Scotland, so see Gordonbennet's comment above.

There must be lots of Corsas around, so walk away from any thin you have doubts about. And you could usefully widen your search to include the Ford Fiesta (better to drive and lots around to choose from) and the Toyota Yaris (a very good reputation for reliablity).

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - catsdad
The car can be seen on the dealers Dundee website. Its fully priced at probably about £1500 over what they've allowed as a trade-in.
The corrosion would concern me, especially its being reported twice and repaired in a day.
Have you checked owner and service history? A lot were driving school cars and are on up to 20,000 mile service intervals. If they've ignored service timing and just gone on mlies its maybe only had 2 services.
You can tell I am not a fan of the model.
As for salesmen, they are selling not advising you as a friend.
Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - blueshore

"The car can be seen on the dealers Dundee website"

How could you possibly know that from only the reg plate ?

Oh I would just add - the mileage is 57,000

Edited by blueshore on 20/08/2018 at 13:44

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - catsdad
How did I know that? Simple google search of the reg.

Edited by catsdad on 20/08/2018 at 16:59

Corsa 1.2 16V 2010 - Corsa 2010 Sub Frame Corrosion - blueshore

I spoke to my mechanic and he said he has seen many Corsa's of this age range with the same sub-frame rust problem. This is apparently a common problem with the Corsa D of this age. My present 54 plate car is a Corsa C - and he says the newer Corsa D is a weaker car than that.

So if Arnold Clark have put in a brand new sub-frame then it could be a good buy at £2800. If they haven't put in a new sub-frame then I would definitely pull out.