Cut Tolley's creeping crack cure has done a fair job on my 2008 V70 screen leak where the water was getting in past the rubber. Is your boot drain hole clear?

Not that I've checked it, but given the boot line is bunded, the drain is likely to be clear. The water in the boot always evapourates away (over time) anyway. The problem is when I need to put things in the boot after a heavy spell of rain where the water is just on top of the boot liner and would soak into what I'm transporting.

Thing is you have to be sure, if the drain is clear the water will go away.

My point was that the water ends up on the bunded boot liner (its not just a mat) - think of it like a soap dish catching all the dregs from on top. All that happens is that in warm / dry weather, the water that came in when it was raining evaporates off.

If its colder and damper, then it just sits on - or maybe I should say 'in' the 'bowl of the boot liner, moving around within it as I use and park (on slopes) the car. Its how the cardbox box holding the foot pump got so wet.

I've looked under the boot liner and it's never been wet. The boot liner itself is plastic and impervious to water, hence why it just sits on top.

A drain would only clear the water if something weren't sitting on top of it, which is what the boot liner does. The liner does not have a hole in it to match up with the boot drain point (wherever that is) despite it being the specific Mazda one for the saloon model I own. It would've been nice if it did though (and had a plug).

Re: water leaks, had the same on the focus. After sealing every hole I could find underneath the lights and behind the bumper, I traced the general area using water couloured with food dye. I then made a mixture of silicon sealant diluted with 5 parts white spirit, painted this onto every weld and seal, that did the job, some 2 years ago.

On my 19 year old Avensis, I use T cut on the lamps then anti UV paint sealant. Lasts for most of the year. Best time to do it is autumn when the sun is getting weaker.

I used butyl sealing tape to cure water leaks from both rear lights. It has a consistency like plasticene. I stretched it and formed a continuous bead around both light apertures. It remains pliable so lights can be removed again later if needed.

I had other leaks into the boot - the T25 Avensis is notorious for them. I managed to cure the majority of them with silicon sealant, but punched a small hole on either side of the boot well at the lowest point where it was collecting, just to make sure. There had been water swilling about for years in there previously - no rust though. Modern car bodies are amazing.

Thanks - that's very helpful advice on the lens issue.

I was certainly glad I bought the boot liner accessory just after I bought the car, which effectively has a 'bund' to catch any water and thus prevent any damage below. I only bought it because I wanted to keep the boot floor in good condition, given I was (then) going to building sites etc and thus often had muddy boots and gear to stow.

I've used and continue to use the Turtlewax product. Works well and lasts about 6 months. I went this route to avoid any risk of damaging the plastic. As mentioned above, a quick going over with Autoglym resin polish doesn't do any harm either.

<< I suspect that the cost to fit even a reclaimed (in good nick) headlamp lens or whole cluster fitting would be quite steep. I probably wouldn't feel confident enough to fit it myself. >>

After paying £30 for the lamp I paid Simon in my local bodyshop the same to install it.