After pondering my recent post regarding my plan of action for upgrades, I have taken on board peoples comments and unfortunately I am going to have to leave the upgrades and get the rust sorted as people suggest, with some Waxoyl.
So can anyone recommend somewhere for me to take my car around the Cheshire/Manchester/Staffordshire area please.
I am Manchester based and have been looking for somewhere to get rust repairs done, I collated the data I found in this topic:
Sadly not a huge number of options nearby. However, I know a few members have found local places willing to do the work:
@Lee67 had some work carried out by a guy in Stafford, some of which he documented here:
And @Stuart_D was put in contact with a guy in Southport:
Cheers Ian, not good news really, I guess asking around the local garages may be the way to go. Will check the guy out in Stafford as well.
I may just have found someone in Cheshire who does welding. I will keep you posted Ian, they have my car at the moment to look at.
I would be very interest to hear how you get on! I have sent photos off to a few to get quotes but haven’t pulled the trigger yet…
Hi Ian,
Well I took my car in to the garage, he looked at it with my assistance and he put his screwdriver right through both rear sills on the inside/underneath of the car. Both near and offside need work. To strip the car down, do the repairs and build it back up again PLUS a full waxoyl under the car he said will take him approximately 4 hours. In general he said the car was in great condition apart from these two small areas (i reckon an area approximately 6 inches long by 2 inches high).
Cost £200 all in.
Ordered the work to be done and will get the car back on Friday - how about that !!!
Also spoke about other aspects of the car and what I wanted to do to it. He suggested
He does prepare his own race cars and was a good rally driver in his day. He seems to know his stuff.
Once I get my car back I will ask him if he wants recommendations and if so I will put you in touch with him if you like.
Hi again Ian
Got my MX5 back now from the guys in Southport mentioned below.
look to have done a great job on the areas he resprayed and he put it on the ramps for me to have a look underneath at the welding and looked good. Estimate was exceeded because a bit more work was found, but I’m happy with the result.
If you want his details let me know. If you want to view my car any time let me know - I’m near J27 M6
Cheers - Stuart
Link to the guy who is doing my work in Holmes Chapel.
Following this with interest John.
I’m quite near Holmes Chapel, hope the results are good
He did some work yesterday on it and spotted more rush when he took it apart. Asked me to over to see it. I declined and just said crack on. He said another 2 hours work so £300 now all in. Still well happy with that.
Hello All,
Ring of bells garage at Stretton close to M56 roundabout with the A49. They are doing my just bought 2013 sport tech in January. They have been doing this sort of stuff for years.
As for welding, IJS in Castle, Northwich. Ian rebuilt a cill on my 1992 Toyata hiace MPV using a transit cill (none available for the Hiace). You can’t see the difference.
I’ve been looking locally, I visited Dutton paintwork specialists to get them to estimate some work for my vw camper and their work looks impressive. They do classics as well so are used to rust prevention. I’ve not heard glowing reports about ring o bells but haven’t used them myself.
The problem with reviews is you don’t know the motives of the reviewer. I have only seen a half dozen reviews, only one of them bad with no reasons given.
I have been there and personally spoken to the owner about another vehicle, which I haven’t had time to get done yet, but the 5 wil get done in January. He knows these cars well. I know what he is going to do and will give my opinion on here when it’s done.
Yeah didn’t want to come across as bad mouthing them you’ve satisfied yourself of their service and that’s all that matters really. No motives here , just am sharing what I’ve heard which is what the community is for.
I ended up doing my own car using bilt hamber products as I’m picky and would inflict that on some one who was doing it for a living 
Hope your car comes out well
Got my car back. More money than I was expecting.
Both sills done and inside the offside arch repaired.
£300 labour (6+ hours), plus welding parts (£40), plus trim screws (£11), plus Waxoyl for the parts which can be seen plus labour.
More than I was expecting as parts and VAT were not mentioned to me. But the job is done now.
Now time to spend money on improvements/upgrades.
Can’t really argue with that!
So would you still recommend them John.
What was the quality of the work like?
Thanks
Had mine Waxoiled at CS Haynes at Silverdale nr Stoke…they really know their way around an MX5
Just a little aside to some of the comments on here. I’m not sticking up for any workshop at all but as someone who did car restoration as a job then the problem you get when asking for a quotation is that unless the person knows the car inside out, it is very difficult to quote a job and then when you start the work you find rust in other places. We specialised in Sunbeam Tigers and Alpines, but we also did MGB’s, Spitfires and the odd E-Type, if we had had an Mx5 back then we probably would have come unstuck, so if you take an Mx5 to a general car welding workshop, be prepared to get a larger bill than you were originally quoted. Also double check about the VAT because where I work now customers seem to go deaf when you tell them the price and then you say + VAT 
Wrinkly, I agree with you. I still think the price is fair to be honest. At £200 I thought it was cheap so was prepared for more. At £440 I probably would have waited until the new year, but as I say it is done and repaired and today i got my first upgrade for the car - CARPET MATS - luxury ones at that hahahaha.