Back springs snapped 8-( bloody both of them

I took me marea to overhaul the back wishbones. They made cracking sounds plus the right wheel was off vertical. A MOT-alike station confirmed that this is the reason ("It happens to fiats all the time").

Well, I bought two sets of repair kits and drove to an inexpensive shop I'd found especially for this occasion (rear wishbone overhaul is time-consuming, hence expensive).

Two hours later the guy calls me, saying he'd changed one set of bearings but will not do the other one as both were healthy. The first one was healthy too, but he was too far down the road to stop (cut the bolt etc.)

_He will not let the car out into the street_ though, as these were the springs that made these cracking sounds and they both snapped two turns below their upper end.

Arrrgh!

A new set or rear springs + labor costed 1/5th of the car's value but had to be done. Luckily a friend had some money to lend before the first of the month.

The reason why springs broke is... RUST.



Springs are protected with a rubber hose which wears off with age and lets water in but does not let it out.



Once this water (and salt, obviously) permeates the paint it literally dissolves the spring. Here is what's left of the spring underneath the hose. One third of the diameter turned into oxides.



One last look. If not there, the spring would surely snap here:



Now... I'll cut the old springs even, sand them, paint them white and sell off as low riders.

EDIT 1: He also told me the rear brake shoes need replacement like NOW, front lights have to be leveled as the back is higher now and clutch needs to be adjusted.

EDIT 2: And just some week ago I wanted to tell you how nice she looks after she had her handles changed.

Thats not good news.

I've not really heard about Marea springs snapping too often.

Thats bad luck, those springs are completely finished. Its the first time I've ever heard of that happening on any car.

It is worth checking the rear coil springs, mine had suffered no damage last year but the paint was peeling off. I took them off buzzed some wet and dry round them and went over them with black Hammerite. You can see one of them sparkling back on the car here.
And that isnt rust on the tank straps and bumper bracket, its copperslip which works well if its not subject to spray all the time.