Mucking around with my car tonight at my Dads. Went to the toilet, come back and he has the car jacked up and half the front wheel off. Look underneath and discover he's jacked the car up with a trolly jack on the the bit before the rail (there a little circular rubber thing on the bottom of car just before the rail - directly behind where the side skirt inset in. Not much I could do, so inspect the car for damage, couldn't see anything, so carry on replacing a brake pad. 

Firstly am i right in thinking this isn't the correct jacking location (he seemed to think it was fine for a trolley jack) and if it's not what sort of damage could be done from jacking up at this location? The car was only up enough to get the front wheel off, but I'm paranoid because got the MOT next week! Cheers. 

 

Providing it's on the sill it should be okay, you can technically jack a car up from any point of the sill on most cars (some will bend/or have specific points) but with fiestas it should be okay just have a quick look when he drops it down but it should be fine

Or if he has jacked it on the subframe that's fine as well

Does your dad work for a large tyre retail chain?

19 minutes ago, Mark93 said:

Providing it's on the sill it should be okay, you can technically jack a car up from any point of the sill on most cars (some will bend/or have specific points) but with fiestas it should be okay just have a quick look when he drops it down but it should be fine

Or if he has jacked it on the subframe that's fine as well

Cheers Mark. When you say sill is that the bit behind the side skirt but before the rail? He jacked her on this bit.... 

Doesn't seem to be any damage but pretty certain this isn't the correct location. 

Sorry it could be wrong wording/naming on my part so if I'm wrong some please correct me but the sill is the whole thing, from the rail part to the part (which has certain jacking points on) to the part a couple inches underneath the door area(your sill will be covered by your skirt)

You can generally jack up on any part of the rail on most cars but try sticking to the specific jacking points especially if you have skirts fitted then there will be a cutout on that part to avoid damage to the skirt like crumpling or bending it

 

"The car was only up enough to get the front wheel off". the height is irrelevant, if the wheel is off the ground then the weight is on the jack, whether it's one inch off the ground or a foot off the ground.

I always put a piece of wood between the trolley jack and the car as the metal cup on the jack can cause damage to the underseal/paint etc even if it does not bend/dent any part of the car. I also chock the wheels as I realise there is more chance of coming off the jack with the wood there.

Some garages / tyre places just jack it up anywhere with no protection and afterwards the lip of the sill is bent and / or you see shiney metal where the protective coating has been damaged.

Ah one of my pet hates jacking points I now leave a hockey pic in my boot with a cut in it just in case I have to go tyre shop. In my eyes nothing worse than a chewed up jacking point.. as for the op there don't seem to be no damage in ur photo so I think ur good