Normally when I jack the car up I put it on stands obviously to be safe, I place the stands so the sills sit on the stands. I use wooden inserts/bits of wood to try and protect the sills but these don't last very long at all and I find myself cutting new ones out quite regularly. I've had a look around on eBay and on the net for some kind of hard rubber/plastic blocks but can't find anything. Does anyone have any suggestions of things I can use instead?

Bit of bike tyre?

Bit hard to say without knowing what car you drive, but can you not jack on the subframe, or a mounting point and then put the stand on the jacking point or vice versa?

I have pallets at work, so getting perfect bits of wood is no problem. They don't last at all, single use most of the time, but i don't go through the time or effort to shape them - just wedge a random bit between the car and axle stand and/or jack, and it crushes to form, spreading the load.

You'll never fully prevent damage though. I've jacked mine up probably a couple of hundred times and it shows - jacking cars up damages them. Whatever you use.

If i was staying at this address i'd make a pit.

Chopping up hockey pucks apparently works well.

The bike tyre sounds a good idea. Its a 9n polo, I'm not sure where else I'm able to put the stands safely.

With regards to cutting them and stuff, it'd be good to have something more permanent or at least more than one use.

Just looked at my car and I've spotted 4 relatively deep dents in my sills which weren't there before it had its MOT (which was tuesday) How annoying.

Chopping up hockey pucks apparently works well.

Hmm sounds feasible, going to look into that one!

Easy on a 9n, it's got a subframe!

Easy on a 9n, it's got a subframe!

Whereabouts on the subframe would I put the axle stands? It'd be good to be able to stand it up on something more substantial :-)

Buy a plastic chopping board from wilkinson for a pound, then cut into thirds then cut two of the pieces so you make this shape

Then glue it all together and clamp it together. I reckon you could make 2 out of 1 chopping board and they would last forever.

Can you not jack it up on the front cross member and then put the stands under the subframe? On the back should be able to jack it up on the axle.

Hockey Puck with a groove cut into it works but still won't stop the damage.

Jack it on the sub frame as said. I've rarely make new inserts. 2x4 with a groove cut into it, or some soft wood with the sill in line with the grain usually works. The sill splits the wood down the grain making a nice groove for itself. But with a 9n i just use the sub frame mounts. Easy