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Rust Never Sleeps -- Questions About Rust Problems

65 messages,  Last post on Apr 22, 2009 at 12:51 PM

You are in the Maintenance & Repair Forum. Your Host is mr_shiftright

What is this discussion about? Car Safety, Exterior, Auto Body, Paint, Car Warranties, Coupe, Convertible, Hatchback, Truck, Sedan, Wagon, SUV, Van

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#6 of 65 Re: Repair that won't last by early74b Dec 19, 2003 (12:27 pm)
I've heard of rust preventative coating (actually owned an old MGB a number of years ago, in the damp UK they used a product called Waxoyl as an undercoating). My question was more on have you heard of this related to rust repair ... the repair would be $500 but my thinking is that if we had a bad winter (here in the Midwest) with a lot of cold, snowy weather with lots & lots of salt on the roads that come spring the rust would show its ugly face again and basically I'd be throwing good money after bad. I figure the van is worth between $4500 & $5500 on a trade now and your right in that in another 3 years it wouldn't be worth much ... ideally I would like the repair to last that long but no guarantee bothers me. We don't want to be one of those "rust buckets" we see on the road but I'm not foolish enough to think this will ever be a "classic" worth totally restoring (like that old MGB)!
#7 of 65 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Dec 19, 2003 (3:17 pm)
Unfortunately American body shops aren't very good at dealing with rust. In the UK they know how to handle it, but in the USA they are afraid of it.   Best way to fix it it cut it out. It's the only "sure thing" (famous last words).   Has this rust perforated the metal? Can you stick your fingers in the holes? How bad is it?
#8 of 65 Re: Repair by early74b Dec 21, 2003 (7:09 am)
The rust damage appears to be limited to the outer underside "lip" (about 4 to 6 inches) of the wheel well and there are definitely rust holes through it. The inner fender doesn't show any rust damage (still has that factory undercoating). What's odd is that it appears just the outer "skin" (the painted side) has rotted away from the inner fender. The body shop estimate calls for about a day & half of body work and paint work in which I would think they will cut away as you say the rusted portion rather than just bondo over it.
#9 of 65 by Mr_Shiftright HOST Dec 21, 2003 (9:12 am)
Oh, covering over it is a waste of time. IF they cut it out and then treated the metal it would probably work on the part that they treated. The problem is whether or not there are other parts inside there which one cannot see or treat.
#10 of 65 Re: Repair that won't last by early74b Dec 22, 2003 (5:58 am)
Quote: "Oh, covering over it is a waste of time. IF they cut it out and then treated the metal it would probably work on the part that they treated. The problem is whether or not there are other parts inside there which one cannot see or treat."   Yes, I agree; I've seen bondo jobs that barely last a season before you see bubbles, etc. and even worse damage coming through. It's not a pretty sight! I'll be watching this area more closely and keep the road salt off it for now. Wife is undecided on fix and keep versus getting something new ... Chicago Auto Show is in early Feb so we'll do a wait and see for now ... thanks!
#11 of 65 well, if you do it yourself... by swschrad Dec 22, 2003 (6:17 pm)
.. then you only have yourself to blame.   you can do some things to stretch the time between repairs... clean to metal between the fender and liner, and spray it down good with cold galvanizing (i.e. LPS galvanizing spray)... cut out ALL the pinholed metal, put a skim coat of bondo on the back as well... use acid primer on both sides if you are equipped with spraygun and supplied-air facemask... and spraying rustproofing in the fender afterwards.   but any repair that isn't made by getting down to clean shining metal, roughing it up, and then applying new metal by welding or bondo and fiberglass mat is going to fail within a year.
#12 of 65 Quite true by early74b Dec 23, 2003 (6:38 am)
After being somewhat apathetic to ANY replacement for the van the wife wants it fixed now ... its funny (but not really) but she just got a parking lot induced door bang (it was high on the car so she's assuming it was from a big SUV) while out doing xmas shopping. Doesn't appear to go into metal but I'm buffing it out to see. Her point is that A) she needs something new that will resist incidents like this (body cladding or impact resistant panels) OR B) the van now looks like a POS so people aren't careful while next to it! She's obviously joking with me either way but I do plan to check with the body shop on what prep work they plan to do ... as I've said earlier these guys are good but they aren't called to do rust repair work like this much ... again the good after bad comment earlier. Most folks will either live with it or unload it before it gets worse. Replies to this message: early74b (Feb 12, 2009 10:34 am)
#13 of 65 Rust and Auto Body Shops by bigfur Jan 05, 2004 (9:38 am)
Good luck finding any shop in the US that will warrant rust repair. In the four years i did auto body i never heard of one shop anywhere that would give rust a warranty
#14 of 65 cladding falls off when the metal rusts away, and by swschrad Jan 06, 2004 (1:54 pm)
the ABS "no-dent" panels on saturns have their issues as well, notably they expand and contract more than steel, so they have very large panel gaps between adjacent bodywork.   it is very easy to prevent rust, which is the oxidation of steel catalyzed by hydrogen. don't ever let water get to it. not ever.   and on an individual car, handmade and never subjected to wear, stress, thermal crazing of the paint, abrasion, or airborne deterioration of the coatings, you might just make a fine museum piece for the cost of a space shuttle.   on the street? ain't gonna happen.
#15 of 65 Best way to fix this? by morehp Apr 11, 2004 (6:28 am)
My folks' 1993 Camry is in excellent shape but for a small spot of rust right at the bottom rear corner of the driver's door (where my dad opened the door into some sort of obstacle and then neglected to touch up the paint).   Starting at that corner there is about a 1 to 1.5 inch radius of bubbling paint. This is on the outside surface. There does not appear to be any perforation and the inside surface of the metal is unmolested.   I'm wondering if this can be repaired by grinding away the rust and then just repainting the small spot. I'd rather not have the whole door repainted if I can avoid it.   Thanks for any help you can provide.

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