Minor car rust

[Exterous]

So it seems at some point I got a ding in my trunk. Too small to notice at first but apparently its rusting slightly. I looked at it and the ding didn't seem like it went down to the metal (its still white at the bottom). Can I just use a paint cover up or do I need to do a more in depth repair. Its pretty small - maybe slightly larger than a grain of rice



Also it had one of those front license plate holders that was just an advertisement for the dealership. We're not required to have them in MI so I'd like to take it off but I figure open holes might rust too. Any good way to prevent that without using a licenseplate holder?

 

[jlee]

Your front plate holes are probably in a plastic bumper and can't rust. That ding definitely went down to the metal - that's why it's rusting. You'll need to eliminate all of the rust and then seal it (i.e. with paint).

 

[Exterous]

Your front plate holes are probably in a plastic bumper and can't rust. That ding definitely went down to the metal - that's why it's rusting. You'll need to eliminate all of the rust and then seal it (i.e. with paint).

Thanks - I guess for the trunk question I was wondering more if I can just hand sand and touch up paint since its so small or if I should go dual action sander, primer, base and clear coat route

 

[RLGL]

How old is the car, after 5 years I would not consider a professional repair. Maybe take some 220 grit sandpaper,sand off the rust and apply touchup paint from the local auto store like Napa , auto Zone etc.

 

[Exterous]

How old is the car, after 5 years I would not consider a professional repair. Maybe take some 220 grit sandpaper,sand off the rust and apply touchup paint from the local auto store like Napa , auto Zone etc.

Its a 2013 but only 24k miles on it. No other rust, scratches or dents anywhere

 

[WhiteNoise]

Just wet sand it and prime/paint/clear coat it.

 

[mindless1]

The pic makes it look like paint is peeling away from the metal around the area. You may have to remove about a marble sized area of paint, or it'll just keep coming off.

Use sandable primer in more than one coat to raise the surface, sanding of course with very fine wet/dry paper, then an aerosol color coat, then at least another one. It will be very difficult to try to blend that small an area with the rest of the paint. At least it's white instead of metallic! Once you've gotten that far, decide if it needs a clear coat to match better.

 

[Exterous]

Thanks for the help. Sanded the spot, applied paint and clear coat. If you know exactly where to look you can see it but its still so tiny that I have to get right up to the spot to notice it

 

[WhoBeDaPlaya]

Shouldn't you hit it with rust converter first?

 

[mindless1]

^ Not if it's just surface rust that can be removed easily, without creating a hole. Then again in body sheeting if the rust is bad enough to go through to the other side, there probably will be bubbling of the new paint soon enough if you can't paint or otherwise seal the back.

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Pics of repair?

 

[Exterous]

Pics of repair?

Not as close but you get the idea. Its the small dot near the center of the cleaned area on the trunk. I might do it again to see if I can get rid of the dot but I'm waiting to see if it rusts anymore first

 

[dave_the_nerd]

Not bad, IMO. Here's hoping it stay un-rusty.