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YACT: Rust repairs

A

Alphathree33

Platinum Member
I know cars are expensive (I just spent $1100 getting new breaks, suspension, etc.)

My car (91 civic) runs GREAT and it always has. I've been keeping up with engine-related repairs and maintenance, but have noticed some rust forming around the wheel wells.

I took it into Honda today to have them take a look at it and they said to fix the rust, it would cost $1000 for each wheel well and they told me how they would cut it out and put in new metal, etc. etc.

Now, I plan to keep this car for about three more years (it needs to get me through university) and I am willing to pay for maintenance and repairs through that time. But this seems like an excessively huge price.

Hell, I could just get a can of paint myself for 20 bucks and slap it on there around the wheel well, couldn' it?

Can I find a place that will simply buff out the rust and apply new paint? I realize that isn't as 'thorough' a job as Honda would like to do, but surely if I have it buffed out and repainted it should last me for a while?
 
YAGT ? Repairing rust on a girl huh ? Well your words say one thing but we know where your mind is.
 
You got a quote from the dealer?!?!? Trust me, they're going to rip you a new orifice when it comes to cost - ask around, find a body shop that is reputable, and get a quote there.


 
Depends on the extend of the rust... what the dealership is suggesting is a thorough solution, cutting the rusted piece out and put a new piece of metal in... their price is not unreasonable for this kinda job (price is a little high, but not that bad)....

If the rust is really severe, u cannot just 'buff' out the rust, since there's no metal underneath!

A cheaper way to do this is, go to the junkyard and see if you can get a used wheelwell for your car for cheap, then get it painted and install... this would likely be cheaper than cutting the original wheelwell and welding on new metal...
 
Originally posted by: FoBoT
just leave it, rust will hold up for 3 years
Click to expand...

Seriously, if you're jsut trying to make it last three more years, a few little holes in the wheel wells isn't going to affect its drivability.
 
Old Hondas aren't known for just surface rust - if you've got rust it's most likely nasty rust that you won't be able to just sand down and paint. Rust repair in that spot on that car isn't easy, but if you shop around you can definitely get it cheaper than that dealer wants.

 
Originally posted by: notfred
Originally posted by: FoBoT
just leave it, rust will hold up for 3 years
Click to expand...

Seriously, if you're jsut trying to make it last three more years, a few little holes in the wheel wells isn't going to affect its drivability.
Click to expand...

The car is otherwise very presentable. It has a new paint job from about a year ago (aside from the rust around the wheel wells)... I'd hate to have it look like crap because of some rust given all the effort I put into it. It's not a junker.

To answer another question, the rust is not extensive. There is certainly plenty of metal left. It's only on the edges of the wheel wells.
 
Wow, you don't live in western NY... there just aren't 91 cars around without rust holes in them from the salt on the roads in the winter. Anyway, Why not experiment and see if you can learn to do it... it'd be far cheaper than $2000. Drill with a wire brush on it to scrape it down to bare metal, perhaps a little cutting out of metal here and there, and a bit of work with bondo. I remember a kid showing us how to do this in a speech class in high school. I've never had the urge to do it, but he showed each step during a demonstration speech - it seemed that it would be easy to do, but hard to do skillfully - it'd take practice to get really good. (kinda like pasting drywall - some people can do a room in the time it takes rookies to do a 4 ft seam)
 
If it's only a little bit just get some touch-up paint and go over it. It'll get worse in three years time but it isn't going to fall apart. Think of it from a ROI point of view. If you spend $2k to fix it now, how much of that are you going to get back when you sell the car? I'll tell you right now - you'll get $0 back. A 91 Civic with a little wheel rust will sell for the same as a 91 Civic with no wheel rust.

 
You can learn how to do basic body work - that's how I got my old car through. Same problem, rust around the wheel wells. Just get a bondo kit, maybe a body patch just in case it turns out that it actually is through, a drill with wire brush attachment, and an assortment of sandpapers. Once you've got it perfectly smooth, slap a coat of primer on there, and then some paint. $100 worth of stuff (if you don't have a drill), and you'll have the experience to do it again when some other rust spot comes up.
 
Slow the rust down with some phosphoric acid. It will turn it black, then spray some paint over it.
 
i had a 91 civic sedan that had rust in the rear wheel wells, and there was some sort of plastic covering the wheel well also.

i crashed the car before i had a chance to even think about fixing it.

also i had to bend the fyuck out of the rear right wheel well to stop the metal from jarring the tire so i could drive it home.
 
It's not possible to just "buff the rust off". Rust repair is absurdly expensive because it's insanely labor intensive. Also, rust repair will rust again, and sooner than the original. Rust repair is one of the most expensive things that can be done to a car.

ZV
 
Keep in mind you'll need Honda certified metal prep, with Honda certified primer, Honda certified body filler, and Honda certified paint. Followed by Honda certified rubbing compound and Honda certified wax applied with Honda certified buffers...
 
Originally posted by: Ornery
Keep in mind you'll need Honda certified metal prep, with Honda certified primer, Honda certified body filler, and Honda certified paint. Followed by Honda certified rubbing compound and Honda certified wax applied with Honda certified buffers...
Click to expand...
Droll, very droll.

ZV
 
Originally posted by: Ornery
Keep in mind you'll need Honda certified metal prep, with Honda certified primer, Honda certified body filler, and Honda certified paint. Followed by Honda certified rubbing compound and Honda certified wax applied with Honda certified buffers...
Click to expand...
😕

As opposed to using General Motors certified metal prep, GM certified primer, GM certified body filler, and GM certified paint? Followed by GM certified rubbing compound and GM certified wax applied with GM certified buffers?

What's the point in a comment like this? heh

 
Originally posted by: BCYL
Depends on the extend of the rust... what the dealership is suggesting is a thorough solution, cutting the rusted piece out and put a new piece of metal in... their price is not unreasonable for this kinda job (price is a little high, but not that bad)....
Click to expand...

Not on a 13 year old car.

Just keep driving it. That car isn't worth putting that kind of money into. You'll never get the money you put into it back out when you sell it and the car won't look that much worse in 3 years.
 
I don't care what the situation, I would absolutely not pay for that on a 91 civic. Either do a half-assed job for much cheaper, or nothing at all.
 
FYI: I ended up doing some work myself.

Much of the rust came off with heavy sandpaper followed by a higher grit paper, and then I applied primer, two coats of paint and clear-coat.

It ALMOST looks seemless (damn I'm good 🙂) and that was my first time painting pretty much anything at all...

I'm hoping my patch-up will stop the rust from spreading (since I removed a lot of it and painter over) for another few years.

It looks pretty spiffy now since the paint job is new (plus my touch ups) and everything is running well, and I cleaned the inside and shampooed thoroughly.
 
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