Rust warriors, lend me your expertise

[Huffer]

I have rust appearing on the bottom edges of all my doors.

I'm wanting to repair it before I actually get too much more rust. I'm thinking of the following process:

1. Grind/sand off any existing paint, rust, down to as much bare metal as possible
2. Coat the affected areas with POR-15
3. Paint the repaired area with matching white paint
4. Clear coat the repaired area

Am I missing anything critical here?

[StatGSR]

well im about to tackle the same stuff with my integra (i will be using rust bullet though, which might work better for you as well since it will be silver and not black so it will be a little quicker to cover up), besides what you have mentioned , the only other step i will have is using rust bullet metal blast (rust dissolver, surface prep) prior to applying rust bullet.

http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Bullet-Bottl ... B0011YY5EQ (http://www.amazon.com/Rust-Bullet-Bottle-Dissolver-Conditioner/dp/B0011YY5EQ)

[d1giPhux]

I like POR15.. stuff turns super hard. Plus, they sell it in silver also!

Either way, it wont get rid of the rust completely, i've tried that before. Rust never sleeps it seems! If you CAN get down to the bar metal without wearing through, you will be lucky. But i think you will be surprised with what you find. I hate salt :(

[Wiscon_Mark]

At least it's just the doors. Fight it as long as you can, then replace the doors!

[Dead91silvia]

I still have all those RUST free parts... poke poke... :wink:

Even after you get rid of the rust, it's still never going to be completely gone...

1. knock off bubbled up paint
2. clean as much of the rust off as you can with a wire brush of something close to it.
3. use a primer coating... I have never used POR15, but I here its good stuff...
4. if using POR, prep for primer...
5. prep for paint and then paint and clear if using base clear.

Here is thebig thing to remember, dont start this unless your are going to finish it fast (a few days). NEVER leave primer open without 'paint' covering it. Primer will suck in moisture and then you have the same problem all over again. I have seen this happen time and time again with peoples project cars. They think primer will keep a car from rusting... Nope, just starts rusting from the inside out. Trust me, found out the hard way with the Volvo in high school... :smt009

[Wiscon_Mark]

Here is thebig thing to remember, dont start this unless your are going to finish it fast (a few days). NEVER leave primer open without 'paint' covering it. Primer will suck in moisture and then you have the same problem all over again. I have seen this happen time and time again with peoples project cars. They think primer will keep a car from rusting... Nope, just starts rusting from the inside out. Trust me, found out the hard way with the Volvo in high school... :smt009

That explains some things...

[grayguy]

Ive used both products, and I like the rust bullet line better than por15, we had issues with por15 chipping off to easily.

I'm always amazed how many people don't realize primer wicks up water.

[d1giPhux]

Chipping off? Damn, you must have got a bad batch or something. I've used POR15 multiple times and the shit is ROCK SOLID. It basically turns rusted crumbling metal back into metal its so damn hard. However, its not a permanent solution by any means.

I wish i could take care of all the rust thats been growing on my car, but at this point.. I'm starting not to care anymore. There isn't much I can do, and I've dumped so much $ into this car.. its starting to just be a money pit.

[Huffer]

Thanks for all the tips - and Dead, I'm sorry but I can't afford those parts, then cutting my car, then welding, grinding, prepping for paint, primer and paint etc.

I'm basically like digi - I'm at a point where I just want the car to run well, look decent and get me from A to B.

[Dead91silvia]

If you still wanted to get select parts of the qt, I can send some of those... No one else has asked about it or cared about the doors...

Yamazaki and I were talking about all the rust you guys have over there and it scars us both! Us over on the west coast dont know what it's like unless your a coasty, but even at that, it's still not like what you guys have. I can understand starting to not care when it comes to rust, but there are ways to keep it from happening...

[d1giPhux]

Not here.. once the rust grows, it never stops. You can weld in panels, and have it all done up proper and you will get another 3 years of it. Unless you ONLY drive it in the summer. Seriously. Ive had stuff done, and it just never goes away. At this point, I almost wish I could just encase the remaining metal in truck bed liner or something. East coast roads are TERRIBLE. So much salt you wouldnt believe it. At least here its like that..

[omgshitsjrdn]

Rust why do you even exist. .... I hate it

How long do you think Bondo will last?

[d1giPhux]

1yr probably.. if that.

[omgshitsjrdn]

Because my car is from the East coast, but I'll be relocating to Houston, TX I'm wondering if that weather will make a difference?

[Huffer]

If you relocate to a southern or less humid state, and one that doesn't use salt in the winter, the rust will slow down considerably, buying you more time to deal with it.

[Dead91silvia]

Because my car is from the East coast, but I'll be relocating to Houston, TX I'm wondering if that weather will make a difference?

If you re-locate, sell your car local first and then get a new one in TX. They dont salt roads like the east coast does.
Like this car...
http://houston.craigslist.org/cto/3038512584.html

If say Huffer was to bring his car over here to the west coast, it might be worth $2000, at most, and thats a big maybe. A rust free BG/BK can be had in Seattle/Tacoma from $2500-4500 for a nice clean car. I sold a 97 BG for $2000 last year that was banged up, but no rust. Sold my 97 BK for $3000 needing the motor re-sealed. My BD might sell for something like $4500-5500 stock.

A had a friend I went to school with in OR and his family was from OH. They had a 2000 Pontiac minivan and that POS had cancer 6 inches up the doors and all the rockers were rotted out. Over here, that van is worth $700... Basically the motor, trans and scrap price.

I really dont understand how all of you people have put up with all that salt for as long as you have! It destroys cars and it has to cost a lot of money to lay that stuff down! Some people run studded tires in the winter here (NOV-Mid APR) and salt only comes out when there is forecast of ice and snow, and thats too often...

[Wiscon_Mark]

I really dont understand how all of you people have put up with all that salt for as long as you have! It destroys cars and it has to cost a lot of money to lay that stuff down! Some people run studded tires in the winter here (NOV-Mid APR) and salt only comes out when there is forecast of ice and snow, and thats too often...

Considering the amount of damage to vehicles it does, not to mention the environmental harm it does, I think a real movement could build up against it. It's really sick how much salt they throw on the roads, no matter how minor the precipitation was.

[omgshitsjrdn]

Unfortunately i can't sell my car locally for its my transportation to Houston. Its also super difficult to find a nice bd non outback in Houston. .... i don't know much but if you can change an outback body style back into a normal bd then I would consider buying that one you posted for me. thank you :)

[Wiscon_Mark]

The only difference is paint, suspension, and the front bumper. And wheels/tire size.

[Dead91silvia]

^ yup! SUS sedans also have more options also... Thats what I wanted before I got my GT was an SUS. They are much more rare and more usable with things like hiking. Even at that, like Mark said, they can be lowered, just takes a little time...

[omgshitsjrdn]

So basically its the better legacy between the gt and outback? Im having thoughts about buying an outback now. But i would definitely change paint color and front bumper.

[Wiscon_Mark]

So basically its the better legacy between the gt and outback? Im having thoughts about buying an outback now. But i would definitely change paint color and front bumper.

At a new price point, the Outback probably has more options/features for the buck, but I don't think there was a whole lot of difference. You'll have to shop around and see what vehicles with certain options you're going to find.

FWIW, Subarus are like Legos, you can add/subtract pretty much anything from them, and a lot of wiring is already there for things (ie: tweeters).

Now, if we want to get back on topic, great. If not, I'll split this thread off and we can keep talking about it, if you guys want.

[Huffer]

If say Huffer was to bring his car over here to the west coast, it might be worth $2000, at most, and thats a big maybe. A rust free BG/BK can be had in Seattle/Tacoma from $2500-4500 for a nice clean car. I sold a 97 BG for $2000 last year that was banged up, but no rust. Sold my 97 BK for $3000 needing the motor re-sealed. My BD might sell for something like $4500-5500 stock.

I really dont understand how all of you people have put up with all that salt for as long as you have! It destroys cars and it has to cost a lot of money to lay that stuff down! Some people run studded tires in the winter here (NOV-Mid APR) and salt only comes out when there is forecast of ice and snow, and thats too often...

Here's the truth: The states pay less for salt than they do any other kind of ice-melting product; in addition, the road crews that lay the de-icer and the salt, are also the ones that repair the roads (from the damage the plows do) when winter is over. So, it's a unionised kind of thing. They destroy the roads, then they repair them. But they repair them with crappy asphalt and tar, so the roads are softer and breakup even more the next winter.

So their employment cycle is guaranteed.

In Europe, there are cities that spend a small fortune on building their roads in the beginning, with high quality materials. They don't have to make as many repairs. I've even seen roading materials where the core material maintains a temperature 15F above freezing; this prevents ice building up and it basically just sheets off into the drain.

Back on topic a little bit - I did make a serious mistake a couple of winters ago and left primer on the bottoms of the doors, without painting it. I think I've done some damage now.

[Wiscon_Mark]

Here's the truth: The states pay less for salt than they do any other kind of ice-melting product; in addition, the road crews that lay the de-icer and the salt, are also the ones that repair the roads (from the damage the plows do) when winter is over. So, it's a unionised kind of thing. They destroy the roads, then they repair them. But they repair them with crappy asphalt and tar, so the roads are softer and breakup even more the next winter.

So their employment cycle is guaranteed.

It's a little more complicated than that. Really, the fault is with the state budgeting committee. They evaluate next year's budget based on the previous year, so if the state workers don't use up their budget one year, they lose that money the next. It's a really stupid, lazy system.

[Thomistopheles]

If I move out of state, one of the criteria for potential homes is that they don't use ****ing salt in the winter. I'm sick of losing good cars to cancer.

I need to do a couple spots on my hatch. I'm planning on sealing it with epoxy primer after taking the affected areas down to clean bare metal instead of using POR-15.

[Dead91silvia]

If say Huffer was to bring his car over here to the west coast, it might be worth $2000, at most, and thats a big maybe. A rust free BG/BK can be had in Seattle/Tacoma from $2500-4500 for a nice clean car. I sold a 97 BG for $2000 last year that was banged up, but no rust. Sold my 97 BK for $3000 needing the motor re-sealed. My BD might sell for something like $4500-5500 stock.

I really dont understand how all of you people have put up with all that salt for as long as you have! It destroys cars and it has to cost a lot of money to lay that stuff down! Some people run studded tires in the winter here (NOV-Mid APR) and salt only comes out when there is forecast of ice and snow, and thats too often...

Here's the truth: The states pay less for salt than they do any other kind of ice-melting product; in addition, the road crews that lay the de-icer and the salt, are also the ones that repair the roads (from the damage the plows do) when winter is over. So, it's a unionised kind of thing. They destroy the roads, then they repair them. But they repair them with crappy asphalt and tar, so the roads are softer and breakup even more the next winter.

So their employment cycle is guaranteed.

In Europe, there are cities that spend a small fortune on building their roads in the beginning, with high quality materials. They don't have to make as many repairs. I've even seen roading materials where the core material maintains a temperature 15F above freezing; this prevents ice building up and it basically just sheets off into the drain.

Back on topic a little bit - I did make a serious mistake a couple of winters ago and left primer on the bottoms of the doors, without painting it. I think I've done some damage now.

This is not surprising...

As for the doors... Yeah, that most likely didnt help, but it can still be repaired... :smt023