rust spot...

Dustin_R · 06-28-08, 10:28

I have a small rust spot on my 03 Celica, right at the tip of the hood, where a little bit of paint had chipped off. Whats the best way to remove it, and protect the area? what products work best for protecting / removing? thanks !

David Fermani · 06-29-08, 02:17

I'd take it to a body shop to have it repaired properly. On a high appearance panel like a hood, a DIY fix will look crapy & won't last unless you have professional tools and products.

Dustin_R · 06-29-08, 03:41

im talking the size of a dime or less, is it still worth taking to a body shop just for that?

David Fermani · 06-29-08, 03:54

Absolutely! I don't recommend any DIY paintwork. People end up doing more harm than good. It's not worth destroying your car to save $300.

Accumulator · 06-29-08, 08:58

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dustin_R

im talking the size of a dime or less, is it still worth taking to a body shop just for that?

Oh yeah...I was about to

with David Fermani (heh heh, to the extent that he and I ever really do; that was really just a joke

) and say that DIYing little ones is no big deal if you aren't insisting on perfection... but if you're even *thinking* the words "size of a dime" then take it to a pro.

Dustin_R · 06-29-08, 11:24

well i'll probabably be getting a carbon fiber hood within the next month or 2, I just want to last till then without the rust spreading....but I'll take it in and see what a proffesional says

thanks

wascallyrabbit · 06-29-08, 04:12

a rust spot like that probably wouldn't grow noticeably in a month or two. if you plan on keeping the hood as a back up for the cf one then have it repaired properly.

Dustin_R · 06-29-08, 10:43

thanks. Will take it to a body shop and see what they say. Any idea how much it would cost me so I know im not getting screwed when I go? lol. thanks.

Chris223 · 06-30-08, 04:24

If they have to repaint it... $200-$400. somewhere in there. I was going to suggest trying touch up paint, but if it's already starting to rust, you'd have to get rid of the rust first which is tricky. I had a spot on my hood, rock chip that was right down to bare metal but no rust, so touch-up primer/paint/clearcoat and then wedsanding/polishing and she turned out pretty good. That was a couple years ago and it still looks good. Now I just have to deal with the 50,000 other rock chips my daily driver has aquired

jfelbab · 06-30-08, 05:31

Depending on the color, it is not all that hard to make a small repair look good. Sand the area to remove most of the rust and feather the edges. Apply a rust eraser then prime. Spray your basecoat and CC in light coats. Let it dry and then compound the area to achieve a smooth transition. The hardest part is matching the color. Metallic and pearl paints are the hardest to blend.

I've done several small repairs where it was impossible to tell that work had been done. Just take your time.