How to Repair Rust on Cars?

It starts with a tiny brown speck on the wheel arch or a bit of bubbling under the paint near the door handle. Most of us ignore it for a few weeks because we're busy or we think it is just cosmetic. However once it gets a grip on the metalwork it just keeps eating away until you are left with a hole that you can poke a finger through.

If you are wondering how to repair rust on cars, the first thing to know is that speed is your best friend. the sooner you tackle it the cheaper and easier the fix will be. In this guide we will walk through what you can do at home and when it is time to give us a shout here at Dinks Auto Body Repair in Peterborough to get it sorted properly.

Spotting the different types of car repair rust

Before you grab the sandpaper you need to know what you are looking at. Not all rust is the same and some of it is much nastier than others.

1. Surface rust:this is the light stuff. It usually happens when a stone chip or a scratch has exposed the bare metal to the rain and salt on our British roads. It looks like a reddish stain on top of the paint or just underneath it.
2. Scale rust: this is when the rust has started to pit the metal. It feels rough to the touch and if you look closely you will see the metal is actually being eaten away.
3. Penetrating rust: this is the "game over" stage for a diy fix. This is when the metal has rusted all the way through and you have got actual holes. If you see this on structural parts like the sills or frame rails it is a major safety issue and an automatic MOT failure.

At Dinks Auto Body Repair we see all sorts. Sometimes a customer comes in for a simple lease return repair and we find hidden rust that would have cost them a fortune in penalties if they had just handed the car back. Catching it early is always the best way to save money.

Tools you will need for a diy car repair rust job

If you are feeling brave and the rust is only on the surface you might want to try fixing it yourself. You are going to need a few things from the local motor factors.

• sandpaper (different grits like 80 for the rough stuff and 400 or 600 for smoothing)
• a wire brush or a drill attachment
• rust converter or inhibitor
• body filler (if there are pits in the metal)
• grey primer
• colour-matched paint and clear coat
• masking tape and old newspapers

It sounds like a lot of kit and honestly by the time you have bought all that you might find it is actually easier to just let a professional handle it. But if you want to give it a go, here is the basic process.

A simple guide to car repair rust

The main goal is to get back to clean shiny metal. If you leave even a tiny bit of rust behind it will just grow under your new paint and pop back out in a few months.

1. Clean and prep give the car a good wash and dry it thoroughly. Mask off the area around the rust with tape and paper so you don't get dust or paint over the rest of the car.

2. Grind it back, use your sandpaper or wire brush to remove all the rust. You need to see silver metal. Don't be afraid to sand a bit of the good paint around the edges to make sure you have got it all. Don’t forget to remember to wear eye protection because metal splinters are no joke.

3. Treat the metal even if it looks clean it is a good idea to use a rust converter. This is a liquid that turns any microscopic bits of rust into a stable surface that paint can stick to but make sure you follow the drying times on the bottle.

4. Fill and sand if the rust left a little dent or pit you will need to apply some body filler. Spread it thin and let it dry. Then sand it down until it is perfectly flush with the rest of the panel. A good tip is to run my fingers over it with your eyes closed to see if you can feel any bumps.

5. Prime and paint apply a few thin coats of primer. Don't go too heavy or it will run. Once that is dry you can apply your colour coat. Matching the paint on an older car can be a nightmare because the sun fades the original colour over time.

At Dinks Auto Body Repair we use professional paint matching systems to make sure the repair is invisible. Doing it on the driveway with an aerosol can is rarely going to give you that factory finish but it is better than leaving the metal exposed.

Why british winters are so hard on our cars

Living in the uk means our cars have a tough life. The rain is bad enough but the real killer is the road salt. Councils spread it everywhere to keep us moving in the frost but that salt gets into every nook and cranny of your car. It holds onto moisture and accelerates the rusting process like nothing else.

And that is why we always recommend a good underbody wash after the winter months. If you ignore the mud and salt caked in your wheel arches you are basically inviting rust to move in.

When to call in the pros at Dinks Auto Body repair

We love a bit of diy but there are times when it just isn't worth the hassle or the risk. If the rust is on a structural part of the car like the suspension mounting points or the sills then you really shouldn't be messing with it unless you are a coded welder.

Also if you have a modern car with a complex metallic or pearlescent paint job a diy repair is almost always going to look like a patch. If you are planning on selling the car or returning a lease vehicle a botched rust repair can actually knock more off the value than the rust itself.

At Dinks Auto Body Repair we have seen people try to fix holes with duct tape or expanding foam and then paint over it. Please don't do that. It doesn't work and it makes the proper repair much harder and more expensive for us to do later.

We offer everything from minor scuff repairs to full insurance work. Our team in Peterborough can look at your car and give you an honest opinion on whether it is worth fixing and what the best method is. We don't believe in upselling you things you don't need. If a panel is too far gone we will tell you straight and help you find a replacement instead of charging you to "fix" something that will just break again.

How to prevent rust from coming back

Once you have sorted the rust you want to keep it away. The best way is regular maintenance.

• wash your car often: especially in winter to get the salt off.
• wax it: a good coat of wax acts as a barrier between the paint and the weather.
• check for chips: if you see a stone chip on the bonnet touch it up immediately before the rain gets to it.
• clear the drains: cars have drain holes in the doors and sills. If these get blocked with leaves water sits inside the panels and rusts them from the inside out.

Rust is a pain but it doesn't have to be the end of your car. Whether you want to try a bit of car repair rust work yourself or you want to bring it to us for a professional finish the main thing is to act now.

If you are in the Peterborough area and you are worried about a spot of rust on your pride and joy just pop over to Dinks Auto Body Repair. We can have a quick look and give you a quote to get it back to looking like new. It is much better than waiting until next year when that little spot has turned into a big expensive problem.