The Rust Saga returns.........*anger rises*

"RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars" (rallydarkstrike) 04/13/2020 at 15:14 • Filed to: Rust, Humdrum

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SO....remember last year !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! by a supposedly trustworthy guy that everybody recommended, then the wheel well he ‘fixed’ !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! in the exact same spot he had fixed and !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!

I also had had him repaint the trunk as rust was coming through behind the trim panel above the license plate....WELL, just noticed THIS coming back from my walk this afternoon while we are in lockdown...yay! Rust coming through in the OTHER place he had fixed now!

It almost looks like the trim panel has been rubbing itself INTO the paint with the way it’s flaking off near the top there. (Some background, the hatch had been repainted once before prior to his work because ANOTHER shop had ruined the paint back there with an angle-grinder when removing rusted license plate bolts.) The fact it seems like the panel has been rubbing INTO the paint is hilarious because he specifically had told me ‘he had put spacers into it so there would be a gap between the paint and the trim panel because the last shop forgot to put them back which is why the rust had started the first time’.

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Long story short, both places he had ‘fixed’ (the rear-right wheel well lip and the hatch behind that trim panel) have now re-rusted out in the exact same spot in less than a year...2.5 months for the wheel well, and 9.5 months for the hatch...

Guess I’ll take it to the local body shop that charges an arm and a leg afterthis whole Coronavirus thing is over and hope THEY can fix it right...

I get that cars rust, especially in salty climates like this, but I would expect a decent repair to at least last a year or two...not 3/4 of a year or less...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 15:43

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That is not a desirable situation. I will say that that dark gray paint actually has a nice gleam to it, probably from so many repaints. From what I have gathered rust is not fun? 

I had to search to figure out where that trim piece was and I noticed that the wheels look kinda bronze in this picture. Y ou have just a little glimpse of what Humdrum would look like Su bie-ified.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/13/2020 at 15:48

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Yeah, the bronze look in that pic was from the yellow leaves and brake dust I think, haha!

As to rust, no...not fun at all. I really shouldn’t complain as the ‘project car’ people out there are dealing with FAR worst rust than mine, mine really is nothing at all, but I like nipping it in the bud to make sure it can’t get worse. The problem with the rear trim panel above the license plate is that I have no idea how bad it is behind that panel unless I were to try and take it off...

As for the paint, it actually is in pretty decent shape for a car with 176,000kms and existing through 11 years of road salt and harsh Nova Scotian winters!

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/13/2020 at 15:52

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[redacted] ignore this

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 15:55

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It really is remarkable. All my interstate driving results in dump trucks depositing rocks in my face regularly, which hasn’t done the paint any good either. But I also don’t have to deal with abrasive road salt and gravel dust, just nice soft mud. Sometimes just taking care of a car can make all the difference.

Also I messed around with the colors to make the wheels more gold.

Jim Spanfeller > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 16:01

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RUST!?

Rust is no fun. Luckily, I think my car’s worst rust is some surface rust in the rear quarter panels and the passenger side floor, which is getting a wee bit thin. I hope you’ll be able to keep your rust at bay.  R ust is like an ugly little demon sent to torment car enthusiasts, just waiting for a chance to rear its ugly little head and eat our cars. Screw rust, it can go suck a lemon.

punkgoose17 > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 16:04

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Time to let it slowly die. I'd just live with it as is.

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 16:11

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Is there anything you can do to slow it down in the meantime? Wax or linseed oil? Just thinking about how much worse it could get in the next 18-24 months.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jim Spanfeller 04/13/2020 at 16:11

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My thoughts exactly.... :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Jim Spanfeller 04/13/2020 at 16:11

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My thoughts exactly.... :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > punkgoose17 04/13/2020 at 16:11

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But I love my car! :(

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > Jim Spanfeller 04/13/2020 at 16:12

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Am I doing this right?

Jim Spanfeller > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/13/2020 at 16:14

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Perfect ;p

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 04/13/2020 at 16:26

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I don’t know....I had slathered the spot on the wheel well in Lithium grease, but that was a lot easier to get to than this as the trim panel is covering it all...

I guess I could try and take the trim panel off, then put some grease on it then put it back...

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/13/2020 at 16:53

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Not sure how gold would look...not bad, but gold is too “Subaru STi’ in my eyes, I think bronze would be my preference! :)

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 16:56

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I probably meant bronze but I got 4 hours of sleep last night so I am not convinced I know I am awake. Oh I did mention a Subie but IDK. Bronze is a classy look with dark gray.

ranwhenparked > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 17:04

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I would see about that, might be able to get the panel back on tighter, too, and stop some of the rubbing. 

Victorinoo > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 17:15

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Spray it with fluid film to stop the rust. While you’re add it spray all rust prone areas with it to stop/ slow down the rust. It’s a  thick oil designed to prevent rust

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available 04/13/2020 at 17:22

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No worries man! :D

My car is odd though...the paint is ‘Midnight Gray Metallic’ but it’s actually not really gray, it’s almost a dark blue-gray...hard to find a color that matches!

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > ranwhenparked 04/13/2020 at 17:23

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I don’t even know if it IS rubbing, it just looks that way to me... :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Victorinoo 04/13/2020 at 17:24

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I get the car undercoated every year, so the wheel wells should be OK, but maybe I’ll order a can online (can’t really get one as a lot of the local hardware stores are closed...)...once I get it, I guess I’ll spray down that whole area in the hope it at least stops that rust from getting worse for the time being...

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 17:27

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I noticed the twinge of metallic blue. I always like colors that are difficult to pinpoint. That’s probably one of the reasons why I like my earthy orangish red overripe tomato colored Cruze. It has been called everything from brown to gold.

VincentMalamute-Kim > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 18:26

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I’m with punkgoose. Once rust starts, it’s inevitable. Even if you love your car. Unless you have a LOT of money.

Despite the other suggestions of grease, Fluid Film, etc, t here just isn’t a cheap or easy fix. Sorry.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 19:26

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Same thing happened to my mom’s last car.

Was in a minor fender bender (rear driver side quarter panel), it got repaired, a couple of years later, the rear shock tower was attached to the body with only thoughts and prayers and rust.

I don’t know what the hell they did in the repair, but I feel like after the body repair, we should have taken it apart and slathered the undersides with rust paint.

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 04/13/2020 at 19:32

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Yeah, what upsets me is that it’s ONLY rusting in the places I’ve ever had repaired. The rest of the untouched, factory original bodywork is pristine...not a spot of rust anywhere :(

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > VincentMalamute-Kim 04/13/2020 at 21:55

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Well, I know the last two places that repainted the tailgate didn’t repaint the whole hatch, they only repainted near the license plate and blended it in. I know the shop near me that charges an arm and a leg and does collision repair for all the local dealerships strips and repaints the entire panel, so I am hoping they would do a much better job and, therefore it will last longer.

The other option is to find another hatch at a local salvage yard that has never been touched and is rust free.

VincentMalamute-Kim > RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars 04/13/2020 at 22:01

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I know. It’ll be expensive to do it right. I hope that works. It’s just that my experience with rust is bad. O nce it starts, it continues.

I like the second option of finding a rust free hatch better than stripping and repainting the entire panel.

Or move. I’ve been in CO two years now and lack of rust on old cars is mind boggling to me. I just installed running boards on a neighbor’s 2000 Tacoma. Completely rust free underbody and frame - it was hard to wrap my mind around this .

RallyDarkstrike - Fan of 2-cyl FIATs, Eastern Bloc & Kei cars > Victorinoo 04/15/2020 at 12:14

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Well, ordered a small can of spray Fluid Film online and it arrived today...it’s raining today, so I guess I’ll wait until tomorrow afternoon when it is dry and spray some on the rust as much as I can in the hope it will help stop it a bit...