Mmmm, rust...

[blee]

When I said beater, I guess I meant it. There are the beginnings of bubbling rust at the bottom corners of the doors. Apparently this is not an uncommon problem among E34s. How quickly does this stuff spread? I'm tempted to sand/prime/paint the visible areas, but I don't know whether it's worth the trouble.

[bren]

How quickly does this stuff spread? I'm tempted to sand/prime/paint the visible areas, but I don't know whether it's worth the trouble.
Chances are, once you start sanding you'll find those bubbles are already holes. I'd try to catch them before they get out of hand.

[clyde]

Remember that the term "beater" is supposed to be used for a reason.

Cheap to buy, cheap to run. Defer everything possible for as long as possible. When you start fixing the non-safety or reliability (and possibly comfort) problems, you're defeating the purpose of the exercise. Eventually, that rust may become a safety consideration...but that probably won't be for a few more years. Even if you still have it, and you probably won't, doing the super quick and cheap repair isn't going to be much more expensive (in time and money) than doing it now.

On the flip side, if you just want a project to do, that's something else.

[Rob]

yeah, but beater in this case might just mean "cheaper than my focus." If you let pride of ownership get involved, you have to fix it now. Otherwise it will drive you crazy everytime you think about it or see it.

Besides, every good beater has some bondo. You get bonus points if you don't repaint it after you fix it.

[bren]

Gouging out rust with a screwdriver doesn't cost anything. Some fiberglass/Bondo, and a can of spray primer/paint shouldn't break the bank. :dunno:

[blee]

I'm going to track down some of the required stuff over the next few weeks, I guess. Would make for a nice stress relief project.

I'm definitely having to come to grips with the "beater" concept. It's hard to stop being as meticulous as I'd normally be, to accept certain things and just live with them. I just don't want to wake up one day and find a rust-colored pile of metal where my door once was.

[Pinecone]

Or quick easy and lasts fairly well, some used motor oil will stop the rust from spreading. Had a friend years ago that did this with his car, and it lasted over a year per treatment. Overall he held that car together for several years.

[SCA]

When I said beater, I guess I meant it. There are the beginnings of bubbling rust at the bottom corners of the doors. Apparently this is not an uncommon problem among E34s. How quickly does this stuff spread? I'm tempted to sand/prime/paint the visible areas, but I don't know whether it's worth the trouble.


My E34 started to rust on the sunroof panel and it had a tiny spot on the b-pillar. I purchased a product from 3M that stopped it from spreading. It was still visable, but it never spread after that.

[blee]

My E34 started to rust on the sunroof panel and it had a tiny spot on the b-pillar. I purchased a product from 3M that stopped it from spreading. It was still visable, but it never spread after that.
Hmm. Any idea what it was called?

[JST]

Hmm. Any idea what it was called?

http://www.reuels.com/reuels/media/mm/mm105.jpg

:dunno:

It's magic.

[FC]

Remember that the term "beater" is supposed to be used for a reason.

Cheap to buy, cheap to run. Defer everything possible for as long as possible. When you start fixing the non-safety or reliability (and possibly comfort) problems, you're defeating the purpose of the exercise. Eventually, that rust may become a safety consideration...but that probably won't be for a few more years. Even if you still have it, and you probably won't, doing the super quick and cheap repair isn't going to be much more expensive (in time and money) than doing it now.

On the flip side, if you just want a project to do, that's something else.

I'm with clyde on this. Let anything non-critcal go. It's a beater. It will die. Drive it until it does.

[SCA]

Hmm. Any idea what it was called?


Sorry for the delayed reply. It is called Rust Avenger and again is it a 3M product. The p/n is 03180NA.

"Stops existing auto rust permanently."