I can take a photo so you can it's not REAL bad (yet) - but right above the wheel wall on the back fender (passenger's side) there's a bit of surface rust. [img]smileys/smiley11.gif[/img]It's about 2 inches long, 2 inches wide. But it's there and I'm upset. [img]smileys/smiley19.gif[/img]The paint just fell off when I sprayed my car with a hose.... I'm annoyned b/c I've searched the rest of the car up and down - and can't find anymore any where else.. I'm sure there is I Just don't see it but this spot is really in your face, obvious.


What do I do? My dad said sand it down the best I can, prime it and put touch up paint on it? I took it to a body shop and they were full of it - they said there's nothing can do unless I paint the whole car.. .. sorry I find this hard to believe and just because I'm a woman doesn't mean I have huge neon sign above saying "Stupid". I'm hoping someone on here can help me out - what steps do I take to take care of this and keep it from getting worse? I do intend to get it fully painted and other minor body dings and such taken care of ASAP - but not at least for another few months.


There has to be a "Home" solution right? If there is what are the best materials to use? How do I match up my paint to be exact with touch up paint? I've seen several different kinds of GM black and I'm getting confused.


Thanks so much!! [img]smileys/smiley17.gif[/img]

 

Your Dad is probably right, especially since you plan to get it painted in a few months. Black is going to be hard to match perfectly-it tends to fade, so the new paint you put on will not match well. You can come pretty close, though, and for a few months it might not be worth the effort. Go to a dealer and ask for the paint number that was used on your year and model of car-they may need your VIN, I'm not sure.


If you do end up sanding it off, make sure you take the time to remove ALL the rust, right down to bright shiny bare metal. This includes removing any pits the rust has made in the metal. If you don't, it will come back eventually. Then, clean the area with MEK, if you can get it where you live. You must use something that removes all grease and oils from the metal, or the paint will not adhere. Then prime, sand smooth, clean, prime, sand, clean, paint (thin coats!), sand, clean, paint, wet sand, clean, paint, wet sand, paint...as many times as you think is necessary. Use progressively finer sandpaper, and sand up and down one time, then side to side next time. Be sure to keep the sandpaper very wet, and rinse often, especially near the last coats. This will minimize any sanding marks or swirls. The more time you spend sanding in the beginning, the happier you will be at the end. Don't expect too much, though. Really, painting the whole panel would be the best, but that's probably more work than you want to do, given your plans for the whole car.