What is the most economical way to remove rust along the roof edges both left and right side? Seems to be expensive to have the entire roof done to fix the little lines of rust along the edges.
Rust is like an iceberg, you only see 10%, the other 90% is on the side you can’t see.
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I’m assuming this is just surface rust if it’s on the roof of a 2011. Still, the only way I know to really get rid of it is to sand it down to bare metal. Then paint it. Which may wind up looking worse than the rust if you only do part of the roof.
A picture of what you’re dealing with might help get a better answer.
For that (it looks like only surface rust on the drip line), you might get away with sanding to bare metal, masking it off, and primering and painting only the drip line.
You or your shop pretty much has to sand the rust away and then determine what’s needed to effect the repair. If there’s no structural damage and all the rust has been removed, then all that’s needed is a coat of primer and top color coat(s). How much that is all gonna cost depends on how tolerant you are of how the resultant job looks. Many car owners from the comments we get here are quite insistent for a “like-new” paint job. So that’s what most body shops do, and the quotes you get will be for that. Even if you tell them you don’t insist on like-new appearance, say you tell them a “looks ok from 6 feet” is fine by you, still many body shops won’t go along, b/c they’ve found by bitter experience they’ll be dinged by the judge if the car owner later takes them to court for a less than pristine job.
The reason it’s expensive is a rust repair must eliminate all the rust or it’ll return.
And one doesn’t how much rust is actually there until one starts sanding.
But most of all, those who do this type of repair consider their work as a display of their skills.
So they want it to look like that there was no repair at all.
Tester
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You can buy a small can of silver POR15, paint over the rust with an artists brush. Once dry prime and paint with matching color from a spray can or again, a brush. The proper color can be ordered from sources on the internet.
Don’t expect it to be new car quality but it will be the same color as the car and the rust will stop. And don’t expect a shop to do it that way for the reasons Tester outlined.
All,
Thanks for the feedback. It was good getting some insight as well as points of view with this rust deal. I am letting my thoughts settle in at this time. I plan on keeping the car for a little while longer so the professional paint job is appealing. On the other other hand the rust is not noticeable to anyone except me because I know its there hiding out of sight but slowly expanding. Working on just that little rust line alone is appealing as well. Decisions decisions.
Again thanks for all the responses.
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