# Major Rust Under Car and Jack panels **URL:** \ **Category:** Maintenance/Repairs\ **Tags:** golf, volkswagen\ **Created:** [January 26, 2017, 8:58pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079 "2017-01-26T20:58:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Nevada\_545](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/nevada_545/32/41232_2.png) [@Nevada\_545](https://community.cartalk.com/u/Nevada_545)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:50am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/21 "2017-01-27T03:50:55Z")
I would drive it as is until a better car could be found. If you can buy one in excellent condition for $5,000 that would be a bargain compared to repairing this car. You could also buy a much newer car for that amount. If you attempt to replace the floors and rocker panels on this car you will likely be beginning a project that will never be finished, you may never get to drive this car. ---
**Author:** ![George\_San\_Jose1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e5b9ba/32.png) [@George\_San\_Jose1](https://community.cartalk.com/u/George_San_Jose1)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 3:57am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/22 "2017-01-27T03:57:28Z")
If OP is asking if the rust problem can be fixed, yes it almost definitely can be fixed. Not to the same integrity as when it was new, but at least to a safe & drive-able condition. I’m not recommending this course, the economics may be tough, just saying that it is possible. You’d have to ask a restore-shop to take a look and give you an idea what needs to be done. From what I can see the best method might be the auto-rotisserie route. They bolt your car to a gadget that rotates like a chicken on a spit, then they get easy access to cut out the bad sections & weld in repair sections as required to fix the rusted parts. I’d guess you’d be looking at somewhere from $3500 to $15,000 in work, depending what needs to be done. No need to guess tho. Take it to an auto restore shop. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 5:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/23 "2017-01-27T17:05:25Z")
**@kealantdog** GTI 's are fun! That said, any car I have ever had to get rid of was because of rust, never engine or transmission problems, etcetera. If you live in a state that uses road salt then plan on your car being destroyed by it. Where I live there are **2 seasons** … **salted** & **plain**. I have to own several cars at a time. Some I park during salt season (no rust underneath) and some I feed to the salt (slowly dissolving). This reminds me. I have to move. The sooner, the better. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![jtsanders](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c2a13f/32.png) [@jtsanders](https://community.cartalk.com/u/jtsanders)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 6:47pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/24 "2017-01-27T18:47:20Z")
Florida’s calling, @common_sense_answer. ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 7:11pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/25 "2017-01-27T19:11:49Z")
Just don’t move too close to the salt water. ---
**Author:** ![common-sense-answer](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/common-sense-answer/32/716_2.png) [@common-sense-answer](https://community.cartalk.com/u/common-sense-answer)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 7:15pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/26 "2017-01-27T19:15:54Z")
_ **@jtsanders** _ **"_Florida’s calling, @common_sense_answer."_** JT, You know it! It’s actually more than a call. It’s pulling at me! I have friends and relatives there, too. I’m still working on getting there. _ **CSA** _ ---
**Author:** ![always\_fixing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/71e660/32.png) [@always\_fixing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/always_fixing)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:37pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/27 "2017-01-27T20:37:26Z")
> [@kealantdog](#): > > The car restored is been sold for 5 grand now in perfect nic Not a great buy if you plan to fix it up and sell it. Should have brought someone with you to evaluate the cost in fixing it. Cutting out and welding in new sections for floor panels, structural members, replacing gas tank straps and possibly brake and fuel lines are all going to add up unless you do quite a bit of the work yourself with some professional guidance. Not sure of your skillset, but you’ll need to do quite a bit not lose on selling it for $5K. ---
**Author:** ![edb1961](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/edb1961/32/122_2.png) [@edb1961](https://community.cartalk.com/u/edb1961)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 8:48pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/28 "2017-01-27T20:48:32Z")
For those of use who speak American English “The car restored is been sold for 5 grand now in perfect nic” means “The car restored is been sold for 5000 pounds now in mint condition” Ed B. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 10:51pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/29 "2017-01-27T22:51:47Z")
> [@edb1961](#): > > “The car restored is been sold for 5 grand now in perfect nic” > means > “The car restored is been sold for 5000 pounds now in mint condition” That is still a bit confusing. Do you think that the OP meant to tell us that a restored version of this car _ **has** _ been sold for 5k pounds…? “Is been sold” is…not something that I have ever seen in print, in all of my 60+ years. ---
**Author:** ![VOLVO-V70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8e8cbc/32.png) [@VOLVO-V70](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VOLVO-V70)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 10:56pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/30 "2017-01-27T22:56:39Z")
I have a feeling that the OP has left the building because no one said what a great plan to throw away as much money this would require. ---
**Author:** ![VDCdriver](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/vdcdriver/32/48514_2.png) [@VDCdriver](https://community.cartalk.com/u/VDCdriver)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2017, 11:05pm UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/31 "2017-01-27T23:05:17Z")
I suspect that you are correct, but hopefully he is taking some time to educate himself about unitized construction, and learning why his idea is simply not practical with a 25 year old car that has negligible book value. 😔 ---
**Author:** ![bing](https://sea1.discourse-cdn.com/cartalk/user_avatar/community.cartalk.com/bing/32/4619_2.png) [@bing](https://community.cartalk.com/u/bing)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2017, 6:56am UTC](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079/32 "2017-01-28T06:56:19Z")
@vdcdriver Chuckle, chuckle. [Previous page](https://community.cartalk.com/t/major-rust-under-car-and-jack-panels/99079.md?page=1)