Automotive

Locked: Absolute cheapest way to fix rust spots on my beige Corolla?

  • Last Updated:
  • Apr 21st, 2022 7:33 pm
Member
Feb 22, 2017
270 posts
110 upvotes

Absolute cheapest way to fix rust spots on my beige Corolla?

Hey guys what’s the absolute cheapest / Bandaid way to fix rust spots on my beige Corolla? Can I just spray paint over it?

It’s more of an eye sore for me rather than worrying about body damage since it’s an older car

See attached

https://ibb.co/qDcXkCK
https://ibb.co/9nLcF2N
https://ibb.co/CBNj3RV
9 replies
Deal Addict
Sep 4, 2006
1506 posts
1351 upvotes
Ottawa
Spray painting over it is a waste of time and money. First pic: there is a lot more rust than showing. That all has to come off. Flap wheel on a grinder. Don't be surprised if there are holes in the metal. Bondo, sanding, more sanding, more bondo, more sanding, prime, paint, clear coat. The rust will come back through this in a year or two.

There are lots of these cars. Get on car-part.com, see if someone local-ish has a door that you can swap on. Good recyclers have trucks going all the time, they will drop parts right at your house. Swap the complete door. But... it's on more than just the door. My vote: drive it until dead. It will look worse underneath if it looks like this up top, so it's not going to last forever.
Deal Addict
Sep 6, 2017
4614 posts
3080 upvotes
Vinyl wrap it
Member
Feb 22, 2017
270 posts
110 upvotes
jayoldschool wrote: Spray painting over it is a waste of time and money. First pic: there is a lot more rust than showing. That all has to come off. Flap wheel on a grinder. Don't be surprised if there are holes in the metal. Bondo, sanding, more sanding, more bondo, more sanding, prime, paint, clear coat. The rust will come back through this in a year or two.

There are lots of these cars. Get on car-part.com, see if someone local-ish has a door that you can swap on. Good recyclers have trucks going all the time, they will drop parts right at your house. Swap the complete door. But... it's on more than just the door. My vote: drive it until dead. It will look worse underneath if it looks like this up top, so it's not going to last forever.
Thanks bro. It’s actually a 02 es300. One auto body shop quoted me $1500 LOL
Deal Addict
Sep 4, 2006
1506 posts
1351 upvotes
Ottawa
1500 is an absolute steal to get those spots fixed. Body work is expensive. Just the filler/primer/paint/hardener will be a good chunk of that total. It won't be great, and it won't last, but it will look better than it does now. I just paid 1200 to PDR one side of a car, and it was worth every penny.
Jr. Member
Nov 23, 2014
192 posts
633 upvotes
Richmond, BC
Just flip it like you did with that sick mazda a few threads ago.

If that Mazda was getting offers of $4,000, you can sell this for $50,000 easy since it's a Lexus.
Deal Guru
User avatar
Mar 13, 2004
13840 posts
5545 upvotes
Ontario
Look up POR-15
Member
Feb 22, 2017
270 posts
110 upvotes
sickcars wrote: Look up POR-15
Interesting thanks!
Deal Addict
Oct 21, 2006
1085 posts
900 upvotes
beautiful corolla es, toyota #1 for life!!!!
Deal Fanatic
User avatar
Oct 12, 2007
9732 posts
9502 upvotes
Winchester
+1 on POR 15.
Upvoting respectful and helpful RFDers since 2007

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