Rusty Arches - Saab 9-3 2007

[johnsmith222]

Hi guys,

I was looking for your opinions on my rear wheel arches, which are rusting quite badly on my Saab 9 3 1.9 TiD with 112,000 miles on it. I purchased this car for £2300 18 months ago, with no sign of arch rusting then.

My car also needs a DMF and clutch fitted (will do myself on driveway), usual service items, and likely a timing belt/waterpump change (I will check these next weekend or so).

I would fit the DMF, but tbh these rusting arches are stressing me out, and I was looking for some help as what to do. I am thinking if I start rubbing paint off, then I'm going to find holes.

I have a number of options. These are what I think I can do:

1. Pay for a professional body repair to the rear arches
2. Attempt to repair it myself
3. Let it rot.

I have never had the rear arch liners off, and so I've never been behind to see what's going on. I have ordered myself some G101 cleaner, and I plan to get behind the arches and clean it as best as I can, to try and slow down the progression of the rust.

If I was to attempt a fix, I was thinking of masking off the area, getting a wire brush attachment for the drill, and get the paint/rust off. I have also been looking at hydrate 80, or the gel that converts/inhibits rust. Then I'd be looking at which primer is best (I heard a particular type is best for preventing rust, but can't remember which). Then I'd spend some time sanding, then building coats of black paint (any recommendations as to where to get a good match?).

Then for the clear coat, I'm not so sure... I'm aware of the hazard of isocyanates in clear coats, but will need to look into what mask etc I need. Also I only have a driveway, so I'd be working witht he car outside :/

I live in Scotland, and they put down a lot of salt at the winter time, so I think this is something that needs sorted before then.

I have added photos so you guys can see and give your opinion.

Many Thanks for any help.

https://imgur.com/a/HeDPA

[Bikeless]

You'll probably find that when you remove the paint, the rust is worse than it looks, you will have to remove all of it else it will just come back 6 months later. You will then either have to bodge and reshape with isopon and mesh or do it properly and weld in replacement panels or sheet.
It's going to cost you either way if you pay or do it yourself, personally i would let it rot till it becomes an MOT fail then bodge it or get rid.

[arry]

Hard to tell from the grainy shot there but the paint quality doesn't look the best - are you sure it isn't already full of filler?

[johnsmith222]

[johnsmith222]

[stevo as b4]

Does the car mean alot to you in a sentimental way or something? You have a fairly left field undesirable brand of noughties car and it's also a high mileage diesel with the usual diesel issues.

Reason I ask is that there's genuinely not that many 2000> family cars that have any real enthusiast following yet, so cost vs value will be terrible for all your repairs and doing proper bodywork if it needs more involved work like new metal welding in etc. Also for alot less than £2300 you'd likely get another family sized comparible car that has several years of use and abuse left in it.

I've got a 1994 car, and though very rare now I'd still have to think twice before having major bodywork or serious rust issues sorted if it needed that sort of work, as they arnt worth enough to spend quite a few ££££ on bringing back rotten bodywork yet. If they were at Escort cosworth value then of course it'd be worth it, but even as a big enthusiast at this point in time I'd have to say no.

[M.C]

^ I'm inclined to agree, I'd sell it.

[johnsmith222]

[Shaft]

There's only one way that's being fixed, chop out the rot and let in new metal - are there repair panels available for them?

You can bodge it by grinding it back, using some snake oil rust inhibitor and filling in the lacework you'll be left with, but it will be busting back though in under a year, worse than before.

And I'm with arry, somebody has been there before, you're fighting a losing battle.
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[johnsmith222]

[doggone]

Any bodywork holes are usually MOT failures at least in an area like that where sharp edges are near pedestrians. If it's not critical structure filler and paint over is an acceptable repair.
20 years is pretty old for cars in salty UK conditions and basically it's getting to the end of it's life.
It will still have decent resale to break for spares, or someone might buy it for a short term winter hack to save their posh car or bike.

I'd see if it can be sold as is rather than throwing cash at it.

[johnsmith222]

[RhynoCZ]

I can see another 2-3 years, maybe 5. But you've got to get to work this instant and it's a never ending fun. I drive a 22 years old car (winter = salt) and I fix every chip in the paint job and I wash the car properly right after the winter season ends, including the undercarriage.

Now, inspect the car for rust, if you don't know what to look for, ask a experienced mate.

CHEAP FIX:
Looking at your pictures, I would remove the paint to have a look under it. If there are no holes through, then clean it properly and spray it with a filler spray (or even car putty = takes some time and extra effort), then colour (ask local paint shop, you don't need much of it OR buy generic green paint in a can) and after all that put a coat of clear lacquer over it.

STILL QUITE CHEAP:
Grind off the paint, prepare the place, then give the car to a profesional. After that do your own paitnjob (the same as above = clean it + filler + colour + clear lacquer)

EXPENSIVE:
Let the professionals do it all. I would not bother. The preparation work and paint job are the most expensive parts of the process.

---------------
Why should you start right now?. You see, right now you have exposed metal (+rust) and the cracked paint job on the arches actuall allowes water (+salt) to stay there for longer than it should, making your issue even worse = the rust ''grow'' quicker.

IF you fix it, you will (unless something goes wrong) see your car do another 5 years.
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