Paint bubbling and showing rust, is there a possibility I could fix this myself?

[Project_Dark]

Attached is a photo of the rear quarter panel on the drivers side. I was quoted $1300 to repair it. Wondering if I could tackle this myself.

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[BoxsterSteve]

It looks as if the car is showing you where poorly repaired body damage is located.

 

[Project_Dark]

It looks as if the car is showing you where poorly repaired body damage is located.

That’s exactly what’s happening, I want to know how to fix it.

 

[Ducota]

Was there any warranty on the work preformed.

 

[BoxsterSteve]

That’s exactly what’s happening, I want to know how to fix it.

That depends on how qualified you are.
Worst case would be perforation, metal replacement and panel refinishing.
Bubbling on a previous repair typically isn’t an easy fix.
Body shops usually don’t guarantee repair like that.

 

[r0b0yt0]

Looks like that is on the fender?

Best way to guarantee it goes away and stays away is replacement of fender, assuming they’re still around $100; even from Honda dealer.

Then have hood/door blended to match because of the pearlescent in the white paint.

Wouldn’t suggest doing it yourself, especially if you’re expecting a factory like finish. Bubbles on the outside only mean the problem is much worse underneath. By time you scrape off the rot you likely have perforation which is properly fixed by welding in new metal, grinding flat and then using a small amount of body filler to ‘perfect’ the surface before sealer/primer are applied. The metal on modern fenders is very thin so welding/repairing like that can be difficult.

Since these fenders are, or maybe were, so cheap…the body shop I worked for always pushed for replacing them and blending the adjacent panels for color match.

 

[BoxsterSteve]

Looks like that is on the fender?

Best way to guarantee it goes away and stays away is replacement of fender, assuming they’re still around $100; even from Honda dealer.

Then have hood/door blended to match because of the pearlescent in the white paint.

Wouldn’t suggest doing it yourself, especially if you’re expecting a factory like finish. Bubbles on the outside only mean the problem is much worse underneath. By time you scrape off the rot you likely have perforation which is properly fixed by welding in new metal, grinding flat and then using a small amount of body filler to ‘perfect’ the surface before sealer/primer are applied. The metal on modern fenders is very thin so welding/repairing like that can be difficult.

Since these fenders are, or maybe were, so cheap…the body shop I worked for always pushed for replacing them and blending the adjacent panels for color match.

Fender… wishful thinking.
That’s the dogleg, a real miserable spot to repair with no recurring issues because of the multiple layers of metal.

 

[r0b0yt0]

Fender… wishful thinking.
That’s the dogleg, a real miserable spot to repair with no recurring issues because of the multiple layers of metal.

Oof DA.

Fair chance that preliminary estimate will increase once vehicle is disassembled and they grind the paint off to see what surprises are hiding underneath.

Rust is one of those situations where 99% of the time you don't know what you're dealing with until you really get in there. By time you see it on the outside/at the surface, the problem is already multiple times worse underneath.

It must all be removed, root and stem, and then ALL proper precautions/procedures must be taken to give it the best shot of not coming back.

Unfortunately, most vehicles are repaired by insurance coverage and the vast majority of repair shops participate in insurance company "DRP" Direct Repair Partnerships. These DRP relationships are nearly unanimously in favor of the insurance company saving money with the agreement the insurance company will recommend the shop to their policy holders. The insurance company saves money by being able to dictate numerous factors of how the repair is carried out. Everything from materials/procedures they will, and won't, pay for, even if they are best practice/necessary, to preferring knockoff parts to "return your vehicle to pre-loss conidtion". Your huge conglomerate/nation wide body shops are typically the ones you should avoid because they're "in bed" with the insurance companies the worst.

Find a place that has NO direct repair partnerships with insurance companies. A place that has new/nice/modern vehicles on their lot. A place with a backlog/wait to get in is also a good sign. A shop that does custom/restoration work is likely also a plus.

Good body/paint work is not cheap.

 

[James3spearchucker]

Attached is a photo of the rear quarter panel on the drivers side. I was quoted $1300 to repair it. Wondering if I could tackle this myself.

Hello, first of all, you have gotten some good input. Very good answers in fact. I started doing bodywork for a friend of mine because I needed the money. I realized that body work is something anybody can do, to a certain level at least. Once any welding is needed, it goes beyond my abilities. But, I can go in and kill rust if I need to. I can at least cut metal out easily as you can too. Shaping metal is an art though beyond me. I don't have that down and painting well and reading the primer for imperfections is also a finesse area I am not that good at. So, you can save a ton of money doing some of your own repairs and to get little rust under control you can take care of it yourself with very small amounts of money until you get money lined up to do hi-level work. I recommend POR15 metal prep for treating rust as other acids do more harm than good. If you can stop rust from causing deep pitting and going deep into the metal, you want to do that. Good luck!

 

[r0b0yt0]

Hello, first of all, you have gotten some good input. Very good answers in fact. I started doing bodywork for a friend of mine because I needed the money. I realized that body work is something anybody can do, to a certain level at least. Once any welding is needed, it goes beyond my abilities. But, I can go in and kill rust if I need to. I can at least cut metal out easily as you can too. Shaping metal is an art though beyond me. I don't have that down and painting well and reading the primer for imperfections is also a finesse area I am not that good at. So, you can save a ton of money doing some of your own repairs and to get little rust under control you can take care of it yourself with very small amounts of money until you get money lined up to do hi-level work. I recommend POR15 metal prep for treating rust as other acids do more harm than good. If you can stop rust from causing deep pitting and going deep into the metal, you want to do that. Good luck!

You are correct, anyone can do body work to a certain level. It takes time/patience. Good body/paint work is ALL prep work. Spraying the paint is a miniscule fraction of the total effort involved. Generally, the more tedious and anal the body & prep work...the better the final product will be.

POR-15 is great stuff, but its effectiveness varies pending all sorts of variables. It is possible to stop rust in its tracks, but it must be applied early and correctly.

Proper application is very important. Follow all the steps exactly as directed and you can get very good results.

I used this on the pinch welds for the quarter panels of my EP3. I Got to the problem very early and it legitimately prevented the issue from worsening for literally a decade. If I would have went in and reapplied at some point, it may have quelled it longer. By time it was bubbling the vehicle was no longer in my possession though.

She was a beaut.

 

[James3spearchucker]

You are correct, anyone can do body work to a certain level. It takes time/patience. Good body/paint work is ALL prep work. Spraying the paint is a miniscule fraction of the total effort involved. Generally, the more tedious and anal the body & prep work...the better the final product will be.

POR-15 is great stuff, but its effectiveness varies pending all sorts of variables. It is possible to stop rust in its tracks, but it must be applied early and correctly.

Proper application is very important. Follow all the steps exactly as directed and you can get very good results.

I used this on the pinch welds for the quarter panels of my EP3. I Got to the problem very early and it legitimately prevented the issue from worsening for literally a decade. If I would have went in and reapplied at some point, it may have quelled it longer. By time it was bubbling the vehicle was no longer in my possession though.

She was a beaut.

This car is gorgeous!!

I wish I had started doing more of my own work when I was younger because all of the paint work I have ever had done PROFESSIONALLY has been anything from poor to maybe ok. On one car that I insisted the rust be corrected, it was not cut out and resurfaced a short while later. They had that car for six months. On another car Bondo was used and cracked later because too much was used. Internal structures beneath the front fender and door were never repaired and straightened. The front body panels didn't line up well either. So I am sorry but after 3 repairs and 3 full paint jobs I have a mountain high of complaints. Same with other work I have done. This is why I do all of my own work now because I cannot afford the 20,000$ asking price for a "good paint job". I collaborate with people whenever I need help with something.

 

[r0b0yt0]

This car is gorgeous!!

I wish I had started doing more of my own work when I was younger because all of the paint work I have ever had done PROFESSIONALLY has been anything from poor to maybe ok. On one car that I insisted the rust be corrected, it was not cut out and resurfaced a short while later. They had that car for six months. On another car Bondo was used and cracked later because too much was used. Internal structures beneath the front fender and door were never repaired and straightened. The front body panels didn't line up well either. So I am sorry but after 3 repairs and 3 full paint jobs I have a mountain high of complaints. Same with other work I have done. This is why I do all of my own work now because I cannot afford the 20,000$ asking price for a "good paint job". I collaborate with people whenever I need help with something.

thanks That was my baby for quite some time.

These just sound like stereotypical conglomerate body shop experiences to me. They generally prioritize volume and pumping out vehicles as quickly as possible. If that wasn’t the case, then you were had by a dishonest entity…which is unfortunate.

The shop I used to work for was one of the best in the Chicagoland area. It was a Mercedes and VW certified repair facility and did exquisite collision repair work. Unfortunately, like most small body shop operations that had been around for several decades, they sold to a “bigger fish” and of course that company came in and altered operations to their liking…which only detracted from the outstanding work that used to be performed.

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