[Advice] Minor rust repair.

Aestivalis

Hi all. Seeing as I got a halfords voucher for christmas, I said I might as well buy some rust repair/protection for my car.

There's some minor rust damage and I want to get to it before it spreads.
Also, it looks like osme of it was previously repaired by the last owner and they did a bad job, but I cant be sure.

Some info: 2000 ford fiesta
I'm the third owner.


Pictures of the damage are here http://imgur.com/a/GOavf

Note in the 4th pic it looks like somebody has done minor repair work before. Not sure if this is true but it just seems this way.

I'm just curious as how to go about doing minor rust repair.

I presume its as follows.

Clean+dry
Sand down with fine paper/brush until smooth
apply primer + let dry
apply spray paint


I'm probably wrong, hence why I'm asking here as I'm pretty unsure.
There will probably be insturctions anyway with whatever product I buy.
I was thinking This and something like this.

harbourmill

hi ,from the attached pictures, i would suggest a touch up job rather then sanding down each panel , the rust does not appear to be gone right through. if you sand each panel you will have to spray each panel and it will not match with the original color, a lot of work for a job that wont look right when finished. I suggest you keep it simple , carefully clean out each spot with a small screwdriver,,, apply holts rust remedy, then use a paint touch up kit, To sand down -- fill --prime and sand down again and prime again till you have it as flat as glass pane is is an art initself not to mention spraying with a spray can, its not as easy as it looks and the results will be very much in the public view, and probably look worse. anyway best of luck which ever way you go.

JohnBoy26

no point in sanding down the rust on the arches and repainting. the rust will back in no time because that rust is coming from the inside out. It's not as minor as it looks Imo. the arches will most probably have a large amount of corrosion on the inside of the arches that's been progressing over time and is now making it's way out.

In the end if you go painting and sanding you will be left with something worse than there was to begin with Imo. Eg more rust and badly mismatched paint. Sanding will also remove protection from the unaffected areas which will lead to even more rust. Id leave well alone tbh.

cletus

Johnboy is right. The rear wheel arches on the mk4 and facelift fiesta were especially prone to rust, and it tends to start behind and inside the arch, rather than at the front

Carstuck

I also have a fiesta with the rust problems and have spent a fair few bob over the last few years 'repairing' it. IMO it was a pure waste of money as no matter what it will keep coming back. As others have said the rust has started from the inside. The rust in mine has repeated back and I'm just leaving it be at this stage.