Hi
The photos show the rust on the N/S rear wheel arch the question is should I repair it myself rub it down and respray. Or get it done professionally at the local body shop who will cut it out and replace with new metal. They have quoted £600 for the complete job?
Its likely that holes will appear when you start grinding it back, but there’s no harm having a go, to at least see the extent of the damage. £600 sounds much too much, especially as its not even clear how much damage is there.
On a Mk1 with similar bubbling, when I asked a so-called MX5 specialist what he’d charge, his thoughts were £100, as he’d just use rattle cans. I passed. When you wire brush, look for blackening; that shows if the metal is getting thin, and needs cutting out. If it all rubs back to clean metal, its just surface rusting. I’ve never had good results with spray cans myself, but would try and work out the damage myself before getting quotes.
It could be surface rust under the paint? but i doubt it. once it as got between the inner and outer skins ,it will need cutting out, when it has been make sure you get those skins sealed sealed. if not no matter how good a job you get done it will come back in double quick time.
For just the arch and paint not including the rear section of the sill then £600 is very dear.
M-m
Thanks for the replies like you say I don’t think its surface rust. If I did it at home the chances are it would be back in six months. The paint shop said they would cut out all the rust treat the inside and spray the whole back wing and guarantee on more rust on the wing. I will get a few more quotes £600 is a bit steep.
terry
So that £600 is just for one wing? go tell them to get a life, well to dear.
M-m
Hi
Sanded off the paint today and the metal underneath looks ok. Think I will do a repair myself and save a few quid.
Make sure you treat the metal, then take your time getting the filler smooth. Have fun.
Can anyone help me out here. I have had a go at the rust repair but the colour match is rubbish. I have not had a go at blending in yet as it looks so far out and I don’t think its worth the time.
MAZDA Full Car Paint Aerosol Repair Kit TITANIUM GRAY 25G. Car a 2002 1.8 mk2.5 phoenix in titanium grey. how could the colour be so far out?
Could be that your original paint has faded, you might need a trip to a body shop to get the paint sprayed in with the right colour.
They have mixed you up the wrong colour, it would not of faded that much.
M-m
Hi, try a larger Halfords for a mix while you wait and test on a scrap piece of metal with the lacquer before leaving the store.
I’d mask higher up, paint the lip, then feather the side from an angle slightly above, building thickness at the repair first and having it feathered out before reaching the masking. The blend has to come from the gun, you can’t compound metallic base, let it flash off a few mins then straight on with the lacquer.
What I’d do
1 Go to your local paint motor factor and get your car matched, just because you have the code or name there is more to it than that. There will usually be variations caused by either paint or technique variations at the factory. See below regarding Mazda 11R
Colour Chips
Actual spray outs
When you have sorted out your can of colour (do a quick colour check by spraying a test piece) and a can of clear lacquer
2 Flat off the area you have painted with 1000 wet n dry (used wet) so its all nice and smooth and dull.
3 Using a grey scotchbrite pad and a bucket of water you need to take the gloss off the surrounding paint work for about 6" in all directions, rinse with water when done.
4 Mask off when dry but rather than do as before try this
Use paper a tad more substantial than newspaper like white A4 printer paper
Put a strip of tape along one edge and then place the paper on your car in a way that the tape is on the edge of the shiney paint work and the paper covers the area you want to repair. Now bend/fold the paper back over so it rolls over the edge that is stuck down so you have a
This will stop any edge where the new paint ends.
5 The aerosol has a fan of around 3", so be sure to have only 1.5" going on the arch (or what is needed to coat the repair area) and the other 1.5" spraying in to the wheel arch void (fill with an old curtain or similar). With an aerosol keep it tight, it is easy to let a repair grow and grow with each coat until it becomes unmanagable. The technique is important, apply too light and the paint shade will be too light as the aluminium flakes will sit on top, too heavy and the colour will be very dark as the aluminium flakes will sink in the layer of wet paint (it sound much worse than it is in reality). The feathered edge of a aerosol fan and its low covering should be enough to hide where the new paint ends.
Apply 3 coats with 10 mins between.
6 After 30 mins apply 3-4 coats of clear again with 10 mins between coats, when lacquering spray 2" beyond where you sprayed with the basecoat
7 After an hour or two de mask and then with plenty of elbow grease you need to polish the repair (gentley) and the surrounding area that was dulled off to bring the whole area back to a nice uniform gloss. A polishing compound rather than T Cut is advisable.
All the above sounds long winded and hard workand maybe £30 more than planned but it will give you the best chance of a repair that blends in well. To mask out a fixed shape, paint it and de mask will always stand out with metallic paints.
A decent motor factor will spend 10 mins going through the reapir process.
HTH
Good info Gaz.
M-m
Very comprehensive
Thanks thats really helpful. Im going to follow your advice a try again.
Terry
any time, if you get stuck feel free to send a PM
One last tip if any one else plans to do their own minor repairs (or cills etc).
When buying your items for the job in hand buy your self a 1LTR high build 2K primer kit (£10-15 + VAT) and 10 or so 600ml clear mixing cups (10p each) with mixing ratios printed on. Get some 1/2" or 1" use n chuck brushes from toolstation.
You can brush it on to repairs like these, leave overnight and it will give good anti corrosion (aerosol primers won’t), it will give loads of build, flat back well and can be used as a liquid filler almost. Being 2K it will bring all the benefits as if it was sprayed in a bodyshop but with no nasty complications because you are brushing and not spraying it.
Only mix a small amount because when the 2 components are mixed the clock starts ticking, of the mixed product what you don’t use leave in the garage on a high shelf so no inquisitive hands can get to it, the next morning it will be a solid lump of hard paint which can be binned without complications. Save the rest with the lids tight as it is handly to have to hand.
HTH