Rust!! (archive)

I know none of us want to think about this, but we have to remember our cars are over ten years old. Don't let the external appearance fool you. I just finished repainting an '88 M3. I am now redoing an '89 M3. The ground effects and large bumpers can hide rust. If you live in the south or west you probably have nothing to worry about. If, however you live in the midwest or northeast you better check the following. Here is where I found rust on my '89 M3 from Inianapolis, Indiana. The front wheel wells down by the bottom of the front fender. The plastic wheel well liners crack allowing dirt and moisture to stay. I had to cut and replace with new metal here. The rocker panels underneath the ground effects. The seams were rusty, but I was able to clean and reapply undercoating. The rear wheel wells. Check the area at the bottom front where the ground effects attach. Again I had to cut and replace with new metal here. Dirt gets in between the plastic and the wheel lip allowing rust to start. On the right wheel well there is a metal cover that protects the gas vent hoses. Remove and inspect this. It's a poor design and traps a ton of dirt. Also while your up there inspect every inch of the wheel well undercoating. I was fooled to see undercoating intact but rust forming underneath. Look for bubbles or soft spots with a pick. The last place I found bad rust was the left rear bumper mount. You can remove the inside trunk liner around the tailights and see it there. Or better yet remove the rear bumper and inspect these areas.

This message is already too long, so if you want more details on other things I found, or how I fixed it please e-mail me.

Chris,

Follow Ups:

[ Follow Ups ] [ E30 M3 Message Board ] [ Msg. Board FAQ ]

Questions, comments, or problems, please visit the Roadfly help desk.