Can this wait?

This beauty is behind the right front wheel.
Two body shops want roughly five hundred bucks to weld in a piece of metal and undercoat the bottom. I was thinking of having the bottom scuffed and prepped and spray Eastwood rust encapsulator. I read you can't use it with temperatures below 60 degrees. Any advice guys, can this wait or do I have to handle it immediately. I'm not looking for a show called but I don't want to end up like Fred Flintstone either lol.

Doesn't look good from here. But It really would be better to see it up close in person.

But why would you want to wait.??? I wouldn't rely on the Eastwood Encapsulator for something that large. I'd pay a welder to cut out ALL the rust/rot and weld in a formed piece of metal to eliminate that rot from spreading if you plan on keeping the car.

I know that in my area I could go to a shop, not far from me, where the guys do normal auto and truck repairs but are also extremely good at fabrication and welding and could probably get that done for a little less than $500.00.
But if that's what you've been quoted and trust that they will cut out all the rot so it won't re-appear in the future then it's worth it.
Don't know if you live in the rust belt and are exposed to road salt in the winter or not. But if so, then I'd get it done before that time comes.
Good luck with whatever you decide to do.

I absolutely live in the rust belt and have snow. I do plan on keeping the car I just have a problem with spending $500 on a $4,000 car. I appreciate your good advice.

By my way of thinking, if your $4000 car works and you are content with it, than it's better to spend $500 on a $4000 car than $40,000 on a new $40,000 car. What will you replace your $4000 car with that either a) doesn't also need parts/work because it is old or b) is new, but will cost you $5,000-10,000 as soon as you drive it off the lot?

No new cars or forever payments for me. I just finished putting 1200 in it between the air conditioning, belts hoses and miscellaneous other things.

carguy8888 wrote:

I absolutely live in the rust belt and have snow. I do plan on keeping the car I just have a problem with spending $500 on a $4,000 car. I appreciate your good advice.

That's easy - you fix it and in your case mitigate the rust process.  

For instance take a look  at this Pittsburgh company:

https://www.rustrepairinc.com/rust-repair/

https://www.rustrepairinc.com/gallery/


The  owner is a rallye racer (races Saabs, quite competitive) and does all the fabrication for chassis parts in-house. They buy exterior panels from various sources depending on quality.  You have to find your own way for exterior body finish work, one of the many neighboring collision places come to mind.

I live in New York City with no access to a lift unless I bring it somewhere. Also, I'm smart enough to know I don't have the skill to fix it myself. I think I'm going to talk to the guy again and see if I can make the best deal I can. I like this car and don't want to wait I have a problem.

carguy8888 wrote:

No new cars or forever payments for me. I just finished putting 1200 in it between the air conditioning, belts hoses and miscellaneous other things.

It does suck to get a nice surprise after putting all that work into it. I'm in the same situation myself although I haven't thrown 1200 into the most recent round of repairs, thank goodness.

It's repairs, payments, the bus or Uber. I could probably leave it until it rots away and I have holes like the Flintstones but I'm too much of a perfectionist.

If there's no other rust, fixing it seems like the clear choice to me. Always annoying to have another expensive fix, but that's life.

The $500 price I was quoted was to repair that hole and one of the spot and undercoat the rest of the bottom. I really enjoy the car so I'm sure I'm going to do it.

First I brought it to a car wash who put it on a lift and blasted the bottom with some type of chemical to clean everything I'm prepared to accept undercoating. My guy welded in 18 gauge metal which I supplied and undercoating the rest of the bottom. I'm glad I had it done.

Thanks Albert, I hope to have as good a run with my riv as you do with all those miles.

Ohhh yeah. Nice

Ty, I would have definitely worried dragging the car through the snow and salt over the winter.