Rust bubbles repair
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Discussion

ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
quotequote all
Hello

I've been to view a car for sale. Overall i was very nice except for some small rust bubbles at the top of the windscreen. Is this a show stopper or easy enough to repair?

TIA

snuffle

1,587 posts

203 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
quotequote all
Depends on the car
£75 to £800 should cover it

Is it just surface rust or deeper corrosion
Does screen need to come out or are the trims removeable?
Is the screen a bonded in one?
Is the rusted area the roof panel or a seperate panel like on a cabriolet?
Solid colour or metalic or pearl or 3 stage

A couple of clues and you may get a more accurate estimate.

ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
quotequote all
snuffle said:
Depends on the car
£75 to £800 should cover it

Is it just surface rust or deeper corrosion
Does screen need to come out or are the trims removeable?
Is the screen a bonded in one?
Is the rusted area the roof panel or a seperate panel like on a cabriolet?
Solid colour or metalic or pearl or 3 stage

A couple of clues and you may get a more accurate estimate.
Is it just surface rust or deeper corrosion - the rest of the car looks sound. I dont know how deep this goes. I'm hoping its just surface rust.
Does screen need to come out or are the trims removeable? - I dont know. Its an e300 merc 1993.
Is the screen a bonded in one? - as above I dont know.
Is the rusted area the roof panel or a seperate panel like on a cabriolet? - it has a solid one piece roof with sunroof in colour also.
Solid colour or metalic or pearl or 3 stage - again I dont know but knowing its a merc does this help.

ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
quotequote all


paintman

7,844 posts

211 months

Sunday 11th September 2011
quotequote all
Screen out. Anything else won't last 5 minutes as the rust that's under the trim will reappear in short order.
I would also be worried that there may be perforation in the panel - i.e holes.
Unless you are prepared to live with a colour variation & a visible lacquer edge (you won't, as you'll see it every time you go to the car) its a complete panel respray.

Edited by paintman on Sunday 11th September 23:23

Glassman

24,235 posts

236 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
I think the car is an older Merc? In which case the trim is held on by five riveted retainers. The hole around the rivets would be my guess, but in many cases, some hacking and slashing by a rogue windscreen fitter would be the cause of the corrosion.

You won't know the full extent of damage until the screen is removed (often, the rust will spread into the pinchweld and creep under the Polyurethane which holds the glass in).


ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
Glassman said:
I think the car is an older Merc? In which case the trim is held on by five riveted retainers. The hole around the rivets would be my guess, but in many cases, some hacking and slashing by a rogue windscreen fitter would be the cause of the corrosion.

You won't know the full extent of damage until the screen is removed (often, the rust will spread into the pinchweld and creep under the Polyurethane which holds the glass in).
So worst case what do you estimate for repairs?

Glassman

24,235 posts

236 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
Bodywork not my bag I'm afraid. But if the screen is good, you won't need a new one (provided you get a decent bloke to remove it).

The cancer may just be around the rivets, but it's at least a new paint job on the roof. But as I've mentioned previously, how far the rust has spread will not be clear until you take the trim off/remove the screen.

ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
Glassman said:
Bodywork not my bag I'm afraid. But if the screen is good, you won't need a new one (provided you get a decent bloke to remove it).

The cancer may just be around the rivets, but it's at least a new paint job on the roof. But as I've mentioned previously, how far the rust has spread will not be clear until you take the trim off/remove the screen.
How much is a screen for these?

Glassman

24,235 posts

236 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
yhm

ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
paintman said:
Screen out. Anything else won't last 5 minutes as the rust that's under the trim will reappear in short order.
I would also be worried that there may be perforation in the panel - i.e holes.
Unless you are prepared to live with a colour variation & a visible lacquer edge (you won't, as you'll see it every time you go to the car) its a complete panel respray.

Edited by paintman on Sunday 11th September 23:23
yhm

paintman

7,844 posts

211 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
Impossible to tell the extent or severity of the corrosion without removing the screen & inspecting it. Not possible to tell from photos.
Job for a bodyshop, not something a SMART repairer would - or should - take on.

ATM

Original Poster:

20,703 posts

240 months

Monday 12th September 2011
quotequote all
paintman said:
Impossible to tell the extent or severity of the corrosion without removing the screen & inspecting it. Not possible to tell from photos.
Job for a bodyshop, not something a SMART repairer would - or should - take on.
ok thanks