Now that it’s springtime and you’ve had a chance to wash the layers of road salt and grime off of your vehicle, you may be noticing some small rust spots and wondering if they’re something to be concerned about and how long you should wait before getting them repaired. The problem with rust is that it can grow over time when it isn’t mitigated. Here’s what you need to know about vehicle rust and when to seek repairs from an auto body shop near you.
What Causes Cars to Rust?
Exposure to dirt, salt and other chemicals can cause the top layers of your car’s paint to weaken, especially as the car ages. When bare metal is exposed to water, iron and air it creates a chemical reaction known as oxidation that causes the metal to corrode. Saltwater is the most common accelerant to oxidation and car rust; vehicles in coastal and cold-weather climates are most susceptible to this.
You can help protect your vehicle from rust by having your car professionally detailed regularly by a local auto body shop. The detailing products and techniques used by professionals can protect the paint’s finish. Getting your car washed regularly at a facility that will wash the undercarriage can also prevent buildup of oxidizing elements like road salt and dirt. Rust typically starts building around a car’s wheel well or near the bottom of the door.
What are the Risks of Car Rust?
Unrepaired dents and scratches can promote rust, even on newer vehicles, because the damage exposes bare metal to elements that can speed up oxidation. This is why it’s important to get minor damage repaired by a local auto body shop as soon as possible, because the damage can spread over time due to things like rust. If left unchecked, rust not only causes the paint to flake away and make your car look bad; it can corrode structural components and body panels, making the metal brittle and flakey, and therefore less resistant to the impact of a collision. Once the structural integrity of your vehicle is compromised by rust, any subsequent collisions can be even more damaging and dangerous. Rust underneath the vehicle can cause mechanical problems that will also make your car less safe to drive.
When you see small rust spots forming on your car, that’s a prime opportunity to take it in for an inspection at your local body shop to see how far the rust has spread, get an estimate on repairs, and hopefully mitigate the problem before it becomes a structural issue.
Get Small Rust Repairs to Mitigate Damage
Small rust repairs can help mitigate further damage when the damage is superficial and the corrosion hasn’t had a chance to penetrate through the metal. Small rust repairs are more cost-effective than big ones and take less time. The typical small-scale rust repair process usually works like this:
- The auto body technician sands down the corroded area and the surrounding paint.
- They coat the exposed metal with primer.
- Once the primer dries, they repaint the area to match the rest of your vehicle.
- They wash, wax and polish the vehicle.
When Larger Rust Repairs Become Necessary
Large-scale rust repairs become necessary when the rust has penetrated a larger or deeper area of the auto body, which can weaken the structural integrity of the vehicle.
Large-scale rust repairs typically include these steps:
- First, the auto body technicians cut out the corroded metal section and then replaced. If the damage is extensive, it may be necessary to switch out the entire body panel.
- Then they use a bonding material to fill in around the repaired area.
- Then they sand, prime and paint the area to match the rest of the car.
- They wash, wax and polish the vehicle.
Find a Professional Auto Body Repairer Near You
When you notice small rust spots on your car, take it in for an inspection at a local body shop. A professional technician can evaluate the damage and provide recommendations on repairs. Carwise.com makes it easy to find a reputable auto body shop near you and request an estimate for rust repair. From reviews by real customers to services and payment information, Carwise has details on nearly 22,000 repair shops. Use Carwise’s shop finder tool to search your zip code for a customer-reviewed auto body or glass repair shop nearby: https://www.carwise.com/auto-body-shops/.
