Buying a used car: Rust

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[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Buying a used car: Rust

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:31:46 AM EDT

So I'm in the market for a used car with decent gas milage.

I came accross this 95 Civic, everything is great except this rust on the door and quarter panel.

According to the owner it just randomly started rusting one day, no accident, no sideswipe, nothing.

How much would it cost to repair?

Is this a major red flag, avoid at all costs?

Thanks-

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:38:46 AM EDT

[#1]

Ever look at an iceberg?

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:44:03 AM EDT

[#2]

Honda’s are notorious for rusting around the rear wheel wells. That does not look too bad but it will get worse. Fix it yourself=50 bucks but it will most likely start to rust again. Take it somewhere=200-300 (well around here anyway) but it be a little better than doing it yourself. And I am talking about a novice fixing it with stuff from an auto parts store.

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:45:13 AM EDT

[#3]

Oh forgot to ask what is the asking price?

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:51:19 AM EDT

[#4]

I would check other areas. If the sides are rusting I would bet it is rusting somewhere else underneath.

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:55:37 AM EDT

[#5]

once the body starts rusting it's amazing how fast it spreads.

Posted: 9/17/2005 11:59:16 AM EDT

[#6]

Asking price is $3500, I asked him how flexible he was on price and he said he'd like to get $3000 out of it. I figure I should be able to negotiate a few hundred below that.

150k freeway miles, 5spd, he's the 2nd owner, bought it @ 50k miles in '98. He changed the oil himself every 3k miles, sometimes 4k. Replaced the clutch @ 80k and the timing chain in the not too distant past.

Haven't physically looked at it yet as it's almost an hour away and I wanted to get the hiveminds opinion if it was worth my time.

So how exactly do you "fix" that rust. Grind it down to good metal and repaint?

Posted: 9/17/2005 12:06:24 PM EDT

[#7]

Run. Do not walk. I wouldn't give him a thousand for it. Once rust appears, it is all over for that car. Don't even think about buying it unless you plan to do a body-off restoration. That isn't a vintage automobile so it is useless as anything but a throwaway beater.

Posted: 9/17/2005 12:08:24 PM EDT

[#8]

Quoted:
Asking price is $3500, I asked him how flexible he was on price and he said he'd like to get $3000 out of it. I figure I should be able to negotiate a few hundred below that.

150k freeway miles, 5spd, he's the 2nd owner, bought it @ 50k miles in '98. He changed the oil himself every 3k miles, sometimes 4k. Replaced the clutch @ 80k and the timing chain in the not too distant past.

Haven't physically looked at it yet as it's almost an hour away and I wanted to get the hiveminds opinion if it was worth my time.

So how exactly do you "fix" that rust. Grind it down to good metal and repaint?

That price is a little high. Find out exactly when the timing belt was replaced. They are only good for 90,000 miles and if it breaks while running you will bend or break a valve or even worse slap a piston and you will have to rebuild/replace it. As far as the rust, if it is just surface you can grind it down but you will most likley have to replace that section. Small spots can be treated with a rust converter that will stop the rusting process. It is okay and I have had good luck with it in the past but again the rust spot was treated very early. I was a honda tech so if you have any other questions feel free to pm/email me. Vince

Posted: 9/17/2005 1:08:26 PM EDT

[#9]

Run!

I would not pay $3500 for that car even in NY!

It is a rust bucket! It will turn red from rust in a year. there is a reason he is selling and see's you as a sucker, desparate to save gas money!

RUN!!!

Posted: 9/17/2005 1:55:18 PM EDT

[#10]

The rust will spread. Fix it here it will pop up there.

You didn't ask, but I'll go further. 10 year old car,
150k miles, rusting. $1000 might be too much, it
would be in this area.

DanM

Posted: 9/17/2005 2:09:50 PM EDT

[#11]

Rust never sleeps.

No matter who does the work it will pop up somewhere else

Posted: 9/17/2005 2:13:11 PM EDT

[#12]

Over at Edmunds.com the used car apprasier says $795 trade in $1,466 private sale is the right price for that car. I guessed at some of the features, but $3,500 is insane, $3,000 is at best diabolical. (that was for a car in "clean" condition)

For a vehicle in "average" condition $301 trade in $695 private sale......................

He's trying to take you through the drive-thru..........................

Posted: 9/17/2005 4:01:34 PM EDT

[#13]

Quoted:
Asking price is $3500, I asked him how flexible he was on price and he said he'd like to get $3000 out of it. I figure I should be able to negotiate a few hundred below that.

Kelly Blue Book says $1975 in that condition, private-party value. $3,000 is ridiculous.

Haven't physically looked at it yet as it's almost an hour away and I wanted to get the hiveminds opinion if it was worth my time.

Not at that price or anything anywhere remotely near that price.

So how exactly do you "fix" that rust. Grind it down to good metal and repaint?

That rust looks bubbly/flakey. You can't just grind down rust unless it's surface rust--at least some of what I see in that picture looks like it rusted from behind, perforating the sheet metal. Especially the area in the body panel behind the door.

So you're looking at cutting out sections of body panel, possibly waaay more than what it looks like from the visible rust, installing new, salvaged, or fabricated sheet metal, smoothing it over with bodywork/grinding, and repainting. And then waiting for the other rust to bubble up where there wasn't rust before. Oh yeah, and trying to find where the water came in to rust it from behind in the first place--leaky window, B-pillar, tire spray through the wheelwell....

You could also just grind it down, do a fiberglass/bondo repair, rattle-can it, and call it good. But I wouldn't pay $3000 for the car if it needs that done. Oh yeah, beyond the body issues, I'd bring along a compression gauge or preferably a leakdown gauge kit.

Jim

Posted: 9/17/2005 4:15:10 PM EDT

[#14]

That would fit right in where I live. Everything rusts in Northern Ohio.

Judging by what you were told, "it just started rusting" it means it rusted from inside the door out. That bottom of the door is probably starting to rust open up the fold/hem in the metal on the bottom

$3500 is way too high for that car anyways. Move on.

Posted: 9/17/2005 4:39:58 PM EDT

[#15]

Rust is a fact of life around here. This car is way too highly priced, but if it was priced right it wouldn't scare me off. I remember the old days around here where a Jeep CJ would rust through on the sides before it was paid off lol (that is what a fiberglass body is for)...

Posted: 9/17/2005 4:52:12 PM EDT

[#16]

rust in UT? You can be sure there's more there than the eye can see

Posted: 9/17/2005 5:15:14 PM EDT

[#17]

He WANTS 3K, but that car is worth 1500 to 2K on a good day. Dealer would not give over 1k as a trade in and would immediately send it off to an auction lot. 1k would get a buyer for a new car and would be worth it to the dealer. Say the dealer would get 6 to 800 at auction - cut so maybe 600 bucks, he clears a new car for 400 bucks.

Once Hondas start rusting they go FAST. Great cars but for that. Sounds as if ready for clutch time and timing chain also so add another K easy to asking price. And if no reciepts, the guy is FOS as thats always a BS ploy to say "almost" new timing chain and clutch disc at a sale. No reciept, no believe.

Posted: 9/17/2005 5:19:49 PM EDT

[#18]

I would pass on it and it ain't baecause of the rust.

Posted: 9/19/2005 3:11:46 AM EDT

[#19]

Rust in Utah? I thought they didn't use salt out there?

So many cars......................this would be at the bottom of the barrel of cars to pick for me, and I like Hondas and Toyotas.

Go find a rust free car............they are out there.

vmax84

Posted: 9/19/2005 6:43:48 AM EDT

[#20]

Not a good deal,

you could get into an accord for $3000.

Sorry to burst your bubble, but I wouldn't call the guy back about it.

Besides that rust looks bad.

Posted: 9/19/2005 6:45:09 AM EDT

[#21]

Quoted:
Asking price is $3500, I asked him how flexible he was on price and he said he'd like to get $3000 out of it. I figure I should be able to negotiate a few hundred below that.

150k freeway miles, 5spd, he's the 2nd owner, bought it @ 50k miles in '98. He changed the oil himself every 3k miles, sometimes 4k. Replaced the clutch @ 80k and the timing chain in the not too distant past.

Haven't physically looked at it yet as it's almost an hour away and I wanted to get the hiveminds opinion if it was worth my time.

So how exactly do you "fix" that rust. Grind it down to good metal and repaint?

$3000!?

uhhhhhhhhhhhhhh NO