rust problem!!!

[mike214125]

ok so i have a 1995 TSI AWD with rear lsd and the car has a serious rust problem, i started to fix it and i ground out all the rust and welded new metal in there but it seems to me that i need a different body that this one is shot and im wasting my time trying to fix it i just wanted some opinions on what i should do , none of the rust is on the body where you could see it its all underneath. im thinking of maybe selling it but since im half into the project ill never get the money /time i have into it
NO MODS yet
any ideas on what people have done or regreted doing would be great might give me some insight!
thanks guys been a member for a while this is my first post!

 

[Bud92gsx]

Is the rust just surface rust or deeper? And you said on the under side of the vehicle correct? Can you get some pictures of this rust you talk about..

 

[gregalmighty]

I don't know if you'll be able to sell a completely rotted shell for a decent price, or even complete car. If I look at a car and it has excessive rust my offer goes WAY down. Maybe you'll get a buyer who won't look underneath but if its really that bad then just use it as a winter beater

 

[Need2Gofaster]

Go to a body shop and see how much rust you have and how much it will cost ya to fix it. That should determine if its worth the money in fixing it.

I have the same rust problem, but i put so much money into it already that I cant go back now. I wish I looked at the car more carefully before buying it. I was an idiot.

 

[4g63and420a]

If you do fix the rust under the car be sure to undercoat the car. I have a 95 tsi that the orignal owner used that ruberized undercoat to spray under the entire car and theres not a single spot of rust to be found. You can buy cans of it at any auto parts store. good luck

 

[DSMDemond]

Get some pics up!!

 

[mike214125]

pics coming up soon gotta move the car so u can see everything
looking at the car the body looks mint tho it needs paint i sanded the body down already. The top of the strut towers where a little rusty and through in one spot but that was fixed and undercoated and painted in the engine compartment so unless you look closely you cant tell
Like need2gofaster said i wish i had looked closer at the car before i bought it, i wanted a awd bad and i think it got the best of me, i used 2 have a 92 talon n/a
but i will put some pics up tonight gotta charge the battery to move it
thanks so far

 

[blackFLawd]

The top of the strut tower is always the first place(and easiest) place to look to see if the car is rusted. But i'm in florida so it's not too much of a problem here.

 

[mike214125]

yeah the top of the strut towers was obvious when i bought the car thought i could fix that but once i got into the rust i realised how much there was battery charging , pics coming soon

 

[mike214125]

ok i uploaded the pictures looks like the rust isnt as bad as i remember, i think i should just fix whats left seeing how i already fixed the worst of it. and put so much money in the car.
The Pass side was the worse side of the car , under the fender you can see the repair that was done to the frame, and the rear wheel well by the front also had a repair done 2 it also the spare tire area had a hole in it i replaced the whole bottom to that the worse part of the whole car is the Pass side front under the car where the cross member goes that holds up the radiator, has anyone ever replaced that? and is it difficult to get to? im scared to take the front bumper off idk how bad its gonna be under there, anyway like i said before any incite would be great, and sorry it took so long to upload the pics was having camera probs thanks!

 

[Captainredeyez]

Omg!

 

[christ]

I don't know if it's my California eyes but that's terrible. I'd just cut my loses and buy another.

 

[Polishplayboyx]

that shell is no good,
buy a new one

 

[pj91gsx]

Sandblast it if its not too bad. I got a sand blaster at home depot for 12 dollars and got sand out of my back yard

 

[mike214125]

yeah thats what i figured you guys just confirmed my thoughts.
i originally had big plans but i think that it would be stupid to do anything to this car with all the rust.
there are a couple shells in the classified section of this site i am gonna have to see about
thanks again u guys helped me alot

 

[dsmnightracer]

it can be repaired, the rad support can be replaced i did that to mine, but if you can get a different shell for cheap than i would do that.

 

[MichaelSuch]

fix what you can without dropping too much in it and sand it all down and primer that thing so it can help stop it from rusting much further, it really won't look as bad/noticeable once you primer it. I recommend using a DA sander with 120-180 grit paper. Wetsand it a little with 300grit, primer it, 2-3 good coats would be good, wetsand again at 400 grit (i wouldn't sand too much, JUST enough for it to be smooth) then paint it. Use spot putty after priming it to help "remove" the dents/dings, but IF you do spot putty, shoot primer over the putty otherwise you will be able to see where you used the putty at. I didn't primer over my putty and you can see just at the right angle where putty was used, it looks a little darker in those spots than the rest of the car.

 

[pj91gsx]

I say sandblast, Sandblasting will get the rust off, it will pick the rust out while the metal stays.

 

[gregalmighty]

Yeah your core support is pretty much shot, the rest of the car looks like it can be saved by the pics but if the front of the car is that bad I can imagine it only gets worse as you get towards the middle and rear. Personally I wouldn't make a big investment into the car but if it runs and drives fine then use it as a beater. Any work you try to do to it is going to be 3 times as hard because bolts are going to either not budge at all or break right off when you try to loosen them. You can find a very clean car with no rust for a decent price and build that one up

 

[dyno_detour]

Wow, my eyes my eyes they BURN. I would try to find a new project to work on.