oneheadlight

On my 96 Civic Coupe, I have the typical honda rust around the lip of the rear wheel wells. The rust is only on the outside sheet metal, nothing on the inner structure (pulled interior panels out to see). Went to a body shop last year was told that they would have to order an entire Honda quarter panel ($1700) and cut out the needed area for the wheel well exterior, up to the gas cap lid area, and forward to the end of the molding strip. I thought that was an entire waste of money only to use sheet metal in one area!

I go back to talk to them about using the panels I've seen on here of fixmyrust.com etc, the replacement panels for rust, since it's the areas most popular for rust. Those panels are about $75! The new manager of this body shop begins to tell me that they won't replace just the affected area but want to CUT OFF THE ENTIRE QUARTER PANEL!! what?!??


They want to cut off the b-pillar back to the tail lights and up along the roof! (basically the entire quarter panel) I said "no this is the only area that has rusted, and last year the other manager agreed to just replace this".. Guy calls me back later to tell me that the technician would not use aftermarket panels (even though last year with a different manager he was talking differently) and if they do the work it "has to be the entire quarter panel, and have to discuss price, as the previous quote was too low".. lol.. I am now looking for another body shop, I do not appreciate being lied to just for being greedy!

My point to all this is to ask everyone who has had the rust if they replaced the entire quarter panel to fix it, or did their body shop only do the metal work of the area that was rusted?

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

You went a year between calls. They aren't "lying" to you. Different managers will run the shop differently, different mechanics will do different work in different ways, and they are in absolutely no way obligated to follow through with something you talked to them about a year ago. Hell, maybe they just don't want to deal with you and your car, so they're highballing you until you go away.

Some shops will only do the full panel. Some shops will do the small cut. Some shops won't work with parts they didn't supply (usually for warranty reasons - they can't warranty it if they didn't provide it). Stop blaming them for "lying" to you, which they didn't do, and start calling different shops to see who can do what for how much. Talk to friends, see if you know a guy who knows a guy who can do the work in his garage.

94EG8

You can do it either way, but those aftermarket patch panels don't fit all that well so it's a lot harder for the bodyman to make them line up right. It's not to say a good bodyman can't make them look great, but there's more labor time involved and time is money. There's also the issue of rust coming back. When you have a seem in the middle of a panel you have a better chance of it rusting there. If you replace the panel and only splice at the C pillar your chances of having it rust go down, it's also guaranteed to look straight.

For what it's worth I work for a large collision shop. We never use aftermarket patch panels and stay away from rust work for the most part. It's so much harder, dirtier, and longer than collision work and it's impossible to guarantee.

Deetz

I've been in this situation before. Easiest solution, sell it and buy a rust free car!! I used to have a 96 civic hatch running a B20z, fun car. And when I bought it initially, it only had a couple small rust bubbles in the rear quarters. The following year I parked it for the winter out at my folks farm, didn't touch it, didn't use it, I came back in the spring, and the small rust bubbles were now larger than quarters.
I broke even and sold the car for $3500 which I was into it for, spent $500 more and bought a completely clean 2000 Civic SiR coupe (EM1) and couldn't be happier. I still have it not seven years later and it looks brand new. I could never have fixed the old car properly for $500

joey1320

Rust, if fixed correctly, should never be an issue. Problem is finding a reputable shop to do the work and seal the metal from the inside, after the repairs are done.

As stated above by notaracist, you need to find a new shop that would be okay with using aftermarket panels and do your research on them - or just sell and look for a clean one.

One thing I would recommend either way you decide to go, is to remove the rear inner panels and the trunk garnish and inspecting the seams for rust. If you have a small amount, you can use a rust encapsulator like POR15 or a rust reformer from Rustoleum. Make certain you coat it properly so no more moisture can trap in the metal.

tony_2018

They gauge the work, what will cost more to do and time, replace the whole panel, or replace just the small rusted wheel well?

Deetz

I think the thing you really have to decide, is how much you want to spend?? I offered advise on an easy solution earlier. Yes, you can spend some good dollars are have it repaired properly.......but, is it worth it?

oneheadlight

I had begun the quote process LAST YEAR, but talked to the manager 2 months ago, who had checked out the rust again and had given me the same quote as the year before. This new manager was just hired a week ago because the guy I was talking to, quit his job there. But I'm glad you know 100% through psychic ability that they aren't lying to me. Amazing talent. It was quite obvious to my simple human observation skills that they were upset that the previous manager was able to do the job for less. This body shop changed management and from what I found out later, they're only in it to see how much money they can make off of people. I'm glad they behaved like this, as I am looking for another body shop already. I can also understand why the other manager quit this place.

oneheadlight

Thanks for the info! I'll have to find a body shop that can patch up the rust right now. This car had the same rust repair 7 years ago, and of course the rust came back. If I can get it "fixed" like that again, I'll be happy for another 7 years. The trick is finding a body shop that can do good work, make it look good.. etc.. I'm not worried about the guarantee, as long as it lasts a couple more years, I'm fine with that. I just am not ready to put down $7000 (when they changed their mind to replace the entire quarter panel) that the last body shop wanted, which I thought was excessive.

oneheadlight

thanks for the info joey.. yeah I have already used a rust inhibitor like POR15 on the inner panels, they are rust free, it's only the exterior sheet metal that is having the problem. Typical Honda rust.. and in michigan, mine looks better than most 96-2000 civics that I see. I wouldn't sell it, to get another, when I've dumped all this money into it, restoring it. Just needs a little sheet metal work.

to everyone else, I was asking if anyone had already gone through this repair, which I got a lot of advice of what to do, thanks.. But who has actually gone through with this type of repair which is very common on this era civic.. Which method was used? The sheet metal approach? Or replacing the entire quarter panel??

94EG8

Rust work is weird, you can do everything right and have it blister somewhere in 6 months, I've also seen vehicles where everything was done wrong and it's lasted years. POR15 really doesn't work. If you have some rust just starting inside sandblast it and spray it with epoxy primer. Typical Honda rust starts on the inside of the quarter and works its way to the outside. I'm not saying you don't have surface rust only the outside of the panel but it's not typical if it is. Post some pictures and I can probably give you a better idea of how bad it really is.

Also. I don't think you're going to have much of a choice anyway. The OEM quarters are discontinued.

Deetz

I did take this step with my classic crx, which had only a couple bubbles just starting. I spent the money having the entire car gutted and restored including new metal replaced in the quarters, then lined with a special wax that stays water proof and does not dry out over time. The whole job cost $6500. IMO, only really worth doing on a model you plan to keep for the long term



A friend of mine did in fact get new quarters installed on his crx ( i found him a nice new oem pair at the Honda warehouse before they sold out ) This job is intense also, install was $2000 a side, not including the quarter

Eddie

Well this sucks to here I have had a VX since I was 16 I'm 26 now and I'd love to get the rust fixed and keep it forever. But this thread is making is seem like its not worth it.

NotARaCist

iTrader: (1)

It's worth it, if you do it right. The hard part for most people to understand is the "do it right" part.

oneheadlight

Thanks for the reply! That's what I wanted to know.. (shaking head).. uh.. Looks like I have some thinking to do, if I just want to sell it or invest this amount of money. I just recently replaced the entire subframe (rusted out), and the mechanical parts of the car have all been repair/replaced over the past two years. (was a project of a family member, who passed away recently, and I inherited it).. And yeah the "do it right" part is crucial! Like I said I have a lot of thinking to do.. but thanks for all the replies.