Rusted Car = Busted Car? Auto Rust Repair Can Help!

What Type of Damage Can Car Rust Cause?

Like anything made of metal, your vehicle is susceptible to rust, forcing it to age ungracefully over decades. Even a small scratch, when left untreated, can spread into a full-blown rust-pocalypse within a few years. That’s because of a chemical reaction—oxidation—that occurs when iron, h2o, and oxygen interact. Rust protection like car paint eliminates the exposure of its metal frame to water and oxygen.

Aside from gross brown spots around your car, rust can cause the following type of vehicle damage:

• Holes in your muffler, catalytic converter, or exhaust system. This reduces fuel efficiency greatly and can emit potentially fatal carbon monoxide gas into the cabin.
• Holes in your trunk or hood, allowing water to flood your cabin or cargo area.
• Decay of your engine. Rust eats away at metal mounts, pistons, valves—essentially everything your engine requires to operate.
• Damage to electrical systems. Malfunctions of your power windows, radio, gauges, and lights can be caused by spreading rust.
• Cracks in the underside, resulting in oil leaks, fuel leaks, and general corrosion of axles.
• Your car will lose thousands in resale value for any visible rust damage.

How Can I Repair Car Rust Damage?

Repairing rust damage on a car is no simple task. That’s why it’s important to bring your vehicle into a trusted auto body shop that’s certified in rust repairs. Most body shops have specialized equipment to identify, assess, and repair rust damage even before you’ve researched how to do it.

Typically, the auto body repair process to un-rust rusted cars come in two forms:

1. Small Rust Repair – This is usually performed on small, confined areas where rust is prevalent yet has not penetrated metal. Such areas include wheel wells, door panels, exhaust pipes, and fenders. Rust patches usually form when deep scratches are not fixed, so our Kansas City body shops will first repair those scratches, then remove the rust and repaint the area to match your car’s color.
2. Large Rust Repair – When rust has metastasized to several car parts or penetrated the underside, more extensive auto body repairs will be necessary. In this case, the technicians at our Kansas City collision centers will cut out the damaged areas and replace the metal with a strong bond or weld. In some instances of extreme rust damage, the entire car frame may need to be replaced.

How Do I Prevent Car Rust?

Prevention is the best medicine when it comes to the health of both you and your car. To prevent rust from damaging your car, you can follow the recommendations below:

• Wash and wax regularly, at least once per season. Applying a high-end wax will ensure even the oldest car can withstand rust attacks.
• Get thorough underbody washes, especially after winter. Because Kansas City gets snow, it also gets a healthy taste of road salt and chemicals. This eats away at the undercarriage of cars, causing rust.
• Don’t allow water to sit on your vehicle. If you have areas on your car that collect rainwater—the trunk is a prime example—wipe it away after any storms.
• Better yet, cover or store your car in a garage to prevent rain from pooling.
• Clean off bird poop right away!
• Get a rust protectant pre-treatment. When you buy a car or visit an auto body shop, you can ask for anti-rust coating for your car’s body and underbelly.
• Inspect for signs of rust regularly. Symptoms include bubbling paint in areas, typically near the wheels, peeled paint around dents, and deep scratches down to the metal.
• Invest in floor mats, especially if you have an older car. Water and road salt in winter can saturate your carpets and leak through to the floor. And who wants a huge hole in their floor?
• Get routine inspections from an honest auto body shop. The #1 reason rust damage occurs is due to the negligence of regular maintenance. A trip to your auto service center can discover rust problems before they become catastrophic.

Rust Damage Repair in Kansas City

Don’t let car rust take over—protect your four-wheeled baby! Whether you suspect underbody rust or see rust holes along your wheels, bring your car into one of our collision centers near Kansas City for a look-see. At McCarthy Collision Centers, we have the gear, tools, and experience to repair rust damage on any vehicle, big or small.

Find your nearest rust repair shop in Kansas City today, or simply call 800-NEW-AGAIN to schedule an appointment and receive a free estimate. We’ll be here waiting.