Wee Smurf said:

I'm glad that my dealer used sticky pads to stick my plates on. No damage then.



Although my bodywork was described as good earlier in this post, I have a strange effect going on with the paintwork on my bonnet. It started two years ago when a small section of paint started the flake and seek. It only lifted off a little but the undercoat was fine. Since Easter I've started to notice some cracks starting to appear on the bonnet. I'll be needing to get it rubbed down and repainted. I've no idea of what's going on at all

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At least with yours, worst case scenario would be a new bonnet? And it's isolated so that's not too bad?

Mines a possible structure breach ? that's if I don't sort it.

But thanks to all you good folk it's time to buy the materials and get fixing my rust problem!

SB1500 said:

At least with yours, worst case scenario would be a new bonnet? And it's isolated so that's not too bad?

Mines a possible structure breach ? that's if I don't sort it.

But thanks to all you good folk it's time to buy the materials and get fixing my rust problem!

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It certainly won't need a new bonnet, but the paint will all need stripped off and a respray. Although I'll probably price up the whole car as well as just the bonnet as the fading bugs me.

That's the stuff bought now.

Hopefully that's enough stuff to get it done tonight.

Is this ready for Kurust application? Anyone?

Okay, so I have painted on the Kurust to the areas, after wire brushing them and using a hoover to get any loose dirt out. Not sure it's professionally clean or degreased, but it is as good as a wire brush could get me.

Now, at 7.10pm it is on, around 10pm I should be up to add the Waxoyl top coat.

I sprayed this on the rear arch, it seems to be a yellow and thick substance? How does one 'level' this out to be a smooth and comprehensive covering layer?

Unless I just spray it and leave it as a thick / uneven but covering layer?

Really appreciate any replies. Will be standing around for 3 hours for this now.

Let me know if this is applied okay

Always worth keeping it in tip top condition. Just look at how well they are holding their value:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Panda-1-2-Dynamic-5-Door-Hatchback-/290172796431?hash=item438fa57e0f:m:mfjinjl3I9nrhe263aiU0jA

GeorgeDamper said:

Always worth keeping it in tip top condition. Just look at how well they are holding their value:

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Fiat-Panda-1-2-Dynamic-5-Door-Hatchback-/290172796431?hash=item438fa57e0f:m:mfjinjl3I9nrhe263aiU0jA

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That advertisement on eBay was from 2008, when they probably were worth around 5k.

Not sure you'd get that for any of these Pandas now as the last ones were 2012.

It isn't an old listing. I found it on ebay today.

Looking at the last photo in particular - this is a 'mud trap' in the Panda's bodywork. Dirt gets thrown up by the wheels and 'sits' in that ledge, holding dampness in there, and also blocking the drain holes that are supposed to let the water out. The best way to prevent this from forming s to regularly hose out that ledge, and also hose out all around in the wheel arch (including the base of the strut where the spring sits in it) - just a hose with a jet nozzle, not a pressure washer. Doing this regularly, and especially at the end of the winter (after they stop spreading salt) is the best way to prevent rust starting. I know this doesn't help with rust that's there though.

It's a sad day because over the past while this rust thing has been annoying me more and more. I feel like I've lost the 'loving' feeling for my Fiat. Until discovery of the rust and the bleak outlook in tacking it I've starting wondering whether I was right to invest so much in it.. I mean, as a 'going concern' lasting say easily 5 years it's a wise idea and it's nice to get accustomed to it. But rust is one of those things that's never going to get better. Nobody knows how fast or slow it'll grow too as we can't really get close enough to look at it and how it developed. I feel now like basically spending no money on the car other than what the MOT says and a 10,000 mile oil change (down from my OTT 5,000 plans) since the car is 'damned by rust' now :-/ is it bad that I've come to this conclusion?

Of course it's bad that you're feeling that! If you get it repaired properly now, and keep it well maintained, there's no reason why your Panda won't continue to give good service for a lot of years yet!

I've seen cars which were a lot worse than yours with rust getting fixed up.

Chin up lad!

There is only one way to remove rust properly and stop it returning for good and that is bare metal chemical rust remover.any other method you try will be short lived.

I think you said before this is your first car? IMO you're looking in to these things too much. If you want to have a 10 year old car then no amount of stuff from halfords will make it new again you'll just dissapojnt yourself and if you get the white glove out and go over any 10 year old car you'll find the same things. If I were you use it. Maintain it and if you need o get a new car because it breaks or fails an MOT then do so. However if you go uneccessarily looking for problems you will be sure to find them.

daveofkent said:

I think you said before this is your first car? IMO you're looking in to these things too much. If you want to have a 10 year old car then no amount of stuff from halfords will make it new again you'll just dissapojnt yourself and if you get the white glove out and go over any 10 year old car you'll find the same things. If I were you use it. Maintain it and if you need o get a new car because it breaks or fails an MOT then do so. However if you go uneccessarily looking for problems you will be sure to find them.

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You're right.

After thinking about it for a while I decided there's no other option with as many benefits as keeping the car, and using it when I need to. It'll cost me £100 a month in Insurance and £12 a month in tax. And I'm going to save £20 a week to build a money reserve for any repairs or such that are needed. That way, I shouldn't have to worry.

And I'm going to continue to maintain it in terms of oil and filter changes, replacing things like brakes as they need done and then anything brought up by the MOT. But not 'luxuries'.

A few people have told me "by the time that ever gets bad enough to be a problem you'll be done university" and I got a guarantee from one person who actually wanted to make a bet that it would pass every MOT for the next four years even with the rust.

Having looked around, I've noticed a LOT of people in various old late 90s cars such as Focus's and all where the entire door panels are rusty brown and there's huge bubbles you could spot from a mile away and they don't seem to care. They must just live for the hope of an MOT pass which guarantees their car for another year?!

I guess when my Panda gets to the point you can poke a hole through any of it then it'll be a different story, but for now as you say, stop thinking so much into it, and stop buying these 'miracle' products that promise to do the seemingly impossible.

In summary, I'll stop thinking about it. Just get on with essential maintenance.

And yes.. in the future, when the time does come, hopefully in years from now, my Panda's successor is still going to be a 1 year old Panda Lounge (or similar) with less than 12,000 miles I still love the cars appeal and low cost and simplicity. ..Increasingly I'm noticing any car I've been in has a too 'low' driving position, something I think is unique to the Panda and similar cars in the class that I wouldn't live without!

I don't know what you're moaning about.. it's a small simple car in decent condition and you have already learned that with a bit of effort and learning you can do most things on it. You seem to have done most of the hard work on the rust i.e. locating it, removing it and preparing it, it's just the finishing that needs doing to give you confidence.

You should remove as much of the rusty surface metal as you can (finishing with say 80 grit abrasive paper (proper decorators / mechanics stuff not Wickes sandpaper) and then apply the rust treatment solution, this will chemically convert the metal and rust. Some products say then wash clean before priming with a half-decent product. Give the dried primer a light rub to key the surface and apply a couple of coats of finishing paint - for the engine bay just aerosol body colour will be fine, otherwise Smoothrite or satin black metal paint.

Waxoyl is not a paint finish, it is OK for protecting areas underneath or in wheelarches / suspension that are showing slight corrosion or weathering.

The problem you will find is that the protection and paint products used by the factory and sold to joe public (including Hammerite) are now less effective than they used to be because of all this Eco / H & S mania we now have. Good old solvents and chemicals are being removed except for industrial applications, so unless you've got a contact at Harland & Woolfe's you'll have to shop around if you're fussy, otherwise just apply what you've got properly.

Just accept that you will need to get under the car in scruffy clothes or a boiler suit and poke, prod and scrape all the areas that are showing poor protection and the beginnings of corrosion, and finish the job that modern Fiat factories and processes no longer do properly.

Thanks for the great advice. The Panda isn't going anywhere, I'm still determined to own it until the day I buy a new Panda (as a result of a good job and my current Panda being ready for its reincarnation as Coke cans) haha

I'm hoping this rust doesn't affect it for 3-4 years.

There's nothing I can really do regardless. We don't have the equipment or expertise to fix it to and serious degree, and even some professionals have told me that without costly stripping down of the car (£2k+) they would never be able to truly fix the problems / rust areas.

I understand that there's things I can do and thank you for all your great replies, but I'm not in a position to fix it, and as mentioned above, must just pray it's a very slow process.



My gear change is still stiff and my brakes are feeling 'less good' than before, I plan on fixing these issues when they become bad enough (or dangerous enough) to not be ignored. I was doubting whether the car is worth the investment or not, but I'm reassured that this rust is not going to cause a problem for a few years yet, and that I should in fact continue to invest in consumables and MOT advisories.

With the correct materials/ fluids, you can stabilize the excisting rust.
Doing nothing will result in more rust that will destroy the car fast, specialy during wet and salty winter months.

Peter Pick-Up said:

With the correct materials/ fluids, you can stabilize the excisting rust.

Doing nothing will result in more rust that will destroy the car fast, specialy during wet and salty winter months.

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It's the area where the rust inhabits, we can't get into it as it seems to be a box like area , with gaps at the corner but not anywhere to even properly observe.

Honestly we don't have the expertise :-/