Restoring rust wheel arches

[Chiefriley]

Is it impossible.....

I have bubbling on all 4 now, I have no idea what the price would be...I'm UK based, but is it a hard DIY...I mean could I buy a hand held grinder, prep, etc. then spray myself...I'm not after perfection it's a 1999 320...just get rid of the bubbles and she'd look a lot sweeter...

Anyone done it...
Or know what I should pay

Thanks in advance...

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

A friend just had all four wheel arches done on an ML and that was £500 at "mates rates".

 

[Chiefriley]

Wow...quite steep, 133k on clock makes me try DIY.....

 

[jamesfuller]

Are you planning to do the prep work yourself and then get the paint matched by a body shop or are you going fully diy?

 

[grober]

What colour is the car?

 

[mr. shr]

I did a diy job on my W202 a few years back.
Have a search for DIY rust repair on hear, hopefully that will reveal something.

The rust on mine has come back now so needs to be done again. But well worth doing I feel, and not worth paying someone for if the car isn't actually worth much anymore.

 

[mr. shr]

Here's the all important bit from my post when I did this.

 

[merc estate]

Have a look on youtube it will give you confidence in doing it, get paint mixed to your exact shade (take car) at a car paint mix shop so it matches about £15 for a big can, in the shop they will sell you the right paper etc to use, good luck.

 

[Chiefriley]

Thanks guys...really really appreciate that and it's given me a bit of confidence to give it a go, the prep work doesn't really put me off I think it's the idea the the paint won't match, but I intend to take my time, and pay good money for the paint...well at least that's the plan...

Thanks all.

 

[grober]

Thanks guys...really really appreciate that and it's given me a bit of confidence to give it a go, the prep work doesn't really put me off I think it's the idea the the paint won't match, but I intend to take my time, and pay good money for the paint...well at least that's the plan...

Thanks all.

The reason I ask the colour because its extremely difficult [ but not impossible] to get an accurate match on a light metallic even with an accurate colour matched aerosol . Darker colours are much easier.

 

[Chiefriley]

Thanks, well it's the azure blue I believe 366

So that's a bit more promising ; )

 

[grober]

AZURITE BLUE has plenty colour depth so looks hopeful if you can source a good colour matched aerosol.

 

[tonyc280]

My w202 is azurite blue but rust free. Think i have one of the rustless ones. Just none anywhere. Sorry to rub it in. I wonder why some are really bad on all 4 arches????

 

[joecash]

My w202 is azurite blue but rust free. Think i have one of the rustless ones. Just none anywhere. Sorry to rub it in. I wonder why some are really bad on all 4 arches????

Mercs in my experience aren't the best for being rust free, in fact they can also be "high maintenance", however, foolishly or not, I just like mercs. I never buy new so I avoid the cars built on a "Monday"!

If I wanted something rust free and "low maintenance" I definitely wouldn't have a merc. Tony no doubt is an exception

 

[l5foye]

Unless the rust is tackled properly, it will re-appear. One tip- when you have removed all traces of rust, coat with fibre glass resin -just the resin. This will waterproof the repair.

 

[tjamesbo]

If you DIY it will take a fair amount of time and you will be lucky to get a really good finish, But it will save a lot of money, and done properly should last a few years , and it will look better than the rust Its quite difficult to contain the respraying as the repaired area tends to grow, on my 202 I managed to contain it to the wheelarch and the flare, so the difference in colour is hardly noticeable as light reflects differently on the flared part of the arch . There is some merit in taking the wings off to get at the inside lip properly, if not you will spend a lot of time with your head inside the wheelarch.