Rust repair

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
That's not bad but it's probably going to be about 10% of the actual damage. What you see there won't be difficult to fix but it's what you can't see inside that rocker that is likely to be worse.

Steve
 

Tdipwr11

Veteran Member
Joined
May 27, 2022
Location
Ontario
TDI
2003 ALH Jetta
Sand, fiberglass, sand, paint and rust check - Get a few years out of it this way. Repeat then sell, certified no holes in body
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Germany
TDI
96 Golf - SOLD
Thanks everyone. Ya that’s kinda what I was thinking @Steve Addy and @Abacus, I’m only seeing a portion of the total rust. This is a beautiful mk 3 tdi variant “joker edition” and the price is 2950 euro which I think is reasonable. At the same time, I also think I should just wait for a non rusted version to come up.

@Tdipwr11, agreed, if this was a a car I only wanted for a few years I’d do that. However I’d like to keep this permanently so if I was to repair it, it would be a cutout and repair permanently fix.
 

TDeanI

Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 14, 2007
Location
Bremerton WA
TDI
'97 Passat TDI Wagon w/ 286K mi.
While that is cut open to remove the rust, rust treat the entire inside cavity after blowing it out with water and compressed air. That repair is not that bad. I would cut and butt and weld in a repair piece instead of overlapping a new piece over the top. Hit it with some epoxy primer or self etching primer then top coat.

You are correct, it is better to start rust free, if you can find one you can afford. This would not stop me from buying this car if it was the only rust. I would look hard for more rust spots or repaired and covered spots.
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Germany
TDI
96 Golf - SOLD
Thanks @Abacus and @TDeanI, I agree with both of you. There is actually a non rusted mk3 that looks to be a better overall value but it’s all the way in Austria. Time to travel to view these cars is what makes shopping in Europe so difficult, along with the language barriers.

I am curious about the whole welding process and don’t think it should be that difficult to learn. I am very detail oriented due to my career choice anyway and I think a guy can pick up some good “rusted” deals where others have given up on them. At the same time putting another classic back on the road. ;)

Also,how much do you reckon an autobody shop would charge to fix that rust?(not including other spots)
 
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Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Thanks @Abacus and @TDeanI, I agree with both of you. There is actually a non rusted mk3 that looks to be a better overall value but it’s all the way in Austria. Time to travel to view these cars is what makes shopping in Europe so difficult, along with the language barriers.

I am curious about the whole welding process and don’t think it should be that difficult to learn. I am very detail oriented due to my career choice anyway and I think a guy can pick up some good “rusted” deals where others have given up on them. At the same time putting another classic back on the road. ;)

Also,how much do you reckon an autobody shop would charge to fix that rust?(not including other spots)
I guess the question is whether you're buying for your personal use or buying as part of a business operation? (Acquire / resell)

Body shops don't like to do rust repair, and in fact many now won't touch it. The market for compensation is driven now by insurance claims and so shops will stick with insurance only work because they can count on getting top dollar for their labor typically with no issues about where parts are coming from, no delays (pre-covids) in getting parts and no question about when they get paid...it's all pretty standardized now for insurance.

And that means they don't really want to participate outside of the insurance claims industry.....so rust repair on a door sill (actually rocker) on an old Mk3 Jetta is going to take a specialist...and that'll likely be more money too. That's why many people who want a car like this just repair them on their own instead of involving shops.

Steve
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Germany
TDI
96 Golf - SOLD
Yes I understand that. I was just hoping for a ballpark figure so I can take that back to the seller as leverage. 😉 Ive never had to take a car in for rust repair so I have no idea what they would charge.

I guess the question is whether you're buying for your personal use or buying as part of a business operation? (Acquire / resell)

Body shops don't like to do rust repair, and in fact many now won't touch it. The market for compensation is driven now by insurance claims and so shops will stick with insurance only work because they can count on getting top dollar for their labor typically with no issues about where parts are coming from, no delays (pre-covids) in getting parts and no question about when they get paid...it's all pretty standardized now for insurance.

And that means they don't really want to participate outside of the insurance claims industry.....so rust repair on a door sill (actually rocker) on an old Mk3 Jetta is going to take a specialist...and that'll likely be more money too. That's why many people who want a car like this just repair them on their own instead of involving shops.

Steve
 

vwishndaetr

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Location
WNC
TDI
98 Jetta
Second image looks like its Memory Red. Which means it's the best color of all time. Which means it shall be saved.
 

vwishndaetr

Veteran Member
Joined
Aug 1, 2010
Location
WNC
TDI
98 Jetta
Ooo - looks more like Indian Red.

The things I would do to get a mk3 variant in the US.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
Yes I understand that. I was just hoping for a ballpark figure so I can take that back to the seller as leverage. 😉 Ive never had to take a car in for rust repair so I have no idea what they would charge.
A ballpark for this repair you're probably not going to get anywhere because there are so few that want to have anything to do with rust repair.

Steve
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Germany
TDI
96 Golf - SOLD

Abacus

That helpful B4 guy
Joined
Nov 10, 2007
Location
Relocated from Maine to Dewey, AZ
TDI
Only the B4V left
Welding is very easy to learn with a good welder. Mine is a Hobart 120v with gas, and is the smallest I recommend. I also use Argoshield (75/25) for cleaner welds. I wouldn’t hesitate to tackle that project with a welder. The rest would also be pretty easy as it’s very minor.
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
How hard is wielding to learn? Im not hinking of grabbing this car and a wielding machine and fixing myself. Here are the other known rust spots.
Yeah all those are signs of really bad corrosion...the really horrible stuff. On this car the 10% visibility rule applies IMO.

I'd be looking underneath the car for signs of more rust through.

Good luck

Steve
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Germany
TDI
96 Golf - SOLD
ya thats what Im afraid of. Well I offered him 2500 but I doubt he will accept.
I may just snag the B3 Passat with only 50k kms but no AC, instead for 3500. Looks perfect in every way.
Yeah all those are signs of really bad corrosion...the really horrible stuff. On this car the 10% visibility rule applies IMO.

I'd be looking underneath the car for signs of more rust through.

Good luck

Steve
 

Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
ya thats what Im afraid of. Well I offered him 2500 but I doubt he will accept.
I may just snag the B3 Passat with only 50k kms but no AC, instead for 3500. Looks perfect in every way.
Don't get me wrong...I love the Mk3 Golf estate...I would love to have one here, even that rusted one, and it has the red I so I'm guessing if you brush on the block you'll find an AFN there...which means it's 110hp and should have the VNT from the ALH engines. Alternatively look under the rear mat to see what the build decal says about the engine....

I thought you had a B4V with AC option too? The red one?

Steve
 

BoiseTDI

Veteran Member
Joined
Sep 21, 2007
Location
Germany
TDI
96 Golf - SOLD
Yes it is the 110. I dont think he will accept my offer though. Unfortunately the red one sold.

i really like the silver b3 though, it is extremely clean, not a sign of rust and only 50k documented kms. Ill find the video and post it.

Edit: Ok after watching the video again, there is some rust on the bottom toward the rear of the car.

Don't get me wrong...I love the Mk3 Golf estate...I would love to have one here, even that rusted one, and it has the red I so I'm guessing if you brush on the block you'll find an AFN there...which means it's 110hp and should have the VNT from the ALH engines. Alternatively look under the rear mat to see what the build decal says about the engine....

I thought you had a B4V with AC option too? The red one?

Steve
 
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Steve Addy

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 7, 2002
Location
Iowa
TDI
97 Mk3
The silver car is lovely, and it's clearly in fantastic shape (except for the right quarter area), but it lacks many of the conveniences that were standard on US cars, like power windows (even though they can be a hassle), central locking etc. It would even appear to not have a tilt column either, and as you mentioned no AC. It also does not have the sliding parcel cover for the cargo area.

Does it at least have cruise control? I noticed that it also lacks the extra seat adjusters that all US B4 cars got. I can at least see it has a roof antenna.

Steve
 
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