About 6 or 7 years ago a body shop replaced a quarter panel on my daily driver after I was the victim of a hit and run. Now that panel is peeling the clear coat and starting to rust around the wheel well. The OEM panel on the other side still looks like new. When I thought it was just the clear coat peeling, I was planning on feathering out the peeling clear coat, spray on some new clear then wetsand and buff down to blend it in. Now I'm seeing some 1/8 diameter rust bubbles. Would a similar repair work if I have to spray on some base coat? I really don't want to shoot the whole panel if I don't have to.

Probably, but you will need to ensure you get all the rust out/treated to ensure it won't come back

Might want to check your repair paperwork and see if there was a lifetime guarantee on repairs, which odd as it may sound to some, has been around for awhile now. Results if you can go that route will depend on the professionalism of the shop, your insurance company (DRP program?) and paint manufacturer (at least for the peeling).
Is it actual rust, or the basecoat bubbling up from an incompatible primer or water contamination or prep error?
If it's rust, is it at a welded seam? Where on the panel?

You have some work ahead of you if that is coming through from the inside of the panel.

They use poor quality materials and the repairs often fail much sooner than factory panels. Need to get the rust out from between the panels. They probably didn't use any seam sealer and the crud got inside the seams. To have it last you should repaint the whole thing since it is already failing with rust bubbles on the panel.

My neighbor bought a new truck in 2000, garage kept and babied, got hit and had a fender replaced years ago. Paint has failed and looks terrible while the rest of the truck that got the same treatment looks like new.

Did your insurance company pay for the repairs? If so, did they recommend the shop to you? A lot of times the direct repair shops that have contracts with the insurance companies have lifetime warranties on the repairs they do. It is rusting only on that side because the corrosion protection was compromised when the work was done. Clearcoat should not be peeling either.

I am pursuing it though the insurance company. The shop was accredited by them, however I selected the shop. The insurance co is going to get me in for an inspection but I'm not holding my breath. If that fails I will see if the shop will do anything for me, however I am skeptical.

I've painted lots of stuff but haven't tried doing a partial repair before. From what I'm seeing it might be possible to step out the paint in the repair area then reclear the whole thing. I don't really want to repaint the whole panel because then there will be a color mis-match. Anyone have any tips for me?

Base clear is pretty easy to touch up and feather if needed. A good shop can do it well and I have done a reasonable job at home a few times.

The big "if" is it surface rust or is there actually metal perforation? If perforation the durable repair is to cut out the rust and replace sheet metal as needed. Same comment about touch up... it can be done reasonably after localized repair.

Clean steel, weld through primer and either undercoat or waxy rustproof material inside are "bonus" for a durable repair... after the metal is solid.

You won't get very good results feathering the clear and blending new clear into it. You could do something like that but to have it come out decent you'll need to feather, then scuff the whole panel, blend new base coat past where you feathered, then clear the whole panel.

Mentioned about though, is if the clear is pealing, it's not really a good idea to paint over it without really making sure what's under your new paint is stuck good. If you commit to doing the whole panel, take an air gun and use it to get under the pealing areas and it might really surprise you how much comes off with just a little air getting under it!

The corrosion is coming up from the back, a few of the spots it has not yet perforated the base coat. At a bare minimum, the metal around the pinch seam is going to have to come off. If I can find a good piece at the wrecker I will cut it off and reattach it with structural adhesive.



Been doing some reading online and everything seems to concur with what you've said. I guess I just hate the idea of taping around the urethaned in rear windshield and quarter window because I have fixed too much peeling clear coat on jobs done by other backyard hacks.

I talked to a body shop guy once that said a lot of those companies offer it because noone keeps cars very long anymore, and it isn't transferable. Idk how true that is.

I guess I just hate the idea of taping around the urethaned in rear windshield and quarter window because I have fixed too much peeling clear coat on jobs done by other backyard hacks. [/quote]


just find a decent glass shop.
at the bodyshop i work at we usually get about 4 pieces of glass R&R weekly. the last time they broke a piece of glass was over 5 years ago.
i can't remember the last time i taped a piece of glass. if the glass has a molding on it you can use lifting tape to lift the molding. doing this allows the paint to get under the molding and won't peel.
last week they removed a back glass. it was tinted and it had a built in molding that isn't sold separately. they R&R the glass without even scratching the tint or even nicking the molding.