mrmandmman

Found a nice little surprise yesterday.

I ripped up the rubbery material to find a lot more underneath. Always worse than it looks. The photo is after I spent a couple hours cleaning it up (grinding, wire brush with my drill). Some of the metal is eaten all the way through. This is definently a total loss of this piece. Anyone have an idea what this should cost to get fixed? Looks like you can just buy that bottom tray/sheet metal for about $230 (the entire piece). Another $1000 in labor?

Anyone know where to buy that tray for cheaper?

joey bagadonuts

You might want give DC automotive a try.
http://dcauto.gotdns.com/illustration/index/875501620

mrmandmman

Any problems with quality? Those are used parts right?

joey bagadonuts

Primarily used parts, some new old stock. No quality problems, in my experience.

mrmandmman

Would this be difficult to do myself? I have welded once or twice before. It would cost me less to buy the equipment than have somebody do it.

springer3

That would be a difficult job for a professional welder.

I do not see significant structural damage, but it is difficult to tell from the one pic. Get the rust off, and recoat with a professional coating system. Stay away from the gimmic rust treatments - they are for the yard furniture. The biggest problem you have is a leaking battery, and it did significant damage.

Use a sealed gell cell battery. First cost is not much more, and considering the damage done by acid leaks, gell cell is much cheaper to use in the long run.

mrmandmman

Definitely beyond just getting the rust off. That piece needs to be replaced as there are points where I kept grinding away rust until I hit the undercoating.

The battery is new(ish) now. Should I get a battery mat once I replace the metal?

mrmandmman

Anyone know where I could get one of these pieces new that's in the states?

springer3

[QUOTE=mrmandmman;6937137].....That piece needs to be replaced as there are points where I kept grinding away rust until I hit the undercoating...../QUOTE]Rust does tend to perforate sheet metal, but replacement is not needed until the structure is compromised.

Get rid of the rust, apply a quality coating system. Seal any holes before the final top coat. That will be much cheaper and just as strong as welding in a new piece.

mrmandmman

The front part of where the battery goes looks structurally compromised to me:

Photo

Morten Skaar

How did this end? I have the same problem and i am unsure how to approach it..

Morten Skaar

Like this..

911Jetta

WOW ^^^^^

I'm going to check my battery tonight...

CBR786

That is scary !! I am going to check as well. what country you in Morten ? that looks serious is the rest of the car rust free?

Andy Roe

That looks as though your car has had a battery that leaked at some point...