Finally got 993 back from rust repair after 9 weeks w/out it! (w/obligatory pics)
08-02-2007, 12:51 AM
#1
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Finally got 993 back from rust repair after 9 weeks w/out it! (w/obligatory pics)
Well, can you imagine bringing your car in for rust repair around the windshield and being told they should finish it in a week, but it takes 9 weeks, in the midst of summer fun time on the east coast? I brought my car over to another Rennlister's 2 months ago and while helping me with my rattling MY 02 shifter from hell, he noticed a small patch of rust by the windshield and strongly suggested having it checked out. I dutifully called my excellent local paint shop and dropped it off to them asap after that. I also wanted them to fix the underneath of the front bumper where it was scraped alot and there was a big dent in that area as well when I had a "meeting" with a parking cement block one day.
I wanted them to paint the fender liner area too, the part by the front wheels where rocks have chipped it up pretty bad over the years, basically sandblasting it. After I dropped it off they said it was already rusting there, and agreed I should have it painted.
Well, glitch, after Murphy's law situation with Porsche parts not coming in correctly for the windshield trim 3 X in a row, on top of miscommunications about what I actually wanted painted led to me not having the car for 9 long weeks. It's pretty scary and uncomfortable knowing your car is at a body shop for so long with god knows how many people rubbing up against it or possibly scratching it here and there due to lack of carefulness. At times it was parked under a tree at this shop with bird droppings all over it when I went to see it. They said they parked it there as it was under the shade and better than sitting in the hot baking sun (not in my book!). I was heartbroken - it was filthy dirty and in places I'd never let dirt get to it like under the front hood and in the gas cap area. We're talking total scuzziness. I wish I had never seen it like that... I'm tempted to have it completely detailed inside and out as there's dirt inside the car on the carpet that I frankly don't feel like dealing with, like under the seats. It's not horrible, but I never let the car get this bad. I hate to think what happened to it over these 9 weeks, what it physically endured, but it's back now and it'll be all better very soon after I spend a day REALLY cleaning it.
They ended up painting the passenger door too for free this past week. I think they tried to blend a scratch and it wasn't just right, so they ended up painting the whole door. I'm not sure what it really went through when it was gone, and I'm not sure which of the seemingly new, minute scratches were actually there before I brought it into them as it's been gone so long, but it's as if I just bought a another used 993 and I'm starting from scratch.
When he delivered it to me today, the guy said that he just obtained a C4 (?) euro front bumper and that I will probably want it when he's done with it. Maybe he mean't C4S? Aren't they totally different than a C4 bumper? He said that my bumper had been repainted before and it wasn't a great job. He said I could buy this bumper from him at a really great price and he can get rid of my front bumperettes (something I actually DO want to do now), that he'd repaint the Turbo S ducts that another shop had painted for me 4 months ago as he said it was a bad job, and paint my rear bumperettes body color silver. Thoughts on that?
Here's some pics. I read this forum infrequently these past 9 weeks to satisfy my 993 obsession while I was carless...
God I love this car... I really missed it and realized how much so after driving it again tonight for the first time in ages to the new movie, a western, "3:10 to Yuma" with Christian Bale, Russell Crow. The other 2 actors Peter Fonda and Ben Foster were there in person for a Q & A afterward
. It was pretty cool seeing Peter Fonda up there shooting the shi* with us.
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0381849/usercomments
The newly painted right door
They cleaned it, but not like I clean it!
Back home, hopefully for a long time
In 2 months, he should have a front eurobumper so these bumperettes could be gone if I buy it. He said using the existing bumper and cutting it to rid of the front bumperettes is not near as good a solution as getting an actual eurobumper. Does that sound right?
Standing on a chair
Have you ever brought your car in for some "seemingly simple" paintwork and ended up being without your car for a REALLY long time? It stinks! Luckily, the guy that paints this car is obsessive and a perfectionist like me. He's the only one I trust with this car now.
Cheers,
Steve R
I wanted them to paint the fender liner area too, the part by the front wheels where rocks have chipped it up pretty bad over the years, basically sandblasting it. After I dropped it off they said it was already rusting there, and agreed I should have it painted.
Well, glitch, after Murphy's law situation with Porsche parts not coming in correctly for the windshield trim 3 X in a row, on top of miscommunications about what I actually wanted painted led to me not having the car for 9 long weeks. It's pretty scary and uncomfortable knowing your car is at a body shop for so long with god knows how many people rubbing up against it or possibly scratching it here and there due to lack of carefulness. At times it was parked under a tree at this shop with bird droppings all over it when I went to see it. They said they parked it there as it was under the shade and better than sitting in the hot baking sun (not in my book!). I was heartbroken - it was filthy dirty and in places I'd never let dirt get to it like under the front hood and in the gas cap area. We're talking total scuzziness. I wish I had never seen it like that... I'm tempted to have it completely detailed inside and out as there's dirt inside the car on the carpet that I frankly don't feel like dealing with, like under the seats. It's not horrible, but I never let the car get this bad. I hate to think what happened to it over these 9 weeks, what it physically endured, but it's back now and it'll be all better very soon after I spend a day REALLY cleaning it.
They ended up painting the passenger door too for free this past week. I think they tried to blend a scratch and it wasn't just right, so they ended up painting the whole door. I'm not sure what it really went through when it was gone, and I'm not sure which of the seemingly new, minute scratches were actually there before I brought it into them as it's been gone so long, but it's as if I just bought a another used 993 and I'm starting from scratch.
When he delivered it to me today, the guy said that he just obtained a C4 (?) euro front bumper and that I will probably want it when he's done with it. Maybe he mean't C4S? Aren't they totally different than a C4 bumper? He said that my bumper had been repainted before and it wasn't a great job. He said I could buy this bumper from him at a really great price and he can get rid of my front bumperettes (something I actually DO want to do now), that he'd repaint the Turbo S ducts that another shop had painted for me 4 months ago as he said it was a bad job, and paint my rear bumperettes body color silver. Thoughts on that?
Here's some pics. I read this forum infrequently these past 9 weeks to satisfy my 993 obsession while I was carless...
God I love this car... I really missed it and realized how much so after driving it again tonight for the first time in ages to the new movie, a western, "3:10 to Yuma" with Christian Bale, Russell Crow. The other 2 actors Peter Fonda and Ben Foster were there in person for a Q & A afterward
. It was pretty cool seeing Peter Fonda up there shooting the shi* with us.http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0381849/usercomments
The newly painted right door
They cleaned it, but not like I clean it!
Back home, hopefully for a long time
In 2 months, he should have a front eurobumper so these bumperettes could be gone if I buy it. He said using the existing bumper and cutting it to rid of the front bumperettes is not near as good a solution as getting an actual eurobumper. Does that sound right?
Standing on a chair
Have you ever brought your car in for some "seemingly simple" paintwork and ended up being without your car for a REALLY long time? It stinks! Luckily, the guy that paints this car is obsessive and a perfectionist like me. He's the only one I trust with this car now.
Cheers,
Steve R
Last edited by Steve 96C4S; 08-02-2007 at 01:07 AM.
08-02-2007, 01:12 AM
#4
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks guys. Yeah, the big Benz idea (2004 S55) to replace both my Bimmer and 993 is not happening. Luckily, things at work and our finances have changed for the better so "it's all good" right now . 
Steve R
Steve R
08-02-2007, 01:25 AM
#5
Burning Brakes
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Encinitas, CA "Surf Capital of the World"
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Dude, you need to go bigger on the deadhead stickers; after all, it is the anniversary of “the summer of love”. Reach out and touch somebody with that beautiful paint job. Gorgeous man,,,
08-02-2007, 01:42 AM
#7
Car looks gorgeous. TCallas had mine for a week, when I thought it would take just a day...I was on the verge of drinking when the call came to pick her up. 9 weeks! F! But, absence does make the heart grow fonder. The 2 months was punishment for CONSIDERING getting rid of her for that behemoth Benz 
Glad to see and hear she's back where she belongs.
Glad to see and hear she's back where she belongs.
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08-02-2007, 04:50 AM
#9
Seared
Rennlist Member
Rennlist Member
Steve,
They may have used the car for agricultural purposes around the Gaitherburg area. That would explain all the dirt you found.
I would replace the suspension before taking it to them again.
I'm glad it's back - the car looks great!
Andreas
They may have used the car for agricultural purposes around the Gaitherburg area. That would explain all the dirt you found.
I would replace the suspension before taking it to them again.
I'm glad it's back - the car looks great!
Andreas
08-02-2007, 05:41 AM
#10
Looks great.
Regarding body shops, I don't leave my car with them. Too many things can go wrong -- joyriding, parking lot accidents, car baking in the sun for weeks on end, whatever. If it'll take a body shop 9 weeks to get their act together to fix the car, the car should stay safely in your garage during that period of time. All it takes is a phone call to have the car back at the shop. My $0.02.
Regarding body shops, I don't leave my car with them. Too many things can go wrong -- joyriding, parking lot accidents, car baking in the sun for weeks on end, whatever. If it'll take a body shop 9 weeks to get their act together to fix the car, the car should stay safely in your garage during that period of time. All it takes is a phone call to have the car back at the shop. My $0.02.
08-02-2007, 07:18 AM
#11
Rennlist Member
Hummmmm .... think I see a little patch of rust under the rear window ... leave it with me for a few days ...
.
.
.
...just kidding - just kidding The car looks great!
Re the front bumper, the 2S, 4S, and TT share the same part AFAIK: the euro version is identical except for the absence of bumperette cut-outs.
.
.
.
...just kidding - just kidding
The car looks great! Re the front bumper, the 2S, 4S, and TT share the same part AFAIK: the euro version is identical except for the absence of bumperette cut-outs.
08-02-2007, 09:24 AM
#13
Race Car
Paint looks great from here
The bumperette's get unbolted and the holes filled in, not cut out. The filling is done properly by means of plastic welding in a similar piece of poly bumper material. Oddly enough, apparently some year of Nissan Maxima (I think it was) is an exact match in regards to the shape of the area needing filling. I had my bumper cover filled in and painted for $400 earlier this year and that's what they used from a wrecked car the body shop had. If the Euro bumper he sells you is much more, I might think twice.
The bumperette's get unbolted and the holes filled in, not cut out. The filling is done properly by means of plastic welding in a similar piece of poly bumper material. Oddly enough, apparently some year of Nissan Maxima (I think it was) is an exact match in regards to the shape of the area needing filling. I had my bumper cover filled in and painted for $400 earlier this year and that's what they used from a wrecked car the body shop had. If the Euro bumper he sells you is much more, I might think twice.
08-02-2007, 09:39 AM
#14
Rennlist Member
Thread Starter
Thanks Chris. I'll weigh that option instead of getting the new bumper then. $400 to do that "fill work" is a bad option according to my paint guy but it all depends on how much that used bumper is.
I can't wait to drive it today. It's like having a new sports car. My excitement level for this car has gone up exponentially. The thing about the suspension, Andreas, is ... the owner of the body shop drove my car for extended periods a few times and said that the suspension is fine and to save my money and wait! I think I need a 3rd opinion on this and will have the dealer drive it now. ASG said it was ok, but you 993 fanatics are saying it's totally shot at 77k miles. Hmmm.... what to do. The good news is that the wife approved me getting the M030 and Bilsteins but it's been hard to stick a crow bar into my wallet to actually buy it as the car "seems" to ride fine. Mostly fine.
Steve R
I can't wait to drive it today. It's like having a new sports car. My excitement level for this car has gone up exponentially. The thing about the suspension, Andreas, is ... the owner of the body shop drove my car for extended periods a few times and said that the suspension is fine and to save my money and wait! I think I need a 3rd opinion on this and will have the dealer drive it now. ASG said it was ok, but you 993 fanatics are saying it's totally shot at 77k miles. Hmmm.... what to do. The good news is that the wife approved me getting the M030 and Bilsteins but it's been hard to stick a crow bar into my wallet to actually buy it as the car "seems" to ride fine. Mostly fine.
Steve R
08-02-2007, 09:49 AM
#15
Race Car
Its a bad option because he doesn't know how to do it. Bondo is a bad option, but plastic welding is the standard by which poly is repaired/bonded etc. The peice of mind for you may be to just have him spray whatever he gets in instead of altering yours. I just threw it up in case he tries charging you a grand for it.