Deal or no deal? Several hundred to POR-15 frame rails & wheel wells
 

You all tell me.

Backstory:

Since I REALLY can't find a new car* under 40ish Thousand that I like as much as my 9 year old RX8 (and most of these new cars I like LESS), I'm going to have a local guy who does restorations (paint, body, etc.) do the rust converter + POR-15 + primer + factory paint (OEM) + clearcoat along the rear wheel arches (both) AND metal prep + POR-15 + flat black topcoat along the frame rails.

I have no rust perforation, but the surface rust on the rear wheel wells (the lip) keeps coming back and the paint is starting to flake there, and there is chipping and rust starting on the same spot towards the rear of each side of the frame rails (near the jack point) - this is Amanda's fault because it's at the same exact weld point on the frame rail on each side (the welding obviously stripped the zinc coating off at this point).

I do not have the proper sprayer/equipment to do the metal prep work, nor properly spray the factory paint or clearcoat, and besides, POR-15 is some nasty stuff to breath so it has to be applied in a well ventilated shop (only over prepped metal).

Does anyone not think this is a worthwhile investment for approx $300 assuming I can keep the 8 free of any serious rust issues for 3 to 4 more winters?

I really do not like any of the dozen or so new cars I drove, ranging from 25k to 42k*, as much as the 8, and so I figure this is a smart move.

Yes? No?

*Drove Cadillac ATS (pos), Lexus IS350, Golf GTI, Audi A4,370z, etc., recently.

It's quite amazing how cars are less rewarding for those who like feedback, AND their interiors feel awfully cheap, even at the 40k to 50k price level.

This is why I can't rationalize selling/trading the 8.

If anything, if I needed to get another car ASAP, I'd look for a well maintained, low mileage 6MT RX8 - again.

If your 8 is paid for just buy something else that is a beater.

I have to do it now, though, anyways, because once even a little rust sets in, it spreads really fast if not dealt with immediately.

Besides, I actually love driving my 8 in the winter with snow tires.

Keeping a paid off car that works vs spending 25-50k + Interest. Sounds like an amazing investment. Speaking of which, take the monthly payments you would have made and invest that, so when the next RX comes out ten years from now you can buy it cash. my .02

8 is paid off. I paid cash for it new.

I believe I can get another 5 to 6 solid years out of it if I do the following now:

1) Do the rear wheel arches with converter, POR-15, primer, paint & overcoat, along with converter on any oxidation and POR-15 on frame rails with matte paint over that.

2) Another coolant flush/fill.

3) Brake pads & new brake fluid.

4) Set of new plugs & wires in the next 10,000 miles or so.

That all totals maybe $600.

That's less than two monthly payments.

The 8 literally drives like it's brand new as it is.

We're living in a throwaway society IMO when a lot of the new cars I've test driven drive worse than the RX-8 yet cost 30k to 45k, a and many people are on a never-ending cycle of $350 to $700 monthly payments for these cars, which amounts to $4,200 to $8,400 per year ($42,000 to $84,000 every decade) just in throwaway payments, not including gas, insurance, maintenance, etc.

I'm at the depreciation stage where if I take career of my car, it MIGHT fall another $600 to $800 PER YEAR in value (or $50 to $65 per month).

Your car, your money and over all your call.

Take care of the rust, park it in a garage, get a beater that is $1k-$3k and drive it during the winters only. <-- This is what I would do.

$300 sounds like a good deal for all that.

Back in the 70s and 80s I'd spring for rustproofing on new cars. Ziebart on one in the 70s (what a mess), and dealer applied stuff later on. My Accord - the last rustproofed one - went almost 20 years before showing any rust.

The problem with stretching a car's life out is that, even if you beat the rust, there is so much other stuff that deteriorates with age. Clutch, rubber parts, random electrical components, AC leaks and changing refrigerant rules, etc. As long as you recognize the knee in the curve when the time comes, it makes sense.

Ken

If $300 for the work actually lasted 3 winters I would say it's a steal. My experience with rust is that the visible bits are only the tip of the iceberg.

At the very least it should give you some more time to try out some additional cars or find another RX8 in perfect condition.

I think it would be a good thing to do.

You also might want to consider a product called Rust Bullet instead of POR-15. POR-15 is UV sensitive and will degrade if exposed to sunlight. Of course you probable don't get much sunlight under the car :-)

Thanks lion, and everyone else, for the feedback.

After more research and thinking about it, given that I've checked out the components and metal extensively, I have decided on a new approach.

As to the dogleg welds on the frame (both sides, same place; factory obviously burned off galvanic layer when MIG welding this point), it's not that bad. I am going to wire brush this, hit this a few times with a phosphorous based converter, neutralize it after it blackens, and then spray some zinc based paint over it. It's a small section on each side, maybe 5" long.

As for the rear wheel wells, I am going to do the same, even though the citric based cleaner I used and Fluid Film seems to have really stopped any further problems there.

Here's the key: I purchased several cans of CRC Heavy Duty Marine SP400 Corrosion Inhibitor, and am going to hit the frame rails, cross members and inside of the rear wheel wells with that; it's used on boats and in saltwater applications, and the Jeep & F Series community swears by it up in harsh Calgary/Montreal. It cures into a waxol type finish that resists wash off.

I also have several cans of Amsoil HD Metal Protector to do touch ups if needed.

After much research, I think this is the best, most cost effective and flexible strategy to significantly slow any further progression.

There are just too many people stating that everything looked great for a while with POR-15 and similar products applied, only to discover that when the topcoat came off, whether in one year or 4, there massive rust cancer underneath it.

I think soaking oils, metal prep and products like Amsoil HD Metal Protector, Fluid Film, and CRC HD Marine Coat SP400 are the better solution.

On the show "Wheeler Dealers," every now and then Edd will paint a rusty area with something that he says kills the rust and restores the metal. Does anyone know what the stuff is? He never says, and never lets the label appear.

Ken

Not sure, Ken.

I like that show and have seen that "mystery" can.

It's likely an all in one rust converter that is made by Eastwood, or Rust-Fix by Duplicolor, or Rustoleum Rust Reformer, etc, where they mix phosphoric acid in with a heavy duty black or grey primer.

Instead of hitting the metal with something like Ospho (seems to be phosphoric acid rust converter of choice among car restorers), waiting until rusty metal turns black, treating it again, and then waiting for it to "cure" before painting it, they apparently try to eliminate a step with those products.

I plan on hitting my wheel wells with several layers of Amsoil Heavy Duty Metal Protector and my frame rails with CRC Heavy Duty Corrosion Inhibitor.