Older cars at some point may start showing spots of rust. It is not uncommon to notice some spots after a car wash or when the snow melts off your car during winter. If you notice that your car is developing these spots, we may have a solution for you. In this article, we’ll look at why rust appears on your car body and what can be done about it.

Why Car Body Develops Rust

Although car manufacturers protect the metal car body with layers of protective coating and paint, as cars get older, this outer layer may get chipped or cracked, exposing the bare metal that makes up the body of your car. This exposed metal over even more time reacts with the environment causing rust. The more metal is exposed the more rust builds up. New cars are getting much tougher protection through chemical baths that make them much more resistant to chipping but older cars just don’t have this kind of protection.

Can Rust Be Prevented?

The build-up of rust on the car body may not be totally eliminated but there are things you can do to slow down exposure to environmental elements. Here are the top 3 things that you can do:

  • Get any auto collisions fixed properly by a certified auto body shop. If the bodywork isn’t done right, it may introduce cracks that can get exposed to air and cause rust.
  • Park your car in a sheltered area during extreme weather. Extreme heat and cold can lead to paint cracking and expose the metal body. Also, snow on a car body can stick to the car such that it causes tears on it.
  • Wash your car regularly so that any chemical that may have spilled on your car washes off and doesn’t have a chance to cause much damage to your car body.

How To Remove Rust On Your Car

For small rust spots, a reputable body shop may recommend a simple patch job to seal those spots and stop rust from further expansion. This may involve sanding the affected area then applying primer to it and finally applying paint. This method works well for small spots and prevents further damage to the metal underneath.

For much larger rust spots, more intensive work may need to be done. When the metal has rusted for quite some time, it loses its structural integrity and becomes weak making that part of the car’s body unable to function as intended. In these cases, the body panel with rust may need to be removed and replaced entirely.

Conclusion

It may be tempting to try to fix it by yourself but you may just add more damage. Special tools are required to perform a thorough job. At Davis Paint & Collision Auto Center, we have invested in the latest technology and tools to make sure that we do a thorough job and get it right the first time. Our 3 certified auto collision facilities are open and ready to address your needs. Call us and schedule an appointment. Our Oklahoma City location’s phone number is 405.733.9797, South Oklahoma City location: 405.691.1820, and Midwest City location: 405.732.0762.