Real quick—just wanted to mention that yesterday, not long after the post about weird stuff you use your phone camera for, I went to the local mechanic's shop, Marbles, to see if I could get an estimate. My car has some rust at either end of the rocker panels, and I wanted to see if it could be fixed, and, if so, how much it would cost. The guy who does the body shop estimates is the owner, Paulie Marbles. I thought he had retired but he assured me he hasn't, although his son now occupies the big office. Anyway we're standing there discussing rust and rocker panels, and Paulie apologized for not being able to get down and look up under the car, saying he isn't as nimble as he used to be, or words to that effect.
So I got the phone out, reversed the camera, and stuck the phone under the car. We were able to see the extent of the rust just fine, with me on one knee and him standing up. I just thought it was funny that this happened right after we were talking about it here.
The verdict, by the way—he doesn't really do rust. He says no matter how good a job you do, it can still keep coming back. Reminds me of my friend Jim, who kept a favorite Subaru station wagon for 11 years through the snowy, salty Vermont winters. He would have kept it for longer but rust got the better of it. That was a while back—cars are much more rustproof now. But still, you know what Neil Young said:
Mike
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I'm currently waiting for the Mercedes dealer to replace the entire engine head in our 2021 GLA. Apparently a valve stuck, but it's under warranty so they are replacing the whole head.
We bought it as certified pre-owned which may be the best deal for near-new cars. When you buy new, the warranty is a large chunk. You hope it doesn't pay off, but when you need it...
I've been lucky with my 2006 C55 and spent about $7500 over 12 years. Oh, wait - I need $890 tires again... didn't count those.
Ain't cars fun. Either an appliance or a pet, but always something happening.
Posted by: Bruce Bordner | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 12:30 PM
I m a New England kid who has been hanging out in Central Texas for the last 19 years. How I remember the rust that defaced and shortened the life of many otherwise fine vehicles. One perk of Texas? Almost no snow which equates to no salt on the roads. The sum total? No rust. One of my vehicles is 12 years old and the other 9. I expect to have them for a while.
Posted by: Mike Ferron | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 01:31 PM
With basic, regular maintenance a modern car can easily last for many decades if you can keep corrosion away.
Unfortunately, for North Americans outside of a few locations (e.g., parts of the desert SW), fighting corrosion is a never-ending battle.
Just FYI, you can't "fix" corroded metal. The best approach is to replace the affected (or should I say infected?) panel completely. Replacement patch panels are available for many classic automobiles (e.g., you can basically build a complete Camaro or Mustang from newly manufactured replacement panels), but I'm not sure if you can get rockers for your Acura. More commonly, an autobody shop can cut away the corrosion and weld in new metal.
Unfortunately, in both cases if you don't change the conditions that led to the original corrosion it will return. In the best-case scenario it will return over a similar time frame as the original corrosion, which might be fine for an older car and/or a maturing driver.
You can use various chemicals to convert rust (iron oxide) into magnetite, ferric phosphate, or other supposedly corrosion-resistant layers on the metal surface, but as above unless you remediate the conditions that caused the corrosion this is at best a short-term fix.
You can also use various coatings (e.g., Fluid Film, Blaster Surface Shield) to drive away and shield the metal from moisture and salt, which can slow both the progress of existing rust and the development of new rust. In high-salt areas many use these or similar products to protect the undercarriage, rocker panels, etc. of new vehicles before they are ever exposed to corrosive agents.
Most importantly, if you want to prevent corrosion you have to keep the car (especially the undercarriage) clean, most importantly in the winter when the car is being driven on salty roads.
As with most issues in life, preventing a problem is almost always preferable (and cheaper) than fixing that problem.
Posted by: ASW | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 01:34 PM
I understand what Paulie was saying. You don’t really “fix” rust once it sets in (surface rust is an exception) because it usually comes back. The best way to deal with it is to cut out much or all of the rusted panel, weld in new sheet metal and finish that properly. It can be quite expensive. How bad is the rust on the Honda’s rocker panels? Maybe get rid of the car now before the rust removes most of the car’s value.
Posted by: Steve Biro | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 02:19 PM
A good simple treatment for rust on cars is Phosphoric acid. Spray and or paint it on the rust areas.
The acid turns the rust itself to Iron phosphate which acts as a protectant and highly corrosion resistant. You can then spray paint onto the area and adheres pretty well.
I collect cars as well as use phosphoric acid on commercial applications in metal treatment.
Be careful. Wear glasses and PPE.
Posted by: Alan | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 03:24 PM
Many a year ago (so around 2019) I would point people towards mirrors to adjust their hair, makeup, clothes, whatever for a portrait. Now it's just take the phone out and use the selfie camera as a mirror. File it under "habits 20 somethings have taught me."
Posted by: Josh Hawkins | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 03:29 PM
Hi.
"What I tarnation is a rocker panel?" led me here:
https://www.adrianflux.co.uk/uk-us-car-part-names/
Peace & stuff,
Dean
Posted by: Dean Johnston | Thursday, 10 July 2025 at 10:27 PM
I’ve often remarked that we can send men to the moon and robots to Mars but can’t cure rust.
Posted by: Kristine Hinrichs | Friday, 11 July 2025 at 06:42 AM
According to Wikipedia, "Devo vocalist Mark Mothersbaugh added the lyrics "Rust never sleeps", a slogan he remembered from his graphic arts career promoting the automobile rust proofing product Rust-Oleum."
Posted by: Dave | Friday, 11 July 2025 at 10:05 AM
Automotive rust is nasty, no doubt about that.
But if you enjoy watching heroic rust repairs check out reruns of Fantomworks or Car SOS.
Very entertaining watching them take swiss cheese and turning it into a car.
Posted by: Mike Plews | Friday, 11 July 2025 at 02:40 PM
There's an app on the Apple watch called Camera Remote which streams the video from the iPhone camera to the watch screen. Great for getting a look in crevices and under things! It's also a remote shutter release for the phone's camera
Posted by: Doug McLachlan | Friday, 11 July 2025 at 07:59 PM
My first car was a 1965 Mustang (built in 1964, no alternator, 5 bolt 13in tires, 260 ci v8 and a three speed). Bought in 1970 for 950 USD.
It had cancer, i.e. rust, quite bad rust, on the rocker panels, behind the front wheels and back in the trunk.
I drove it from 1970 to around 1980 going skiing (every week in the winter), across the state for various purposes, and too and from work putting over 50K miles on it.
I "donated" it to by brother-in-law who was a instructor at a local auto mechanic school. He taught body work and upholstery and over the next few years they completely rebuilt it from the ground up using it as a school training car.
The school sold it to a student, and I got half of the overall price at 450 USD. The student went back to his home state and pulled out in front of a dump truck and was t-boned, a sad way for it to go.
Rust can be fixed, but a complete teardown is necessary.
Posted by: pdlanum | Saturday, 12 July 2025 at 02:25 PM
Here's a gift link to the photos about China's solar installations.
Posted by: Ed Bacher | Monday, 14 July 2025 at 09:35 AM
They say that in a quiet FIAT showroom late at night you can hear the cars rusting.
Posted by: Luke | Tuesday, 15 July 2025 at 08:42 PM