Rear Fender Rust
 

Seems rear fender rust is an issue with these cars. Anyone had it professionally repaired? I'd be interested in seeing the results of the labor.

quality of work is a direct product of quality of labor put in and that's typically a product of how much you're willing to pay.

I'm confused as to the ask, are you asking to just see what a regular unrusted fender looks like ? :tomato:

Go to a body shop and ask them for a quote. Depending on how bad the rust is, they may just cut out and replace the piece

With rust, you're going to have to cut the fender out. There's no simple grinding the top layer away. With our fender being welded into place and continuing from the rear to the front at the top of the windshield, there's no replacing the piece. Cutting is the only way.

I was curious to see the work others have had done. Even with high quality work, I can't imagine it can look as it originally did when completed. I'm curious if it's worth paying the $1000 or so to have it taken care or if I should just live with it.

Do you have pics of how bad yours is?

I had my entire car repainted at my dad's shop. If there's rust the proper way to fix would be to cut it out. I consider it a cancer you're better off doing it right the first time. Whoever fixes it for you should also spray rubberized undercoating in the wheel wells.

The only right way to repair rust perforation, is to cut out the rusted area, weld in new metal, and treat the metal as DMateo says. I've made attempts at repairing rust through, in the rear wheel lip area, none of which proved permanent. Rust Never Sleeps, so they say.

He Said, She Said
 

The only right way to repair rust is to cut it out and weld in a replacement piece as frankjnjr said DMateo said, TheWeez said, and thoiboi alluded to.

it's not just these cars, it's most Hondas pre 2010. Some post 2010's as well. Bad drainage I guess

This is a serious rust issue. If you love everything else about the car, one repair method would be to have a salvage yard cut the lower quarter panel, trunk pan, and wheel house from a rust free, similar year, make and model car. Unfortunately, such a procedure would be very expensive, in relation to the overall value of the car. If you really love this exact type of car, Another option, would be to source a southern or western rust free car with a blown engine or transmission, and swap the good stuff from your car, than try to part the rest out.. It's just very difficult, and expensive to correct a problem like this, permanently. RUST NEVER SLEEPS

Meh, I'll just let it go. I love the car but it's not worth dumping a bunch of money into a vehicle only worth $5k max in mint shape.

some of us might've already put double the value of the car into it. Sometimes it's not the value of the car; a perfect example is the Honda civic phenomena of the 90s and 2000's

Poor financial decisions doesn't change the value of a vehicle. Just because someone puts $10k rims on a $2k Cutlass doesn't mean the car is now worth $12k and just because I put a turbo on my M3 doesn't mean it's now worth the additional $6k I spent buying and having it installed.

I've owned this car for 10 years and gotten great value from it, doing little more than general maintenance and it runs wonderfully. Still seems a bit silly to spend $2k+ to fix a cosmetic issue like this when it's not going to really impact the longevity of the vehicle. Sure it impacts the looks a bit but even putting that money into it isn't going to positively impact the value much. A car that's had body work is a car that's had body work.

As a car enthusiast, most decisions we make might seem poor to someone who isn't. At the end of the day you need to evaluate whether or not it's worth it to you. If it's not then just drive it as is... not much rocket science involved here.

I think you answered your own question in your previous post... clearly it's not worth it to you.

Rust never sleeps. Just another form of attrition to gradually eliminate these cars. Glad I got one that spent its life in the southern states.

$800-$1300.

That's the exact price my body shop quoted.