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What condition are your rear wheel arches in?


Pottster
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My GTi (born in 2001) has no other significant rust issues other than some surface rusting and bubbling/blistering of the paint on the wheel arches (right on the lip as it curves underneath) both sides are in more or less the same condition, I'm nipping it in the bud before it deteriorates.

I'm in the middle of repairing the damage (wish I taken some befire pics now) - on sanding down it revaled it's nothing more than surface rust and the metal is fine but it's in a pig of a place to sand, prep up and respray.

I've just finished the primer and will be adding the colour tomorrow, I'm hopiing I'll get away with a decent match/blend as it's in a real awkward position but it helps I'm just dealing with the underlip of the arches and not the 'outside/exposed' arch/panel - but I'm confident I'll do a decent enough job that will tidy it up nice before if spreads.

I'm just interested if anyone else has the same problem or has done similar and if its typcal of Gti's this age to have rust here.

Bit more about my Gti here http://forums.clublu...topic=77567&hl=

Edited by Pottster
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My GTi (born in 2001) has no other significant rust issues other than some surface rusting and bubbling/blistering of the paint on the wheel arches (right on the lip as it curves underneath) both sides are in more or less the same condition, I'm nipping it in the bud before it deteriorates.

Mine isn't a GTi, but she is a 2001 car. I've noticed when cleaning that mud gathers in the rear arch lip, and this could be what causes them to rust as the mud stays moist. I always get my fingers in and scrape out what has collected in there to ensure that they're clean. It was the same with my sister's Mk3 Cavalier and you always used to see Cavaliers with rusty rear arches. Mud settled in the rear arches of that, but my Dad's 306 has rear arch liners to prevent that from happening.

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Mine isn't a GTi, but she is a 2001 car. I've noticed when cleaning that mud gathers in the rear arch lip, and this could be what causes them to rust as the mud stays moist. I always get my fingers in and scrape out what has collected in there to ensure that they're clean. It was the same with my sister's Mk3 Cavalier and you always used to see Cavaliers with rusty rear arches. Mud settled in the rear arches of that, but my Dad's 306 has rear arch liners to prevent that from happening.

My Lupo is fine, but if the cavalier had been waxoiled from the start it would be fine.

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When I bought my mini I practically put my fist though the rear arches... got loads of money of it:p

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Mine isn't a GTi, but she is a 2001 car. I've noticed when cleaning that mud gathers in the rear arch lip, and this could be what causes them to rust as the mud stays moist.

thats why I was surprised that I has the problem as the arches are very clean, good drainage and the arch liners appeared to be doing their job.

I suppose the car is 11 years old and at sometime in the past it may be been molested in this area causing very small crakage in thee paint and hence a bit of surface rust, as I said the metalwork is in excellent condition so no rot issue, just surface rust that you would not spot unless inspecting, but will spread if not dealt with.

Just put a second coat of stone chip on, a bit more sanding to do before the top a colour and some laquer.

Its the laquer I'm most bothered about as it tends to run :-(

Edited by Pottster
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If the lacquer is running you're putting too much at a time on, get your spray technique right and it shouldn't. Besides, with lacquer you want a few coats on anyway, no point trying to smother it in one go -which usually results in the aforementioned running.

Those halogen heaters (pick one up at B&Q) are a godsend if you're wanting paint/lacquer to dry quicker, most bodyshops use them to speed up the process.

Edited by Hazy
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If the lacquer is running you're putting too much at a time on, get your spray technique right and it shouldn't. Besides, with lacquer you want a few coats on anyway, no point trying to smother it in one go -which usually results in the aforementioned running.

Those halogen heaters (pick one up at B&Q) are a godsend if you're wanting paint/lacquer to dry quicker, most bodyshops use them to speed up the process.

Cheers for the advice thats what i intend to do, thankfully I'm in no rush to complete the job as its garaged and not a daily drive, so I can put put light coats on at each stage and lightly sand down each stage to get a decent finish, the main problem i think will be getting a decent blend with the rest of the panel, the new paint is right on the lip so I don't know what it will look like when the masking comes off (I've been carfully peeling back the tape and blend as I go but i didnt want to massivly overspary onto the old area as the natural lip of the wheel arch looks to be the best place to join up) but I hope to get a decent join up and lightly overpraying should leave a tidy finish.

Ideally it needs a professional respray but my main priority is stopping the rust.

Edited by Pottster
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Mines had a simular issue but only on the passenger side, its all surface rust so i'll get it sorted eventually although i have rubbed it down and treated it.

there are signs that moisture has soaked up through the sill but its all solid, the women who owned the car before me must of been driving through hedges as that side is awful! the drivers sides pretty mint though lol

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