If you have an old car that you want to keep, there are many things you can do on your own to get it in much better condition to help you save money. Below are two problems you may have with the car and how to take care of them to help you get started.
Rust
Because the car is old it likely has rust. Scratch the rust with your fingernail; if you see paint, the rust is only on the surface. If you do not see paint, then the rust has eaten its way below the surface.
Rust is generally found on the bottom of the car so you need to put it on a lift. If you do not have this, you will have to take the car to a mechanic. Some common places you will find rust are the wheel wells, underneath the doors, the exhaust, and the suspension. Any other component that is made of metal or steel may be rusted.
Look at the exterior and if you see any bubbling paint there is likely rust under it. If you only have a few rust spots, you can remove them yourself. If there are numerous rust spots hire a professional to remove them for you.
Fender Dents
If the fender is dented on the car, you may be able to fix it yourself—but only if there are small dents. There are dent repair kits you can purchase at auto parts stores. Another way you can remove small dents is using a household plunger. Dip the plunger in water so it makes a good suction and place it over the dent. Push it in and then pull the plunger gently to see if the dent comes out.
If the dents are large, take your car to a body shop. They may try to repair the dent first to help you save money. They have many techniques they use to do this. If they are unable to repair the dents, they can replace the entire fender with a new one.
Replacing a fender can be expensive, so you should ask the auto body shop if they can purchase a used fender. You can find fenders at places like auto salvage yards. Go to one of these salvage yards and look for the make and model of your car. You will likely find a few of them and many of these cars may have fenders that look brand new. You can also find other salvage car parts that may come in handy.
It will take time, but you can get your old car back on the road again.
