Hi there,
I am potentially buying a new (to me) coupe with a small rust bubble on the outer skin of the roof, near the sunroof. I know this is not a good sign.
I just want to know if anyone has experience with repairing/having repaired such an issue and, if I do buy the car, how much I can expect to pay to have it fixed?
All the best,
Ollie
Roof Rust Bubble
Moderator: martauto
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BristolE30
- E30 Zone Regular
- Posts: 532
- Joined: Thu May 16, 2019 7:43 pm
- Location: Bristol
Hey mate,
It’s totally do able if you can find a good body repair shop. Look to set you back about £800-1000 though. If you do get it done, and done well (all rust removed, lots of rust preventing paints, wax etc), should last another 30 years.
They’ll basically need to cut out the rusty patch, weld in a new one, fiber glass and small amount of filler. Then spray the whole roof again! Very difficult to blend on the roof so usually it’s the whole thing.
Don’t let it put you off, but just make sure you budget for it
I did and am very happy with the car and results
It’s totally do able if you can find a good body repair shop. Look to set you back about £800-1000 though. If you do get it done, and done well (all rust removed, lots of rust preventing paints, wax etc), should last another 30 years.
They’ll basically need to cut out the rusty patch, weld in a new one, fiber glass and small amount of filler. Then spray the whole roof again! Very difficult to blend on the roof so usually it’s the whole thing.
Don’t let it put you off, but just make sure you budget for it
I did and am very happy with the car and resultsBMW E30 316 ‘87
BMW E30 325i ‘88
Bristol, UK
BMW E30 325i ‘88
Bristol, UK
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MyNameIsOllie
- E30 Zone Newbie
- Posts: 84
- Joined: Sat Oct 28, 2017 11:00 pm
Thanks for the advice mate. Typically, the car has sold now but I'll bear it in mind next time something pops upBristolE30 wrote: ↑Wed Jan 01, 2020 8:03 pmHey mate,
It’s totally do able if you can find a good body repair shop. Look to set you back about £800-1000 though. If you do get it done, and done well (all rust removed, lots of rust preventing paints, wax etc), should last another 30 years.
They’ll basically need to cut out the rusty patch, weld in a new one, fiber glass and small amount of filler. Then spray the whole roof again! Very difficult to blend on the roof so usually it’s the whole thing.
Don’t let it put you off, but just make sure you budget for it
The more I look at the 2 of mine the more pessimistic I am about the sunroof roofs on these E30s. I think the very thin e-coat on the underside of the roof-skin has reached the end of it's useful life and unless that is dealt with then it is only a matter of time.
My chromie is in good condition by E30 standards let alone one of its age. It has been dry stored for 20+ years and has no rust in any of the usual places, however, last week a look back into the sunroof space with the roof tilted and a torch there is the familiar haze of surface rust with a couple of places forming heavier scabs. If left it will come through in the not too distant future.
It is rust, not much worse than that which has come through the roof on the Facelift. Whilst the 20mm rust blister and 5mm hole could be cut out and patched, the edge of the repair is hard to protect underneath along with everywhere a spark landed inside, and it does not cure the problem which caused it in the first place.
I think repairs that you may have got away with 10 years ago are more difficult now. Blasting something through the gap is more likely to block the drains and make it worse. It is no surprise that people dealing with these regularly are on the hunt for good roof panels more often now.
My chromie is in good condition by E30 standards let alone one of its age. It has been dry stored for 20+ years and has no rust in any of the usual places, however, last week a look back into the sunroof space with the roof tilted and a torch there is the familiar haze of surface rust with a couple of places forming heavier scabs. If left it will come through in the not too distant future.
It is rust, not much worse than that which has come through the roof on the Facelift. Whilst the 20mm rust blister and 5mm hole could be cut out and patched, the edge of the repair is hard to protect underneath along with everywhere a spark landed inside, and it does not cure the problem which caused it in the first place.
I think repairs that you may have got away with 10 years ago are more difficult now. Blasting something through the gap is more likely to block the drains and make it worse. It is no surprise that people dealing with these regularly are on the hunt for good roof panels more often now.