My Mk2 is suffering from a bit of rustitus basically all over it. Its got bits here and bits there and some over there aswell.

What is the best thing i can do to minimize cost when i take it to the painters to have it sprayed over?.

Would sanding it all down and smoothing off the paintwork make much difference to the price?.

I do have a fair few little spots i want tidying up around the car, say 8-10.

Cheers peeps.

Alternatively, what is a rough ball park figure for a external respray on a Polo???.

Or can this fluctuate ALOT depending on quality.

Ball

Ferrous oxide isnt to be ignored. I also have a MK2 coupe,and a welder,and have been at war recently. It's a disease that grows underneath,munchin through panels like a caterpillar through leaves,hiding beneath underseal and it wont stop unless you kill it. No point painting over it,it'll carry on. Deal with the rust,then paint after.

But i thought rust needed the water and oxygen to produce the ferrous oxide. So painting it will starve it yes?...

I am still planning on having it sanded and sprayed though, but i have ALOT of patched on the car.

Ball

If you paint over it, it'll just bubble out.

Sanding and what else will prevent or stop it then?, before i get it painted at the shop.

Ball

POR-15 is good. You can get this stuff called metal ready which you paint over the bare metal. Then POR-15 it (unless its gonna be visible) and primer, paint, lacquer etc.

Sand/cut/grind back to solid metal. Do any weld repairs. Skim fill. Primer. Paint. Lacquer.

Anything else and you'll just have to do it again next year.

firstly i would say clean the car top to bottom , underneath and in the arches etc , then fully inspect every nook of the car , surface rust is no problem to deal with but if its eaten through then its going to be expensive , my best advice to you is do the job yourself , Spend plenty of time and it will turn out fine .

this is if its surface only:

scrape of any loose paint and rust over the area , then sand it down to bare metal , i have always at this point treated the area with something like kurust , this should kill the rust of and protect the metal . spray primer evenly over the area and also on to intact paintwork surrounding , i'm not one for sanding after evry coat but after two of three give it all a rub some fine wet sandpaper . after six coats and a good sand paint the area (most places will match your colour and put in a aerosol can for you for around a tenner). only do thin coats allowing time to dry in between , after 4-5 coats iot should be ok , then with a fine colour restorer like t-cut (not the stuff in the tube but the one in a wax bottle) cut the paint back over the area and surrounding to blend it ( note: allow two weeks for paint to harden before doing this , then simply wax and polish). perfect .

haynes offer a great book on painting your car and i find it invaluable . i do all my own spraying now and its very satisfying to see what patience can do

Cheers very much for the info there Dub.

It is nearly ALLL surface rust so i think this may be an option as i dont have any welding skills anyway.

I dno about the spraying bit but hey, i can only try.

My dad said to me today though, there is a scab or blob or patch or somethig on near enough every panel of the car externally.

He was sayin, why not just do all the sanding and treating myself and go get it resprayed cos i would end up doing SHIT loads of part spraying and theres much more chance i will end up with patches of paint on it everywere.

Cheers though, its somethig to think about.

Ball