Rust!

[Michiel van Wessem <jmvw@xxxxxxxxx>]

Hello,

I need help. While working on my recently bought 1987 325es, I discovered
rust in several places. I know rust is bad, but I know little about how
fast it grows or about how to fight it. I want to know how I can stop or
remove it. I like this car. I don't want it to die. I want to make it good. 

Below I write about the different places where I found rust. I know this
may be kind of long, but if you know of a good way of fixing just one of
these spots, please let me know. Any information is appreciated. I haven't
found much on the Web about rust yet, except for sites advertising all
kinds of rustproofing products. 

There's a spot about the size of a quarter in the trunk, behind the bumper
on the side. I didn't see this before, because it's ordinarily behind the
trunk lining. I pressed on it and now it's a hole. What do you think? Saw
away a circle around it, then patch it with something? Bondo, is it any
good? I bought a can of rubberized undercoating. Just soak it with that stuff?

About 3 inches of the frame rail just behind the front wheel feels brittle
and I can bend it with my fingers. I think somebody may have tried to jack
the car here and damaged the car's rust protection. All I can think of here
is just spray the sh*t out of it with the undercoating spray. Anything better?

There's small spots on the bottom of the driver's side door. They seem to
be coming from under the paint. Undercoating wouldn't look right here. 

Then in several places on the car there's several little chips from the
paint, with only surface rust. What do I do before putting on touch-up paint?

Maybe not directly related - there are some places under the car where the
PVC rust-protection peels off. Do you do anything to protect these places?
The rubberized undercoating?

It's been dry for a couple weeks here in Jersey now, so this might be the
perfect time to kill this rust.

Many thanks! This list kicks butt.

Michiel

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