Is this rust? Top of driver's side rear door.





Below that, on the driver's side rear door panel, there have been a number of spots in the paint for a few years now. I'm guessing this ISN'T rust, and is some kinda of etching through the coating (like bird doodoo stayed on to long etc.), as it's not bubbled or raised, but it feels rough to the touch and won't polish or wax off:

 

The first picture looks like some surface rust and the second picture looks like your clear coat is etched. How often do you wash your car? Your car looks black to me and this is why I don't get black cars anymore. If you get some bird crap on your car and it sits more than a couple of hours on a 90 degree+ day then etching of the clear coat is gonna happen. Take your car and get a pro detail done . Then should be able to take out the etching. As far as the surface rust.... your pretty screwed on that one unless you wanna take it to a body shop and have them fix it but they will probably charge you a lot for something so little. I would get the detail done though for sure.

 

For the 2nd picture try a clay bar.

 

Hey great idea! I shall, ty

If only it worked on rust, lol...

 

Assuming that is rust then, what would be the consequences of not having it fixed? What's the usual time frame for that sorta thing progessing into something serious? Will it look pretty much the same in a year or two, or is my door frame going to rust totally through in a year?

I think I noticed it a few years ago, but didn't think much about it as I've never had rust on a car before and just kinda thought it was bad paint or something. So it hasn't changed much in that time at least.

 

A door frame will take quite a long time to rust through....that said the spots if untouched will just spread slowly is the only harm that will be done. If you don't care much about it looks wise then might as well wait until you're ready to have the door repainted or the entire car for that matter.

If it were me, I probably would remove the bubbled paint chips, clean the rust and put on a bit of touch up paint. It would be obvious but better than letting it spread and being even more obvious.

 

^^^^^ What he said. It would take like 10 years of not washing that car before you would see a nice size hole in the car. Best thing to do is hit it with some touch up paint after you clean it and keep your car waxed.

 

check to see how much $ it is to have it fixed and painted.

then go see how much a BB door off a totaled rx8 is. Might be able to save some bones.

 

I thought the rear doors were aluminum?

 

Crazy, I have rust in the exact same spot, on the exact same door.