Auto body repair & detailing: Rust under Vinyl Roof Trim

Question

Car 2  

trunk lid   Hi Dave, I have a 2000 Lincoln TC Signiture, 60,000 Mi.It's Been Garaged and Looks brand New.Bought it New.I had them put a Vinyl Roof on and now its just starting to rust under the trim where the roof line stops to the rear on both sides. Also on the trunk lid there's a strip that runs along the back of the trunk which is seperate from the roof that is starting to rust under the trim also.I know the roof has to be peeled back but right now it just looks like surface rust and until it's lifted up won't be able to tell. I had one guy tell me it might take him about 6o hours and could charge Me by the hour which was about $3,000 or more because He didn't know what to charge.I know its hard without seeing it but could you help Me maybe get a ballpark figure as to what this should cost Me.Thanks for Your help. Tony

Answer
Hi Tony!....Thanks for taking the time to send me the pictures, as this definitely helps out. In regards to the visible rust, in a lot of cases with a vinyl roof, the rust starts in and around the area where the moulding retaining clips are attached to the roof itself. This is usually due to improper installation of the clips, from not using proper corrosion protection and sealant to ensure no water will penetrate to the inside. That being said, from the 2 visible rust spots, I would estimate repair time to be in the area of 4 hours each. This is providing that the rust could be ground down and sandblasted, then only require a fiberglass filler and a skim coat of putty to repair. If the rust goes right through after grinding and sandblasting, then a patch panel will obviously need to be welded in. Estimate would then be 8 hours for each of the 2 spots. In regards to how much further the rust goes beyond what is visible, you are absolutely correct in saying that the roof will need to be peeled back further. In regards to painting the 2 visible areas, although full panel refinishing is the best way to go, they could be spotted in. Estimate time for this would be around 3 hours each. For partial vinyl roof access removal, estimate 12 hours. My total rough estimate for what is just visible is 34 hours. At the rate of $50 per hour that you were quoted, it would cost $1700. Please remember that this is just an estimate for visible damage....Hope this helps you out Tony.....Drop me another line if you have any other questions....Thanks....Dave