Quick Fix: Can I repair a rusted-out underbody myself?

Hi, I’m Lauren Fix, longtime automotive journalist and a member of the Society of Automotive Engineers. Welcome back to “Quick Fix,” where I answer car-related questions you submit to me.

Today’s question comes from Stephanie in Michigan.

Hi, Lauren:

Is it possible for a car owner to repair a rusted-out bottom of their automobile without a professional?

Well, Stephanie, unless you’ve got a lot of collision experience, I would recommend not doing this yourself.

Now, here’s what the pros do at the collision shop. They blast the underbody using compressed air and some type of abrasive: sand, walnut shells, baking soda.

Or these days, they may also use laser rust removal.

Theoretically, you could probably rent the equipment and do it yourself. And then you could take your car to a place like Ziebart for rust protection.

But keep in mind the safety considerations. You want to wear protective gear — and you want to know what you’re doing.

And not just for your own safety, but also for your car’s. Remember, there is a lot of stuff down there: brake lines, fuel lines, rubber hoses, driveshaft transmission. If you damage one of those, you could end up with a much bigger problem.

So you want to make sure it’s done correctly. If the rust damage is so severe that you actually have holes in your floor pan (which used to happen a lot in 80s cars), then you get into replacing sections, and it’s probably a good idea to leave it to a collision shop.

Got a car-related question? Email me at [email protected].