Repairing Minor Rust Damage on Your Mx5

Rust. This ominous monster can attack almost anywhere on your Mazda, from the wing to the wheel bearings, and it has been the cause of early death among a number of vehicles. While many believe rust to be a death sentence, your Mx5 doesn’t have to be doomed because of a little rust. The problematic areas can be addressed quickly so your car can get back on the road and stay that way.

What is Rust?

Rust is a layman’s term for that brownish red substance that we often see on the exterior of a vehicle when it has come into contact with chemicals, air, and water. In reality, it’s an electrochemical breakdown of iron and metals that contain iron that is known as oxidation. During the process, a new molecule is produced called iron oxide.

There are a few different degrees of rust you should be aware of before you decide to begin treatment of any car parts suffering from this oxidation process.

• Surface Rust- Surface rust most often appears in scratches, cracks, and paint nicks on the vehicle. This is because rust seeks out and preys on impurities within metal. A scratch or nick allows it to penetrate more quickly and oxidise more aggressively. This is generally seen as mild rust and can easily be repaired.

• Scale Rust- During the chemical process, scale rust refers to the chemical process that corrupts the surface of the car’s metal exterior and reduces the strength of that metal. This process can be accelerated by road salts, which are sometimes used on the road during winter to melt ice. Dirty and salty water that becomes trapped against the car’s body or certain Mx5 parts allow that area to rust faster, mainly because the salt acts as an electrolyte that makes the molecular components work at a quicker pace.

• Penetrating Rust- Automakers today go to great lengths to prevent rust from corroding vehicles. Sometimes rust does become a problem, and it won’t simply stop once it’s started. The longer it is allowed to continue with the oxidation process, the more damage occurs. Soon, the rust will eat through the metal completely and become penetrating rust.

Stopping Rust on Car Parts in its Tracks

The first step to stopping rust from making a mess of your beautiful Mazda is to prevent it from ever having the chance to. This can be easily done by washing your car on a regular basis to get rid of dirt, grime, and salt the car has picked up from the road. In addition, always check the drain holes under the door panels to make sure water is successfully draining properly.

If you are already dealing with rust, he’s how to handle it:

• Sand it Out- If the rust is on the surface, but hasn’t penetrated through the metal, use abrasive sandpaper to cut through the paint and corrosion. When it’s clean and no more rust is present, you can then primer, paint, and buff the area to ensure it looks brilliant again.

• Rust Remover- Don’t have the stamina or the muscle power to scrub that rust out with sandpaper? You don’t have to! Instead, use our Rust in Peace rust remover. A few quick sprays, and this remover will do the job for you. You’ll be free of rust on the surface of your car or any car parts quickly and easily.

• Patching- Once the rust has penetrated completely through the car part or car surface, there is little that can be done to save it. However, cutting out the area or replacing the car parts can help prevent the corrosion from spreading further and re-establish the structural credibility of the car.

Are you dealing with rust on your bonnet, wheel bearings, or on your wing? Understand what rust does, and then take steps to prevent it, whether that calls for a can of rust remover or replacement Mx5 parts.