Q: I have rusted rocker panels on both sides of the car is it worth saving?

asked by on May 18, 2016

I have rusted rocker panels on both sides of the car is it worth saving? How much is a fair price that body shops usually charge? If I decide to sell my car what would be a fair price?

My car has 170000 miles.
My car has an automatic transmission.

Hi there, thanks for writing in.

Body shop prices vary widely, mostly based on where you are, and how good the body shop is. If both your rocker panels are truly rusted out, it will probably far exceed the value of the car to have them properly repaired and painted. It’s also not likely to be worth trying to find a cheap body shop, because then they will do cheap work, which won’t last as long. If you’re in a position where you can buy something newer, I would recommend doing that. Selling your car may be difficult because of the rust though. How much you can get for it will also depend largely on where you live and the condition of the rest of the car, cosmetically and mechanically. Once you decide on a new car, make sure to have a pre-purchase inspection done by a qualified technician, such as one from YourMechanic.

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