Sometimes there is more rust than expected. lying under the painted surface. . To repair the rust, the panel must be cut to a rust free area and then a new piece of metal is welded in. Sometimes, when the rust is minimal,A patch could be welded in the area instead of an entire panel. This requires some metal fabrication as well as some body putty. A replacement panel requires less work as it should fit at the body line. An offset flange can be used or a Butt Weld can be accomplished.This would leave less body putty as only a Skim coat would be needed. A panel is less time consuming in most cases. You have to decide. I would take the car to a few different shops and get some estimates. Then pick the shop you want to do the work. You can also barter a little to get the best price.
An estimate is just that. AN Estimate. It could cost more.
Posted on Aug 13, 1999, 6:24 PM from IP address 209.240.200.117