Freaking out after finding rust...

[LCPLPunk]

Coming to Hawaii anytime soon?

[nUcLeArEnVoY]

Holy shit, dude how the hell did you get rust through on a 2011 Camaro??

[LCPLPunk]

It's a 2010, but you got me. :P I just bought it a week or so ago.

[its a syn]

Well, You have 6 pages of assholes and opinions, everyone has one! It just does not look safe to me. Hope you find the right solution.

[Zslash28]

That subframe is made of two C channels butt welded together. Plenty of "good" structure fore and aft that even if you cut it out, the frame wouldnt buckle. That is about 2 hours of work if I were fixing it. Likely 10 gauge material, easy fix man, easy fix.
.
Looking at the first pic, it appears that the rust ate away the weld bead in that location, I can make out existing weld bead on either end of the rust. OP, good luck with the outcome, if it comes down to having a repair made, try to get a scab patch from a 5th gen subframe.

[15rs/ss]

"as is" does NOT include frame damage. and that surely is frame damage. I would demand my money back!!!

[109cam]

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Coming to Hawaii anytime soon?

Would love to lol

[15rs/ss]

Originally Posted by LCPLPunk

Anyways, we are off-topic now. From the few posters who seriously chimed in, it looks like it shouldn't be too bad of a fix. I'm assuming a competent body shop/welder can cut the rust out and weld in a new piece.

a monkey could do that!! take it back.

[Coors9]

I bet you won't have any luck at either dealers......it can be repaired. Just take it to someone who knows how to fix it RIGHT. Ask around and you'll find the right guy. The cheapest guy may not be the right guy & the most expensive may just be ripping you off. Ask around and you'll get the right guy.

[Jasper]

Wow! I can't believe that's a 6yr old car. I have a 8yr old Grand Prix here in Canada which has 100,000KM on it and is driven all winter in the salt they dump on our roads and it has almost nothing showing underneath. I can't believe that rusted right through. I wonder if they changed the steel composition or something. It looks to me that some salt got inside there and corroded from inside out. For the guys who winter drive, I would get in there each spring and try to spray it out or yours could do the same as the OP's soon.

Good luck.
J

[Flotek]

When body guys say that rust is like a cancer they are using a good analogy . I've had a newer but used 2500hd Silverado I had the sense to got rid of last year that looked immaculate on the outside . Beautiful 30k$ truck without a scratch and low miles but the frame under all that sprayed on undercoating was in poor condition like yours and I was in trouble for the future if I kept it for 5 years .it was Covered in rust and rotting in some places this was a six year old truck . I looked up the history and saw the previous owner lived near the coast . Rust is just like cancer you cut it out here and then it shows up there and there . You can do lots of stuff to treat it but it gets weaker by the day and spreads despite your best efforts . Cutting out and rewelding will work but its a band aid fix because it's an internal problem and will rot around the repair a lot of times . I lost about 7 grand and dumped that truck at a dealership in less than a year once I realized it's a futile effort . Now when I buy a used vehicle I really inspect underneath for a good long time before I sign any papers . A used as -is agreement vehicle is not going to leave you with much recourse on this . Dump it or keep it and try to fight the rust but you'll pay either way sadly

[Welker2]

Wow, that's ridicules. All I'll add to what other's have already said is once you the issue resolved, get it undercoated. I was stationed in Hawaii for 10 years and. just as I did when I lived on the coast in California, I had all my vehicles undercoated. Never had a problem with any rust ... just my .02, good luck

[DaddySS]

I assume there are rust "specialists" there on Hawaii. I would take it to one of them and have it repaired and treated. It may be there was just accident damage in that area and the repair caused the rust protection to be lost but rust through like that in 5 years is really unusual and requires attention before you have a major problem on your hands.

[christianchevell]

Simply wire wheel the areas of rust through, then if your stuck without a cheap welder in the area to address them then clean them up and do a two part epoxy putty available lots of places like auto parts stores, there is also a marine grade of epoxy putty also...it will hold up under the water... and will be able to be applied in a upside down position as curing time is short mixing the putty with your fingers. try to make the surface look as it would with metal using a putty knife if needed and don't worry about any extra going inside the hole it will just be stronger.

And the putty can be layered if needed just like a Bondo. Then get to the local Sherwin Williams or what have you and get a jug of Rust Mort.... a spray-able version of what in the old days we called naval jelly only it works even better.

It will turn the rust black killing its chemical reaction and make it "dead" a couple coats of that and letting it dry you simply wipe off the excess and paint with a good rubber undercoating as you live in Hawaii surrounded by the Salt of the pacific ocean you are a coastal cruiser and will over the life of the car have to give it extra attention more than a mid westerner with snow.

This is exactly what I would do, I work at a Maximum Facilities Maint. I am a old motorhead who saw rust many times right through floor boards etc..... so coat it up and save it your on a Island of rust.