I will look locally, and then I will start looking across the country if I need to

A trip to Ohio would have a lot of visiting while I was there :p

 

Well perhaps other members may benefit from this bad experience if nothing else. There are chemicals that can be sprayed / brushed on that will arrest rest or convert rust into a paintable metal surface. So it might not hurt one to every now and again to crawl underneath their Monte and look for tell tell signs of rust attacking their car. And when these spots are found to chemically treat these areas to prevent the rust from spreading and then painting the treated area. Because when it gets to the point of affecting the frames integrity it is pretty advanced and as we see here (poor Chibi's Monte) will prove expensive to properly repair or near impractical to repair. So do this sooner than later..........Tough break bud, cut a fender off the Monte and hang it on your garage wall in memorium. Nothing is forever they say...nothing is forever.

 

what shop did you bring it to mike? i seriously doubt you're car is as bad underneith as they are making it out to be, i've seen much rattyier stuff pass (like my buddie's truck, lol).

and i've never seen or heard of a 5th or 6th gen rotting the frame bits out, usually the trunk areas disintagrate first.

if it was me, i'd replace the rad support with a used peice myself. brake & fuel lines are cheap and easy too. and as for the front frame areas, i'd grind the scale off and see first hand what you've got left.

this whole deal smells like there's something fishy at the inspection shop to me...

 

Took it to a Chevy Dealership near my apartment in Elkins Park. They are honestly a great service center. The head service manager is the one that I always talk to. He's a really great guy, he has helped me out a ton, and he goes above and beyond for me.

He has an old Nova that he has fully restored, we often talk.

He knows me by my 2 vehicles. The second my head pops in the service center he asks if I need anything for the Monte or the Camaro.

I agree that it sounds fishy, but I also think he took a lot of time checking out everything on my Monte to let me know. He didn't even give me a list of prices or parts or suggest that I fix it right there using him and giving me a crazy cost. They know anything they fail, I will usually replace myself and come back for the proof and get a sticker.

I think he thinks I have spent too much on this "common car" and was truly trying to do me a favor by telling me about this rust and wanting to see me in a newer car. I told him flat-out I have no plans to get rid of this car, and that I will start to look at body shops.

I will try to fix it though. The smaller shop should check out everything and hopefully pass me because I too have seen rustier pieces of crap on the road.

 

Hi `Mike, From your words in above post, I think he was trying to get you to buy a new car. (He'd get a bonus).
I hope your other location approves your inspection...
Keep us updated...
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Posting below for our Member's on some tips:
How to Prevent Rust on Your Car: 11 steps - wikiHow

<CITE>www.wikihow.com › ... › Cars › Car Maintenance and Repair</CITE>Cached - Similar

Mar 21, 2012 – Salt speeds rust, so be careful to keep your car clean if you live by the ... a lubricant appropriate for cars (we recommend Jig-a-loo, of course!) ...

 

i hear ya man. it honestly dosin't sound too bad to fix, and honestly i think you could tackle most of the repairs yourself. are you gonna try a smaller shop up this way for the inspection?

 

Yep, a smaller shop on Route 6 in Greeley.

Dealership in Honesdale failed my Dad for wheel hub play, this guy said it was good enough and passed my Dad. We replaced the hubs anyway after that inspection, but it was nice to have an extra weekend and not have to do it in the cold.

 

random side note, i find it amusing that route 6 is the 2nd longest US route. Runs right through my town as well.

Hopefully you have better luck at the smaller shop, the shop i get my horizon inspected at doesn't even inspect it. Mechanics just talk about the car and switch stickers and update the computer. And i've got a fair amount of rust under the car, hole or 2 aswell this summer i gotta start repairing it.

 

I know PA safety inspections are very strict.

 

As for "under coating" of cars, PO15 is some good material. I have also heard of people coating the under bodies with used motor oil and had that work really good.

Luckily my Monte only saw winter from 2004-2008 in Buffalo NY before I got her and brought her to my spot in Ohio. She's stored outside, but it's better then driving in the winter slop we get. Under body still looks new. And even though my "baby" is an '84 Camaro in pieces in my garage, I am trying to keep the Monte off the winter roads (I am in process of getting something to replace my '94 Grand Am, the daily driver).