She's very sick! Please Help!!!

[anticon]

Washed the G today and just noticed a new development. Virtually EVERYWHERE on the body, rust is starting to speckle up. Just small, fine speckles, but it is everywhere. Would a heavy sand-down and paint job cure of drastically retard my car's disease, or am i screwed? Man, even if so, I have a whole lot going on right now and can't afford a quality paint job. I don't think this should be happening on an 02 to begin with. I think some dumb $#!t drove it into a lake or something. Got the carfax when I bought the car and it didnt say anything really. It never stated that it had been owned in New Orleans or anywhere, either. But I am 97% sure it has been submersed in water and left there.

[6G72gearhead]

If the paint is bubbleing anywhere that would need immediat attention and probably a small replacement patch in that area. Spot rust or surface rust is easy to take care of, if you have it repainted I would be sure to have them take it down the bare metal everywhere there is rust, then spray a rust inhibitor before primer. If you like the car and plan on keeping it, rust is not something to fuck around with. It really is car cancer because as soon as it gets more than surface deep it takes alot of cutting and rewelding to get rid of.

The way you can tell if its been submerged would be if you have random electrical problems that plague the vehicle, its neerly impossible to get a car thats been flooded to run right ever again unless you throw some serious money into it. I dont think your car has been underwater, I just think someone hasnt taken care of like it should have. Road salt will destroy a car if left to do its work.

[anticon]

Oh, man. Alright. Yeah, no electrical probs whatsoever (knock on wood). I better pony up the dough for a paint job, i suppose. Thanks a lot

[6G72gearhead]

Its not going to happen overnight, but eventually with paint chipped out like your discribing it will start letting water in behind the paint and start bubbleing and chipping.