Rust fixing. Take it to the pros, or let a friend do it?

So. The M5 has rust that has deteriorated the license plate light area to the point that it really needs to be replaced. Fortunately there is a patch panel available with a real part number and everything that can be welded in. I have a buddy that does welding on his own cars at home and does pretty good work who told me that if I needed any welding done that he would be happy to help me out, but he said that anytime he fixes rust he always sells his cars immediately afterward and suggests I do as well, which I'm not sure I want to do quite yet. 

Alternatively I got some rust repaired by a shop a couple years ago that did excellent work, but would cost a lot more out of pocket rather than just the parts and beer that my friend will work for. 

As far as I can tell both do good work, I still would have paintwork to do if I had my friend do it but the nature of the location would mean if the paint wasn't perfect it really wouldn't show unless it was pointed out. 

Is there something I am not considering? What would the hive do? 

Depends on how picky you are...

I’ve done it both ways when younger, and now I would pay the shop so if any issues come up it doesn’t risk a friendship or create a situation where every time I look at the car it bugs me that it’s not quite right. 

Here why:

If it would bug you if the panel and weld weren’t aligned and perfectly smooth, then pay to have it done. 

If you can live with imperfection, then have your buddy do it. 

I’m not saying your friend won’t do a good job ( and he may make it look perfect), but if there are any issues or disagreements it could get awkward. 

If you go to a shop and have issues with the quality and they have to rework something it’s not going to have a negative effect on your friendship. 

What you should be considering is the value down the road. E28 M5 seems like it would be on the upswing right now for desirability, and taking it to a friend who has no idea the longevity of his work (and is encouraging you not to find out) doesn't seem like a really good way to show that you've cared for the car. If it's something you're able to do, the little bit of extra money to have a shop that you know will do quality work on your collectable car seems like the better option.

Interesting.  Why does he sell the cars?   Maybe it can something as simple as POR-15 on the backside of the repair...

If it's the E28 M5, take it to a pro, and be sure the job is done right.   Those cars are going up in price, so paying a bit more to be sure the repair is done correctly is worth it.

Also, if a pro shop doesn't do the job correctly, you have recourse.  If your friend does a poor job....... there's a good chance you'll lose that friend. 

Your friend is a realist. He realizes that once a car starts to rust, there is very little you can do to halt the spread. He fixes what pops up and sells before more work is required. I think what he is doing is alerting you to his philosophy.

The body shop won't tell you this. The body shop already knows that most people part way with the car within a few years of them doing the work; they also tend to do the work to a standard that reflects that reality. A body shop will spend more time making it look good than worrying about long term results.

If your concern is that the repair not rust, ( what I call restoration quality)  then the key is to do some work on the back of the weld seam. An exposed bead on the backside is just the same repair starting all over again. You have to clean up the bead and cover it with paint.

Pete

E28 M5's have gone up in price and desirability to the point where you want to make sure the job is done right.  I'd take it to the pros, it will only hurt once when you write the check. 

I had my E28 M535i restored a few years back.  I knew it had some rust but it's kind of like an iceberg, there's probably going to be more than you expect.

(more pics and info over on the mye28 board: http://www.mye28.com/viewtopic.php?t=77409 )

I knew when I posted here I would get thoughtful replies.  I LOVE you guys.  So. I usually tell myself I'm ok with saving some money and taking a gamble with the outcome.  So yeah I'm glad you brought that up. I've never compromised on maintenance or repairs on this car and I'm definitely wanting restoration quality bodywork. So I'll stick to keeping my friend and paying to get it done right. Thanks for helping me out. 

Now NOHOME you brought up a salient point. For restoration quality  you clearly state not to use the local body shop but to find a restoration service correct? While I love to save a buck I'll pay for quality if I'm paying anyway.. what's that saying, in for a penny in for a pound?

If you want restoration quality work, you definitely need a shop capable and willing to do it. That's not to say that your local shop can't do that, if you make it clear that that's what you want, and expect. In my opinion, there should be a long-term warranty on the repair, just to make sure that they know what they're agreeing to. 

snailmont5oh said:

If you want restoration quality work, you definitely need a shop capable and willing to do it. That's not to say that your local shop can't do that, if you make it clear that that's what you want, and expect. In my opinion, there should be a long-term warranty on the repair, just to make sure that they know what they're agreeing to. 

I figured out I used to autocross with the guys from autoarch.com 10 to 15 years ago.  So I'm contacting them first to see if they want the business.  I had actually called the shop i used last time about this and the guy i spoke with was kind of off putting and said I should look at a restoration service as well. So that's probably my sign.

Most "production" (or collision repair) shops don't want to take the time to mess with old, rusty stuff. They want to swap some parts, squirt some paint if necessary, and collect their check. 

In reply to gunner :

Correct..... Body-shops are NOT restoration shops.

Restoration shops know you want to keep the car forever.

When I do a shell rehab for someone I am only interested in the "forever" level of work. I would starve if I tried to make a living off of this stuff. Your friend might be the same.