Hi,

I am newbie and currently looking at a 1.7 914. I have searched and read on the rust issues on 914 and that is why I am writing in this forum.

I need your opinions on how much you normally try to reasonably haggle off the selling price for rust you do not see ( such as those behind running boards) ? The car since seems to be solid and complete with some surface rust/paint bubble on RH lower quarter panel.

Thanks for all the advice.

I would insist on taking the rocker panels off. You will tipically find about 5 pounds of dirt there and can get a better look at the longitudinal channels (longs) that make up most of the structure of the body. IMO those and under the battery is where you will find rust of the most importance.

You would be best off finding someone on this board to go with you to look at the car.

Or take a bunch of pictures and post them here.

Lift the carpets in the interior behind the seats to see any floor rust.

Lift the carpets in the rear trunk to see any floor rust.

If the owner won't take off the rocker panels, you can at least look from inside the rear wheel well (with the rear wheel removed.)

Unfortunately taking off the rockers on an old rusty car can be a real challenge. The 3 cheesehead screws on the bottom are probably permanently bonded to the unibody. You'll probably destroy them getting them off or loose. Then all the little plastic rivets will be broken as well. But it is worth the effort if you're really serious about the car.

I could sell you my 73 2.0 I know it's pretty solid and does not have a lot of rust!!

Both of the cars I own have the biggest rust issues where the floor meets the back wall and where the rear doughnuts mount to the longs. Try to let the seller poke the rear firewall with a small screwdriver right at the floor angle at each side. The darn windows leak in the back. When the car is parked uphill at all in the rain the water collects there, and at the hell hole.

Cars that old very often have a lot of rust.

See if the owner will take them off for you. If you don't buy it, the next guy should want to see behind there too. Tell him if they are clean and rust free, it is a selling point for HIM to get what he is asking.

If you have to remove them, take a sawz-all or at least a hack saw. If the bolts are stuck, sometimes a good pair of channel locks will twist the screw head off.

Don't just look, take a screw driver and poke around in those places you have learned about here.

Good luck.