A man on Facebook shot to viral status after calling out a self-proclaimed "mobile mechanic" for the way he chose to patch rust holes in his work van. The clip was posted by Just Rolled In (@justrolledin), which regularly shares car-related content and solicits video submissions online. It shows the creator’s neighbor leaning on a fix that would make any actual mechanic cringe: spray foam. "This neighbor was caught using spray foam to repair rust holes on the sides of his work van," the creator tells viewers. He then adds, "He used to claim he was a mobile mechanic." The neighbor clearly didn’t notice he was being filmed. In the clip, he’s shown packing the foam into the corroded spots along the side panel of his van, working like this is just another day on the job. As of this writing, the video has pulled in more than 655,000 views. What’s Wrong With Using Spray Foam For Rust Repair? If you’ve seen anyone try to patch a rust hole with spray foam, you already know it looks wrong. And it is wrong. When working on both cars and houses, spray foam creates a quick cover-up, but it also traps moisture, making the eventual repair far more expensive. In other words, this so-called "fix" hides the damage, and it’s one of the worst things you can use on a rusted panel. The biggest issue is trapped moisture. Foam can hold water against the metal, turning a small rust spot into something much more destructive. Car experts agree: It also isn’t structural, so it does nothing to support the weakened metal underneath. How To Repair Rust On A Car With Fiberglass & Spray Foam Without Welding - Vinyl Top Rust Repair Because the original problem is sealed in and left to grow, spray foam fixes often lead to deeper rot and far more complicated repairs down the line, as some self-described mechanics on Reddit have suggested. What appears to be a clever shortcut ultimately compounds the damage. OWNERSHIP STORIES Viral stories from across the web Our team of experts tracks what owners are saying about car-shopping, repairs, the daily driving experience and more on social media. A better solution would be to remove the rust completely. A proper repair involves cutting out the affected area (even if that means removing your car’s paint), treating the metal, welding in a new piece, and then adding body filler and paint. That’s the only way to actually stop rust from spreading. Some people still try quick, cosmetic fixes, such as adding foam and filler. And while this may smooth things over for a moment, it won’t hold—and it definitely won’t last. If you want the job done right, skip the shortcuts. Rust doesn’t disappear because it’s covered up; in fact, it will just keep growing until it’s properly dealt with. The Difference Between Mechanics and Body Shop Workers While many viewers understood that spray foam isn’t exactly a go-to method for rust repair, they still took issue with the creator filming his neighbor without his knowledge and with the implication that using foam made the man a bad mechanic. "Mechanic has nothing to do with body work," one man pointed out. Another pushed back as well, saying, "I mean, he’s a mobile mechanic, not a body shop." A third jumped in to note the difference between the trades. "Body tech and auto tech are very different," they explained. "We don’t touch body work, that’s its own field. Also, even new vehicles use spray foam inside the panels, that’s how they make it silent and insulated." Someone else urged him to stay out of it entirely. "Mind your own business, maybe?" they said. "Many cars have foam inside body cavities from the factory. That’s a non-structural panel, since that Chevrolet Express model van has a separate chassis. That panel is decorative, so filling voids with foam is reasonable. It’s just so the van looks a bit better." Others argued that if the damage wasn’t structural, a quick fix wasn’t the end of the world. "Nothing wrong if not structural," one commenter claimed. "Hit it with the Por 15, spray foam, some fiberglass, sand, fill, and paint." "That fix will last longer than a Cybertruck," another quipped. A third offered their own bare-bones method. "All he has to do is use the foam, sand it down, then white spray paint," they said. "Good as new." One more summed up the approach in four words: "It’s called smart n cheap." Motor1 has reached out to Just Rolled In via a message on Facebook. We’ll update this if they respond. We want your opinion! What would you like to see on Motor1.com? Take our 3 minute survey. - The Motor1.com Team
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