Avoiding Restoration "Lemons"

Brandon Fountaine from Milwaukee, WI says: "What you should do if you encounter a semi-rust free auto you are interested in buying is to simply run a magnet around the wheel wells, rocker panels, bottom quarter panels, and all areas prone to rust. If the magnet doesn't stick to the body, you know there is body filler in that area and that might be a bad project to tackle if there is too much filler." Stacey's Comments: Good tip, Brandon! The magnet test has been around a while and is usually pretty accurate. Another quick test if you don't have a magnet with you is to lightly tap on the metal. A dull, thudy sound as opposed to a bright, ringy sound can indicate excessive filler. Just remember that a lot of vehicles have plastic and fiberglass components on them, so make sure the area you are banging on or magnet testing is actually metal!