Rusted license plate bolt

[Anonymous]

Had to replace our license plate as they oddly started to peel were losing the layer with the paint. One of the bolts is quite rusted to whatever it is attached to behind the trunk door. We can get it to move but the part it is screwed into moves too! We were able to get the old plate off by literally ripping it off the bolt. Right now the plate is just on there with 1 bolt (and seems ok really). Any ideas to get that bolt off that do not involve disassembling the back on the car (which is a hatchback style so it is not just a trunk lid). Thanks.

[Anonymous]

We did try WD40...

[Anonymous]

I went to my mechanic. Rust from years in a snowy place. They replaced the bolts with something that does not rust.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I went to my mechanic. Rust from years in a snowy place. They replaced the bolts with something that does not rust.

Before going to the mechanic I tried pb blaster but it was just really stuck on there and did not work. It was quite a task for the mechanic, too, they had to use drills on both sides of something.

[Anonymous]

How much did it cost?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:How much did it cost?

It was not much, maybe 20-60 dollars? This was just before covid and a mechanic I used a lot. It took them a solid 30 min. Lesson learned, manufacturer bolts are a piece of crap.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much did it cost?

It was not much, maybe 20-60 dollars? This was just before covid and a mechanic I used a lot. It took them a solid 30 min. Lesson learned, manufacturer bolts are a piece of crap.

Thanks...it is an old car so if you said it was $$$..we would have to think on it. Under 100 would be fine.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much did it cost?

It was not much, maybe 20-60 dollars? This was just before covid and a mechanic I used a lot. It took them a solid 30 min. Lesson learned, manufacturer bolts are a piece of crap.

Thanks...it is an old car so if you said it was $$$..we would have to think on it. Under 100 would be fine.

You’ll be paying for 30 min of labor basically. They’ll heat the bolt, add some grease, and get it out. You should definitely consider a new bolt that won’t rust given that you’re in a snowy place.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:How much did it cost?

It was not much, maybe 20-60 dollars? This was just before covid and a mechanic I used a lot. It took them a solid 30 min. Lesson learned, manufacturer bolts are a piece of crap.

Thanks...it is an old car so if you said it was $$$..we would have to think on it. Under 100 would be fine.

You’ll be paying for 30 min of labor basically. They’ll heat the bolt, add some grease, and get it out. You should definitely consider a new bolt that won’t rust given that you’re in a snowy place.

We are in MD so not really snowy but we do not have a garage so it is exposed.

[Anonymous]

There are threaded plastic bolts you can use. Our new Subaru came with them. Works a lot better than the old metal screws.