The very bottom of my driver's side door is starting to rust out fast. I checked out the bottom of the door and it seems like the factory just took that flimsy door panel metal and simply folded it up to create a lip, which is perfect for collecting water, dirt and road salt. I noticed it a couple of months ago and after washing it today it already seems to have gotten considerably worse. Is this normal for an 02 truck to be rusting like this? If so have any of you taken your truck to a body shop to repair/replace door panel--how much did it cost? For the time being I thought it might be smart to rub some grease on the rust spots and the lip at the bottom of the door.
Thanks, Drew

 

Your truck is getting back at you for not modding it .
I think they are using the same steel that they used in the old Toyota P/Us & Landcruser's .
Just posting to see results , truck is real rusty .

 

Seems pretty normal on my '01....

 

I had a pretty good cancer spot on the bottom of my DS door on my 01. It was a bout an 1 1/2" long and the paint was starting to bubble around it. Just before i was going to get it fixed someone ran into me in a parking lot and more or less destroyed the whole left side of my box. When i picked up the truck from the body shop after they replaced the box panel my door and any other paint chips or rust magically dissapeard at no cost to me.

 

My 01 doors are rotting, its also a plow truck so its always out in the worst of the salt. I'll fix it when it retires to only "Toy" status and not work truck. I too was getting curious what a new door skin and paint would cost. Maybe I'll a body shop this week and find out.

 

The OP has obviously never looked at the underside of any vehicle door before- they're all made that way. It's the combination of your weather striping worn out, probably the drain holes in the door clogged, and the design of the truck putting the door seems in the wheel spray.

I've heard estimates of around a grand for door repair and paint... looking for cheaper, or it'll be LMC to the rescue this summer for mine- state inspection laws mean I have to have min fixed before next years inspection or it won't pass.

 

both my doors are shot as well as the lower rocker on oth sides seems to be pretty common on white trucks dont ask my why? as I have had 2 with rust problems