Bought Rusted Performer and Need Advice Please


 
T

T Um

New member
Okay so this is the situation I'm in. I've been on the look out for a performer with gas assist. One came up on craigslist for $100 and even though it was a 1.5 hour drive, I decided this was the one. It had the metal table and the pictures looked really good. I showed up and it was dark and he showed the gas assist and it worked fine and the metal table was in great condition and that's all I needed to see. Next morning, I take a look at my new BBQ and this is what I see... rust around the bowl.. I think I was too memorized by the metal table to notice anything else. So what would you do if you were in my situation? Is the rust repairable? I have a dremel with a wheel that I could remove the rust but I doubt that I could find this green color in high heat spray paint. Or is this not worth the trouble? Just call it a loss and look for another performer? Or call Weber and get new bowl and other parts? Or hold out for another performer bowl in good condition? Or try to sell it as is and find another sucker like me? The table and everything is in great condition with no signs of rust. Makes me think if this was a semi hack job?!? Just so upset at myself for this purchase. I guess you win some and lose some.

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I don't think you should feel so bad, because it sounds and looks to me like you did get the things that were really important to you. I think your lid is still very salvageable and that a careful removal of rust with your Dremel tool and then a touch up with the closest high temp paint you can find will keep you in business. I just looked quick and found a couple:

https://www.walmart.com/ip/Dupli-Co...cing-hunter-Green-Engine-Paint-12-oz/39154442

https://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/B00166QR3G/tvwb-20

If someone reads this and thinks I am stupid, I understand very well that you cannot - and should not - attempt to paint porcelain lids, but a small repair like this to me would be very different from painting over a whole lid. The first grill I ever tried to restore was an old Genesis redhead that someone put out at the curb after our first of two hurricanes in 2004. It had been whacked by a tree branch or something. I was able to clean up and paint the damaged area with high heat red paint and it lasted fine for a number of years. No, it didn't look perfect, but in your case the area that would need paint is very small and wouldn't even be very noticeable.

The bottom half of the grill may be too far gone, but you could at least try. Certainly, no one would see your repairs, and if it bought you 5 years I think that would be a pretty good deal. If not, then you could try to register the grill with Weber and see if you get a sympathetic response from them on replacement. I suppose if you had to hold out to find a CL or OfferUp regular green one-touch to cannibalize that wouldn't be the worst thing. I might even have one I would be willing to sell, but I would have to look at it carefully to be sure it wasn't just as bad as what you have.

The metal parts that looks totally rusted out would probably be good candidates for replacement parts from Weber or one of the grill part providers online. Our moderator can give some good refs including those that support the forum. I have the less cool blue/gray plastic table Performer, and found everything I needed to get back to original functionality and even looking pretty good.

On the other hand, if you are ambitious, you may well be able to wire brush off all that rust on at least the one part and then treat with "Everbrite" to prevent the rust from coming right back. You can buy Everbrite online.

So, don't feel bad! I really think you can salvage this and make it a GREAT grill!

Jon
 
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I agree with Jon, grind off the rust and throw some touch up paint on it. I'm sure it will cook food just as good as a brand new one that costs $400.
 
Looks good to me! My 20 years old kettle is showing a little wear in places, and I had to tape the handle together, but it still cooks great and I see those things as character marks! I will probably need to touch up a couple spots on mine when I do the next spring cleaning on it.

I might replace the cooking grate but otherwise I think it's fine.
 
A lot of people do nothing about the exterior rust spots...they are part of the grill's life story! But it's up to you, no right or wrong answer. :D
 
I'm with "Master" Chris. Don't worry about the rust. Scrub off what you can with SOS pads and 000 wool.
 
As I was cleaning my grill today, I noticed something interesting. On the lid, I have a ER which indicates it was made in 1996 which seems about right. However, on the table ther serial number starts with DE which is 2009. So as I suspected the previous owner put two grills together for whatever reason. I was able to successfully register my grill using the serial number from the table. Hopefully, weber customer service will take pity on me and help me out.
 
Looking more closely at your photos, it looks like your grill is kind of a mash-up. The DE on the frame tells you the original grill was from the 2009 model year, but those grills had plastic work surfaces which sometimes stained, cracked, etc. Yours was replaced with the newer metal work surface Weber introduced starting with the 2015 model year. And as you say, your lid is from 1996.

By the way, here's your grill from the 2009 Weber Catalog:

xN0xZeC.jpg
 
Thanks for the info. Think I might have bought someone’s possible restoration project that didn’t go as planned. Hopefully, I can bring this one to life.

Chris Allingham said:
Looking more closely at your photos, it looks like your grill is kind of a mash-up. The DE on the frame tells you the original grill was from the 2009 model year, but those grills had plastic work surfaces which sometimes stained, cracked, etc. Yours was replaced with the newer metal work surface Weber introduced starting with the 2015 model year. And as you say, your lid is from 1996.

By the way, here's your grill from the 2009 Weber Catalog:

xN0xZeC.jpg
Click to expand...
 
I guess I'm missing something here.
If I have a car that will start and run, then I'll drive it, no matter the age or how it looks.
Repairs, if needed, can come later.
 
As Chris said, no way did that old Performer come with the metal table.

The rust around where the handle attaches is no big deal. The rust circles on the outside of the bowl are a VERY big deal. They are caused by rust growing between the grate support brackets and the bowl. As the rust grows, it pushes the brackets away from the bowl and causes the dents in the outside and cracks the porcelain in that area. If you look closely at the brackets inside, you may find that one or more are angled in relation to the bowl, as the rust sometimes grows more on one side of the bracket.
You will need a new bowl, schweetheart, soon and for the rest of your life.

A possible bright spot, if the grill is less than 10 years old and has not been registered by anyone, and you can read the serial number, Weber may send you a free bowl. Worse case, you have to buy the bowl in which case you are still out a total of less than half the cost of a new Performer.
 
Having never restorded a Weber grill I think the challenge would be fun and rewarding. But, I do like the grill as is. If it works use it. There is something cool about your survivor. Either way you can't lose.
 
Contacted Weber and didn't realize this warranty is not transferable. So that's that. I've got the rustoleum green spray paint on order. The rust is removed from the bowl and I'll just need to replace few items that's just way too rusted like the handle for the ash pan.
 
T Um said:
Contacted Weber and didn't realize this warranty is not transferable. So that's that. I've got the rustoleum green spray paint on order. The rust is removed from the bowl and I'll just need to replace few items that's just way too rusted like the handle for the ash pan.
Click to expand...

Well, I know you may be a little disappointed and frustrated, but really I think you didn’t do all that badly, and as others have also noted it is well within restoration limits.

Love to see your grill after repairs! Most of all, enjoy cooking:D!!!
 
I looked at your photo on your hosting service and there's a "Share" link that includes an option for "BB Code" which is normally what you would copy and paste into a post to embed a photo. But it doesn't work, for some reason. So I just pasted the direct link for your photo.

So...tell us your process. Looks like you got a pretty good result.
 
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