[TDWPgtp]

good luck preventing it! ha. almost every 97-03 GP i see has the same problem. also be aware of rust where the rear bumper meets the body on both sides of the car, under the spoiler, on the inside lip of the trunk lid, and on the front fenders near the windshield. best thing to do is sand down through the rust and then some and repaint. make sure you sand through all pitting as well.

as far as the area under the fuel door, this happens (im pretty sure) because of the sagging of the fuel door that these cars experience. on bumps the door rubs the body, wearing away the paint. one way to fix this is to find a way to secure the fuel door. i used magnettic snaps from a friends purse. i found very strong glue, and some spacers to align the door properly. i glued one magnet to the plastic by the filler cap, and another to the fuel door. its been near 6 months and is still holding very well. this will also help prevent excessive sagging that your fuel door is likely to develope eventually.

i hope this helps you!