My 2002 has rust bubbling up where the black Frame meets the door at the triangle glass. It is a small path I would like to treat but don't want to make it look worse. I will give it a go but would also consider a body shop but obviously at 17 years old I want to keep cost to a minimum. Mechanically I am all good but body work is a skill I do not have much experience with.

 

Photo of area?

This rust or a bad paint job bubbling?

 

 

The chrome modeling at the bottom of the window can be pried off. It requires care to not damage the door paint when prying. Once this is off, inspect further down the bubbled area for more damage.

Don't know if the damaged area is painted or has some other type of coating which will be more challenging to reproduce.

Tape the area around the where sanding to prevent sanding damage. Clean the bubbled area down to the bare metal. Then suggest putting down a rust converter first. Then top coat with a color that best matches the rest of the black panel. Suggest using a liquor that dries quickly, but make sure its compatible with any rust converters or primers used.

Can repaint just the area of damage or lightly sand the remaining black paint and paint it all to match what color you can find that is closet to original.

The internet would have post and videos on paint touch up.