Micro blisters help please

Jillclethero

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Hi there, I’m a newbie here, hoping someone might be able to help. We purchased a slk250 2014 secondhand 18 months ago. It’s our retirement treat and husbands pride and joy.In great condition from a private dealer, we wanted to keep it that way, so they advised us to have a Williams ceramic coating put on which they did before we collected it. We were very impressed with the independent high end dealer, and have no reason to mistrust them. However we now have micro blisters appearing all over. We’ve sent them photos (they are couple hundred miles away) and they have suggested we take it to Mercedes as it will be covered by anti corrosion guarantees. We haven’t done any more yet, but wondered if the guarantee will be negated by the coating? Any help please, forewarned is forearmed!
 

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LostKiwi

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Micro blisters are a common problem on Fire Opal Red cars sadly. Take it to MB and get them to look at it. They will be well aware of the issues. Don't even mention the ceramic coating as its just a highend polish/sealer so not relevant except in as much as it gives them something to use to wriggle out of it.
 

Frontstep

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That's a bit odd, its fire opal isn't it heard of a few cars with the problem must be google-able I just wouldn't mention the coating as MB will use any excuse they can think of.
 

Craiglxviii

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What both of these fine gentlemen have said. Fire Opal Red microblistering is a well known issue for MB who have taken in and given whole-body resprays to many cars now. Request that this be fixed under warranty and start the process.
 

houseboss2

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Hi there, I’m a newbie here, hoping someone might be able to help. We purchased a slk250 2014 secondhand 18 months ago. It’s our retirement treat and husbands pride and joy.In great condition from a private dealer, we wanted to keep it that way, so they advised us to have a Williams ceramic coating put on which they did before we collected it. We were very impressed with the independent high end dealer, and have no reason to mistrust them. However we now have micro blisters appearing all over. We’ve sent them photos (they are couple hundred miles away) and they have suggested we take it to Mercedes as it will be covered by anti corrosion guarantees. We haven’t done any more yet, but wondered if the guarantee will be negated by the coating? Any help please, forewarned is forearmed!

I attend the occasional MB dealer auctions and this is well known.

When a car comes to the block, there is always a MB representative there to make instant decisions
as to whether or not any car will be sold if the bid is below expectations,

The Fire Opal Red cars nearly always have a paint problem somewhere and this is referred to by dealers and MB as a "rash car".

Due to the high cost of reparation, bids are usually quite low in comparison, but MB often let them go "providing it is declared", knowing there is no comeback at a later stage.

Michael
 
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Jillclethero

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Thanks so much for all your replies, good news and bad news then, but will contact Mercedes today and start the process- fingers crossed! I’ll let you know the results for the record.
 
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Jillclethero

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Out of interest, what’s the ultimate outcome of the rash? Do the bubbles get bigger and ultimately flake?
 

houseboss2

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They seem to multiply over a period over any panel that is contagious. not necessarily flake off.

Some panels do not get affected, not sure why, must be chemical reaction within the
preparation of paint spray technology.

MB must have lost millions putting this colour right, so I assume they have now cracked it!.

Michael
 
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Jillclethero

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Thank you all so much for all your kind help and advice, just to update in case its relevant to anyone else, we had to take it to Swansea 60+ miles away, but they were very good and looked at it carefully and as you say were well aware of the problem, so much so that they can only take one car with this problem a month otherwise they wouldn't get anything else done! We have to wait till May for a slot, but they are stripping the whole car down and respraying! Which will take 3 weeks!My other half is still not happy cos he says respraying will reduce its resale value, MB say not because its guaranteed by them, but thats only if we were to trade it in with them of course!And of course we wasted our money on the ceramic coat!Hey ho!
By the way with the cold weather we now have pale patches developing on the worst affected panels!
 

Frontstep

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Glad its worked out for you,if its done properly most people won't know.
 

malcolm E53 AMG

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Good to hear MB are honouring their warranty. Interesting to see that they have decided to totally respray the car what we aren’t privy to is model build/paint batch numbers obviously in your case they think it wise/economic to totally respray as opposed to dealing with the problem panel by panel which has been mentioned on here

Glad you’ve got a good resolution, albeit with some inconvenience
 

ajlsl600

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good outcome. i must remember not to consider mb reds, mind you in france almost all red cars have terrible paintwork when over five yr and thats ,plain reds !!
 

A.J.

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Thank you all so much for all your kind help and advice, just to update in case its relevant to anyone else, we had to take it to Swansea 60+ miles away, but they were very good and looked at it carefully and as you say were well aware of the problem, so much so that they can only take one car with this problem a month otherwise they wouldn't get anything else done! We have to wait till May for a slot, but they are stripping the whole car down and respraying! Which will take 3 weeks!My other half is still not happy cos he says respraying will reduce its resale value, MB say not because its guaranteed by them, but thats only if we were to trade it in with them of course!And of course we wasted our money on the ceramic coat!Hey ho!
By the way with the cold weather we now have pale patches developing on the worst affected panels!
Delighted to hear this because it is a great looking colour on a CLK. I personally don't think it will be a negative when you sell/trade in the car, quite the reverse in fact assuming you keep the documentation.

A very good friend of mines brother had the same problem on his C Class. The car was stripped down to the bare metal and re-painted. He is a particularly fussy b****r and he is over the moon with the completed re-paint.

Hope all turns out well for you. You will actually end up with a better car :):)
 

Craiglxviii

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good outcome. i must remember not to consider mb reds, mind you in france almost all red cars have terrible paintwork when over five yr and thats ,plain reds !!
Red is a weak pigment and French red paint.... arrrgh don't get me started.
 

Craiglxviii

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970 Panamera Turbo; W221 S500L AMG Line, C215 CL500, W251 R350L AMG Line, plus several more now gone
Thank you all so much for all your kind help and advice, just to update in case its relevant to anyone else, we had to take it to Swansea 60+ miles away, but they were very good and looked at it carefully and as you say were well aware of the problem, so much so that they can only take one car with this problem a month otherwise they wouldn't get anything else done! We have to wait till May for a slot, but they are stripping the whole car down and respraying! Which will take 3 weeks!My other half is still not happy cos he says respraying will reduce its resale value, MB say not because its guaranteed by them, but thats only if we were to trade it in with them of course!And of course we wasted our money on the ceramic coat!Hey ho!
By the way with the cold weather we now have pale patches developing on the worst affected panels!

It might not feel this way but that is a great result and you'll end up with a car in better condition than when you bought it.
 

ajlsl600

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if done well you wont know. then after a yr maybe you trade it for a non blister colour ? unless you get in writting that it cant happen again. i with craigixviii on french paint ,dont buy it , get mine in uk, gutted, got to the last 12 lt exterior house paint ,was 10 quid to staff from wilco about ten yr ago so bought 8 pots. now is 3x price
 

peterws1957

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Glad its getting sorted eventually- the pale patches are the lacquer coat beginning to deteriorate. I too wouldn't be concerned about future values. The colour is fantastic but people have been put off buying because of the problems. Finding one in that colour without the possibility of deterioration may make it very desirable in the future.
 


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