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[fazer]

Hi everyone.

Have just joined this forum and after browsing the threads as a guest over the previous couple of evenings its obvious there's a lot of expertise here.

May I request your opinions on my "issue" please .......

I have a W210 320 avantgarde estate - V-reg. Bought the car second-hand some time ago after saving hard and making a committment to the wife that this was the car to get and it would last for donkeys-years. I'd admired these cars for years and thought if I don't get one now I never would.

Its a good drive, looks good, practical (kids, dog, mountain bikes and a wife) and has comparable running costs to my previous car. I do feel proud of it but my confidence has been knocked for six; I could sit here all night describing the various electrical problems but my main concern is that I've just had to get the two rear wheel arches sprayed for rust blisters. There's also rust appearing around the boot-door latch. Needless to say the local Merc dealership aren't interested even though there is a FMBSH (rust coming from inside a wheel arch or from inside a door does not constitute rust forming from "inside to out" as defined in the warranty!!).

Several colleagues have suggested I get shot of this vehicle sooner than later using the adage that where's there's rust, there's a lot more to come. So I'm in a quandry - do I keep my "dream" car and continue to keep a very close eye on it for rust, or do I sell now before more trouble arises. Have I bought the "Friday-afternoon-job?"


What would you guys do?

 

[mioba]

Hi everyone.

Have just joined this forum and after browsing the threads as a guest over the previous couple of evenings its obvious there's a lot of expertise here.

May I request your opinions on my "issue" please .......

I have a W210 320 avantgarde estate - V-reg. Bought the car second-hand some time ago after saving hard and making a committment to the wife that this was the car to get and it would last for donkeys-years. I'd admired these cars for years and thought if I don't get one now I never would.

Its a good drive, looks good, practical (kids, dog, mountain bikes and a wife) and has comparable running costs to my previous car. I do feel proud of it but my confidence has been knocked for six; I could sit here all night describing the various electrical problems but my main concern is that I've just had to get the two rear wheel arches sprayed for rust blisters. There's also rust appearing around the boot-door latch. Needless to say the local Merc dealership aren't interested even though there is a FMBSH (rust coming from inside a wheel arch or from inside a door does not constitute rust forming from "inside to out" as defined in the warranty!!).

Several colleagues have suggested I get shot of this vehicle sooner than later using the adage that where's there's rust, there's a lot more to come. So I'm in a quandry - do I keep my "dream" car and continue to keep a very close eye on it for rust, or do I sell now before more trouble arises. Have I bought the "Friday-afternoon-job?"


What would you guys do?

w.r.t the rust issues, why did the dealershi reject the claim, you should have gone to another dealer.

 

[fazer]

Mioba,

Thank you for the response.

To directly answer your question, I approached the dealership in Cardiff and they rejected the claim because they said wheelarches are excluded from the warranty because, and words to the effect, that a wheelarch is still open to the elemnts and does fall within the definition of "inside to out."

And the trouble is, all the dealerships in South Wales (Newport, Swansea, Haverfordwest and Cardiff) are all part of the SG group! I could look at the Bristol area but have assumed that once rejected, one dealership speaks for all others. Am I being naive?

 

[fazer]

oops - typing error. Second sentence should have read ".... does not fall within the definition of "inside to out."

 

[stumpy]

Shop around. I have just done that for my BMW and its Vanos problem. Dealer 'A' said car was ok, Dealer 'B' said Vanos is knackered, have a new one on us Sir at 3 grand.

 

[OlafMaxwell]

Dealer is bull****ting you. Its what Mercedes are very good at. You ned to get tough with them.

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

there is a thread elsewhere on the forum called "In praise of Mecedes Benz and other stuff" (sorry I don't know how to link threads, you'll have to use the search option).

Contact this guy and check with him because it sounds like he had similar problems to you but with a considerably more successful outcome.

 

[daveenty]

Think this is the one you mean.

(To throw a link in, use *go advanced* instead of *quick reply*
Highlight the text you want to link, click on the *add url* button and paste in the url in the pop-up box.)

HTH

 

[OmniCognateNeutronRangler]

that'll be the one. Ta. Can you PM me and tell me how to do that? Thanks

 

[The Rock]

There are other posts on this ng regarding rust issues too. I'd write to MB UK and insist on a second opinion from someone outside the SG group. The rust on my 6 year old W210 was done without question, including both rear arches, both front wings replaced, all four door-tops and around the boot lock.
Just don't give up too soon. Good luck.

 

[jberks]

I'm surprised. Did the dealer turn you down or did they put in a claim first and MB turn you down?. It may be that the chap you saw was being awquard or is new and doesn't understand the 210 issues, in which case, try a different dealer.

Technically, he is right. The 30yr corrosion warranty doesn't cover wheel arches, but neither does it cover door top edges or boot locks and sill edges, but these were all done for me and hundreds of others anyway. The repair is a goodwill offering from MB by way of apology for buggering up the paint job, so I'd expect them to sort it.
If the claim was never forwarded to MB (they take photos and email them) then even if it's the same group, try a different dealer.

 

[fazer]

Thanks everyone.

I will perservere following your advice.