2006 sprinter van rusting

[sbarentt]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has or knows someone with a sprinter van of a similar age that is rusting / paintwork bubbling.

The dealer have taken the van in for patch repair and have made a terible job, so much for Mercedes approved body shop.

 

[AndrewIles]

My brother has a Vito van (2005 I think) and it has started to rust where the rear wipers come out of the rear doors.

Presumably your repair was done under warranty. As I recall they should be covered for 12 years for rust. I suggest you get them to redo it.

 

[sbarentt]

We also have a vito van 2004 which began to rust the same dealer carried out the work under warrenty, but in the case of the vito resprayed the entire van and paid for the sign writing to be replaced which was fantastic, shame we are not getting the same tretment with the sprinter.

Sounds like merc have big problems with the way bodywork is prepared befor painting!

However it's quite nice to know that we aren't the only ones with these problems,

 

[oakwood commercials]

Hi,

Just wondering if anyone has or knows someone with a sprinter van of a similar age that is rusting / paintwork bubbling.

The dealer have taken the van in for patch repair and have made a terible job, so much for Mercedes approved body shop.

In 1998 Mercedes had to tow the line with the enviroment and switch to water based paints and because of this they have been suffering with rust from this year up until they addressed it in 2007. They state in the book pack 12 years anti perforation warranty but it has to be from inside to out and basically not from a stonechip that you have left to develop into a scab before doing something about it. Since the recession nobody even Mercedes wants to give money away so they tend to try to wriggle out of honouring some paintwork issues even when black or white. Lets face it if each job costs them £500 and they managed to turn away 100 owners thats a hell of a lot of money for the shareholders to divvy up at the year end. They are not by themselves as all manufacturers are doing it just to stay alive in this current climate but some are better at it than others. Its a shame because MB products used to be renowned for their durablity but theres no going back to oil based paints so we are as customers likely to see this more and more no matter what brand you drive. I also own a VW transporter and thats got rust issues. With regards to poor workmanship you could just give Mercedes Customer services a call at Milton Keynes and asked them to take up your probelm. The numbers in your handbook. Good Luck.

 

[Xtractorfan]

In 1998 Mercedes had to tow the line with the enviroment and switch to water based paints and because of this they have been suffering with rust from this year up until they addressed it in 2007. They state in the book pack 12 years anti perforation warranty but it has to be from inside to out and basically not from a stonechip that you have left to develop into a scab before doing something about it. Since the recession nobody even Mercedes wants to give money away so they tend to try to wriggle out of honouring some paintwork issues even when black or white. Lets face it if each job costs them £500 and they managed to turn away 100 owners thats a hell of a lot of money for the shareholders to divvy up at the year end. They are not by themselves as all manufacturers are doing it just to stay alive in this current climate but some are better at it than others. Its a shame because MB products used to be renowned for their durablity but theres no going back to oil based paints so we are as customers likely to see this more and more no matter what brand you drive. I also own a VW transporter and thats got rust issues. With regards to poor workmanship you could just give Mercedes Customer services a call at Milton Keynes and asked them to take up your probelm. The numbers in your handbook. Good Luck.

Sorry have to disagree with you about waterbased paints...It would sound ok in a disney movie, but not in the real world we live in today...Volvo were the first car company to use waterbased paints 30 years ago..So tell me how MB got it soo wrong...when the standard had already been set...

 

[47p2]

..So tell me how MB got it soo wrong...when the standard had already been set...

Simples......they never applied enough paint to the metal. My mate who worked for MB for 30+ years went to the factory to discuss the problems MB were having with rust issues and warranty repairs. Whilst there a paint expert gave a detailed 2 day lecture on the good and bad things about paint, and how changing to water based paints were good for everyone, not just the environment. He had a BMW, Audi and Mercedes lined up for a demonstration to how thick the paint was from different manufacturers and using a paint thickness gauge proved much to the embarrassment of MB that their paint was at least 40% thinner that their rivals. This was around 2002-2003 and it was then that MB said they would revamp their painting technics which should help prevent premature rust problems.........

 

[turbopete]

Sorry have to disagree with you about waterbased paints...It would sound ok in a disney movie, but not in the real world we live in today...Volvo were the first car company to use waterbased paints 30 years ago..So tell me how MB got it soo wrong...when the standard had already been set...

its not to do with the paint, its the lack of rustproofing they used on steel so poor they wouldnt have used it to make baked bean tins! even my neglected and abused high mileage focus is fairing better than many MB's in the rust stakes, and it was about HALF the price of a c-class new!

 

[Xtractorfan]

Simples......they never applied enough paint to the metal. My mate who worked for MB for 30+ years went to the factory to discuss the problems MB were having with rust issues and warranty repairs. Whilst there a paint expert gave a detailed 2 day lecture on the good and bad things about paint, and how changing to water based paints were good for everyone, not just the environment. He had a BMW, Audi and Mercedes lined up for a demonstration to how thick the paint was from different manufacturers and using a paint thickness gauge proved much to the embarrassment of MB that their paint was at least 40% thinner that their rivals. This was around 2002-2003 and it was then that MB said they would revamp their painting technics which should help prevent premature rust problems.........

Agree totally with the lack of initial rustproofing and the skimping on paint coats..but there is an underlying problem with the metal they are using.. and even their galvanising process isnt up to speed.. for still 04 on cars are rusting around the wheelarches....

 

[television]

It is also rubbish metal,, my V70 gets a stone chip 10 years ago and I never touch it, and it still looks the same today. My MB gets a stone chip and within 10 mins it grows into a huge blister.


You see so many MBs with the rust spiders that are bursting to come out