Carneaol Red Lacquer Peeling, Let Battle Commence

[Chrishazle]

Still haven't decided whether to have another go at them. I fail to see how having a car mechanically looked after by a MB Retailer affects the bodywork - which is looked after one way or another by the owner not the garage!

They're saying the decision is final, and if I want to take it further I need to go through the ombudsman, not sure I want to go down that road!

 

[Frontstep]

Hmm on what grounds are you claiming ?

Is there some sort of warranty in place ?

 

[Frontstep]

Still haven't decided whether to have another go at them. I fail to see how having a car mechanically looked after by a MB Retailer affects the bodywork - which is looked after one way or another by the owner not the garage!

They're saying the decision is final, and if I want to take it further I need to go through the ombudsman, not sure I want to go down that road!

Edit

I have just seen your post, where it is serviced is very relevant for some warranties Mobilo for instance.

The Ombudsman is to be avoided but they will wheel out a Dekra report from some poorly qualified person which are fun to dismantle.

 

[Dean Fletcher]

For completeness, below is what I sent to MB CS, plus the initial response from MB Ashford and my reply to them.:

Dear Sirs,

I am forwarding this to you as I am unhappy with the response from Lookers Mercedes Benz Ashford Kent.

Vehicle : S204 C220Cdi Estate, paint code C544 Carneol Red Metallic (I understand the C refers to ceramicoat paint, which has known issues)
VIN : WDD2042082F200232 Registration KT 08 XPO
Date of first registration 17.06.2008 – I suspect by MB Ashford.
Bought from MB Ashford 20.03.2009 by a gentleman from Smarden, Ashford Kent (I have his name and address on the V5). Serviced by MB Ashford.
Taken as trade-in by MB Ashford 1st Q 2012 and purchased by me MB Used Approved from them 29.03.2012, mileage 60257, full B service before delivery to me.
Serviced by MB Ashford just before end of 12 month Tier 1 warranty, subsequently annually by local well respected independent specialist garage in accordance with MB ESS. Mechanically the car is perfect. Recent service included full ATF/filter change and brake fluid change as well as routine items.
Current mileage 102500.

Shortly after buying the car, as I was at that time keen to make sure the bodywork was protected, I washed, decontaminated and clayed the entire car, then carefully used a DA polisher and 3M Perfect-it polish followed by Autoglym HD wax over the entire car, and have subsequently kept the car clean and waxed – it’s a car we love and intend to keep for many more years.

As with most cars, there are some stone chips on the bonnet, but a few months ago I noticed the beginning of clearcoat lifting on the bonnet, then on the front nearside of the roof. I have taken the car to 2 reputable recommended local bodyshops and had a visit from the local Chipsaway man – all experienced people who said the same things, namely “that should not have happened, it’s a manufacturing fault fairly often seen on MB cars, take it to MB”.

On Monday 18th March I took the car to MB Ashford for a paint inspection, yesterday I received a phone call from Ryan White saying only that the repair had been declined due to the age and mileage of the vehicle. I asked for that and further details by email, and his response is below. I replied last evening (also below) but have not yet received any response.

Searching online, there are a lot of reports of clearcoat/lacquer peeling problems on red MB cars, both on UK and USA forums. While the majority of the problems refer to Fire Opal/Mars Red (not just blistering, but also lacquer peel) there are reports of the same problem on other red colours, including C class cars from 2008.

Although the bodyshops both told me that the lifting areas started with small stone chips, there are many of these particularly on the bonnet/nose where, although chipped, the clearcoat has not lifted. It appears that the adhesion of the clearcoat to the base colour was inadequate where the clearcoat is lifting, and to me that is a manufacturing defect rather than an “external influence”.

To rectify the problem areas will require, according to both bodyshops and Chipsaway, a complete bonnet and roof respray plus a small repair to the rear NS wheelarch front. I have not taken the car to Ashford’s MB Approved bodyshop as that is somewhere in Maidstone about 30 miles away, but I know from the 2 bodyshops that have seen the car that the repair will cost, from them, £600-1100, and would expect the MB Approved bodyshop to be the same or more.

I look forward to your comments on the above and your proposal for rectifying this manufacturing defect.

Yours sincerely,

Chris Hazle

From: Chris Hazle
Sent: Wednesday, March 20, 2019 9:51 PM
To: Ryan White
Subject: Re: PAINTWORK INSPECTION KT08XPO

I suggest you read page 53-54 of the linked document and resubmit this request to MBCS, as it is clear that the fault is related to manufacturing defect and has nothing to do with the age or mileage of the vehicle.

https://www.spieshecker.com/content/dam/EMEA/Spies Hecker/HQ/Public/Documents/painter-tips/TSG-Painter-Tips_ENG-INT_ES.pdf

I also think that this claim should be uplifted to higher level management both in MB Ashford and in MBCS. I have looked after the bodywork of my car rather well, and it is obvious that such lifting of the clear coat should not have happened unless there was a manufacturing problem - as 2 professional body shops and 1 very professional repairer has said to me.

Regards

Chris Hazle

On Wed, 20 Mar 2019 at 15:55, Ryan White <RyanWhite@lookers.co.uk> wrote:

Dear Mr Hazle

With reference to the recent inspection carried out on your vehicle with regards to lacquer peeling on the Roof, Bonnet and N/S/R Wheel Arch.

The paint readings taken at time of inspection were 110 on the roof,119 on the bonnet and 112 N/S/R wheel arch.

We have submitted a request to the manufacturer, but regretfully the repair has been declined on this occasion.

We regret that our answer can not be more favourable in this instance

Ryan White

Service Team Leader

Lookers Mercedes-Benz

Good luck mate keep pushing them, fingers crossed for you.

 

[Chrishazle]

My basic thought is that the linked document from much earlier in this thread, from a reputable vehicle paint material and equipment manufacturer, states that the problem is a manufacturing defect - as also said by 3 reputable specialists (2 body shops and 1 very experienced Chipsaway man). Secondly, mechanical servicing of the car has nothing to do with the bodywork, although the car was main dealer serviced for the first 5 1/2 years, then by a reputable indie specialist in accordance with MBESS (as specified on his invoice) who are not only very knowledgeable but also half the price of MB Ashford and 1 mile from home rather than an awkward 9 miles!

In the greater scheme of things, £600 to fix the problem is a bullet I'm prepared to bite, it's unusual for us to keep a car, even our shopping trolley, for 7 years, but both wife and I love this car and want to keep it for many many more years. I've even mentally set aside £1000 from when I sell my 968 cab and buy a R171 SLK to have comand.co.uk retrofit parking sensors, reversing camera and upgraded Comand HDD with up to date maps, that's how determined we are to keep this car!

Thanks for all comments and support, I have a lot going on ATM and your support is appreciated.

 

[davidsl500]

Small claims court might be the way to progress things. They operate on the basis of what is reasonable and your car should not have these defects at that age - especially when compared to the same model of car in other colours....

 

[vtaylor78]

Small claims court might be the way to progress things. They operate on the basis of what is reasonable and your car should not have these defects at that age - especially when compared to the same model of car in other colours....

Good shout , got to be worth a try.
I’d quite like to see The Sheriff’s going to MB head office

 

[Srdl]

Small claims court might be the way to progress things. They operate on the basis of what is reasonable and your car should not have these defects at that age - especially when compared to the same model of car in other colours....

Good idea. Big Corporates are sometime not good at defending Small Claim Court cases because they either can’t get their act together soon enough or they can’t be bothered because it would cost them more than the amount involved.

Perhaps write Mercedes a short letter asking them to reconsider, failing which you will get the work done yourself and then claim the cost and all expenses from them through the Small Claim Court on the basis that you have independent evidence that it is due to a manufacturing defect.

 

[Srdl]

Good shout , got to be worth a try.
I’d quite like to see The Sheriff’s going to MB head office

Wouldn’t it be a shame if all they could get their hands on was an AMG GT or something similar

 

[SaimaA]

Any update on whether op took this further?

 

[Chrishazle]

No, I bit the bullet and paid a local bodyshop in Feb 2020 to respray the offending areas, cost me £600. Interestingly almost 2 years after they did the respray, an area of lifting clearcoat/paint re-appeared on the roof so they've recently had the car back to repair that - FOC!

 

[SaimaA]

No, I bit the bullet and paid a local bodyshop in Feb 2020 to respray the offending areas, cost me £600. Interestingly almost 2 years after they did the respray, an area of lifting clearcoat/paint re-appeared on the roof so they've recently had the car back to repair that - FOC!

I made an initial mistake of not even thinking to contact Mercedes about it and went ahead and just gt a partial respray because I wanted to sell. However six weeks on no sale as of yet and my eyes are drawn to the slightest microblister. I'm dreading to think it could in a few weeks just be covering the whole car barr the recently resprayed ones.

I'm going to see how far I can get going higher up their chain of command. If the same issue has resulted in a 4 million lawsuit in America where Mercedes have agreed they are responsible then how can they just brush this under the carpet.

I shall keep updating on the other forum chat 'Fire Opal Red'

 

[mioba]

.

I'm going to see how far I can get going higher up their chain of command. If the same issue has resulted in a 4 million lawsuit in America where Mercedes have agreed they are responsible then how can they just brush this under the carpet.

Different rules/laws - probably been brought up by a conglomerate of claimants in the USA.