E-Class Rust, Just How Bad Does it Get?

[jberks]

DC is exercising tight control over every single claim which I was infomed runs into tens of thousands.

Tens of millions I suspect. Given that they've been putting '98-'01 cars back together for the last 5 years and will continue to do so for some time yet. Anyway - GOOD, I hope it's really hurting the accountant's bonus and the shareholders are screaming. Should ensure that the next accountant with a 'clever' idea to overrule the engineers is treated with the appropriate respect.

 

[television]

£300 for a bonnet respray is OK, Its quite labour intensive to take it back to bare metal on the effected area's,any pitting must be filled and flatted all trim removed, and whole car masked up. The cost of paint and heating the oven is around £75. I know the car is already there for other work, and they probably see it as a means of getting a little back.
Though I do not have any rust on my SL, I do have a few stone chips, My paint guy knows that I can prepare it to a ready for spray standard, and I will do all of the donkey work and flat the whole bonnet, ready for painting, the cost will be around £125-150.

Malcolm

 

[johnmc]

Thanks folks,
I'm going to get it booked in for the full works, 300Quid seems well worth it!

John

 

[big x]

Hi big x

Nice picture! But what's hiding beneath the remaining underseal?


REGARDS Phil

Visible rust is normally the tip of the iceberg.If you put sealent onto poorly prepared steel that is not galvanized.....
It just rusts behind it !

Somebody posted a photo of a complete new W210 bodyshell in primer a while back,has anyone got the link ? MB may at some point have to rebody cars if people make full use of the 30 year rust warranty and keep up the FMBSH.It can't be economic to keep processing claims for new crossmembers,spring cups,doors,boots etc etc.
Some cars out there appear to have no traditional waxed cavity protection either.You need an endoscope to check but if the sills start going from the inside MB are in big trouble.

adam

 

[Retired]

Got my 98 E240 estate back today with two new wings. This is the second visit to the bodyshop for rust. Previous was for both rear door frames and tailgate.

Suspect there is more to come with some slight bubbling just about discernible around the rear wheel arches.

If I keep the car its going to cost MB quite a lot of money over time. It might just be in their interest to subsidize the dealer to give me a good deal on a new car. Might save them some money, retain a customer and salvage some of their reputation.

 

[philharve]

Got my 98 E240 estate back today with two new wings. This is the second visit to the bodyshop for rust. Previous was for both rear door frames and tailgate.

Suspect there is more to come with some slight bubbling just about discernible around the rear wheel arches.

If I keep the car its going to cost MB quite a lot of money over time. It might just be in their interest to subsidize the dealer to give me a good deal on a new car. Might save them some money, retain a customer and salvage some of their reputation.

Hi Retired

Having just viewed 'big x' latest photos I find it incredible that Mercedes are still in business. I see you've had a trying time too. After an experience such as yours I would give the marque a wide birth. My previous car, an '87 Toyota Celica, went to 15 years before the rust bug bit. To see a youthful Mercedes with serious rust problems is deeply disturbing. Why do you remain loyal?

REGARDS Phil

 

[Retired]

The things that keep me considering a new MB are:

(a) I've had (unusually it would seem) good service from my local dealer over the years,

(b) there has been no argument about the rust and the work has been promptly and, as far as I can tell, well,

(c) the car has been very reliable

(d) I like the car!


I am looking at LR Disco 3 as a replacement. About the same size (footprint),
7seats, stacks of carrying capacity and will deal with my daily diet of pot holes and speed bumps more effectively.


Good deals around on new E320 (3.o engine) CDIs around. About £8k off. Due, I asuume to upcoming facelift model.

 

[jberks]

Hi Retired

Having just viewed 'big x' latest photos I find it incredible that Mercedes are still in business. I see you've had a trying time too. After an experience such as yours I would give the marque a wide birth. My previous car, an '87 Toyota Celica, went to 15 years before the rust bug bit. To see a youthful Mercedes with serious rust problems is deeply disturbing. Why do you remain loyal?

REGARDS Phil

Phil,
I suspect we all felt a little let down by MB on this one, but to be fair, in most cases, even some without FMBSH, they've done the honourable thing and put it right. Also, most of us keep our cars for 5 years or so and then move on to something newer. Given that the problem affected 98-01 cars primarily, the next one is going to be ok. If my 211 starts bubbling, I'll think again but anyone can make a mistake. Its how they put it right that matters and ones as bad as those photos is rare indeed. My 2000 E had a few spots, true, but the chassis and general structure were fine, it was mainly cosmetic and MB never argued, they just fixed it at their own expense and lent me something nice and expensive to trundle around it whilst they did it. Hardly a major incovenience. Lets just say, we're unlikely to see may 210's on the classic rallys in a few years time!

 

[bigNgold]

I was in the MOT station the other day and the tester was expressing his concern about the front springs. They have a habit of getting rusty around the springs cups and then the spring takes off. If you are lucky it goes under the car but the other day he had one pop out and take a chunk out of his wall! Could have hurt somebody! Doesn't bear thinking about if it happened in a narrow high street! Usually seems to happen at low speeds and going over speed humps regularly will lead to earlier failure! MBZ really should do a thorough recall for this problem in my opinion. Post 99 cars seem less affected for the moment and 300 diseasals the worst affected!

 

[johnmc]

I'll be checking the spring cups ASAP. The dealer is going to reduce my bill from GBP300, some of it needs to be painted anyway as a part of the work.

Unbelievable. I won't be surprised to find the spring cups on their last legs, I had the cross member problem too.

These W210s will be worth peanuts soon.

John

 

[Birdman]

There's a new six page story covering Mercedes-Benz UK's problems and what they're doing to fix them, in today's motoring telegraph online site (I don't know whether you need to sign on to read it).

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/motoring/index.jhtml;jsessionid=WUDME01Q50N33QFIQMGCFF4AVCBQUIV0

 

[gazzab]

but try dealing with the dealers - rang my one in Guildford today.
You serviced my 2001 E class in Nov last yr, you said you would submit the claim to merc HQ for the rust. Whats happening?
We have nothing on file. You need to bring the car in for photos !!!! No way!!! They are so good at this game!

 

[Retired]

Gazzab

Why 'no way'? My cars has had a couple of rust initiated trips to the bodyshop. In each case this was preceded by some digital photos of the rust and of the service record. A couple of days later MB came up withe authorisation and the work was done.

Agree it's annoying to have to chase the dealer and they should have done it last Nov. But if you don't comply with the process you're only making your life harder.

I don't think dealers are trying to avoid the issue although they may be inefficient. Why should they? It doesn't cost them anything.

 

[jberks]

Agreed. I've had a claim 'disappear', despite the manager telling me he remembered it. I popped in on my way home, they took a couple of new photos and I was on my way again 5 mins later. The claim was approved within a week.
Sure they shouldn't have lost it in the first place, but they sorted the problem quite efficiently when they realised.

 

[AdrianDW]

Strikes me, as with many issues, different dealers have differing attitudes. I bought my W210 (2000my E240) seven months ago, from a known source, and it was already booked into M-B leicester's queue, the car having been bought and serviced through loughborough since birth.

Okay, its been a twelve month queue, but it went in this week, accompanied by a list of all the bits I could find (for which this site has been a gem in giving advice). They rang me yesterday to confirm that all suspect areas of the wings and doors and bootlid are being done, the poor finish on the bonnet they replaced in 2004 is being resolved, and a new front x-member is in as well.
Courtesy car has been decent as well - a C Class diesel, though it reminds you that although the 210 is old world the interior quality is miles better!!

Thye've quibbled a couple of stone chips around the front of the roof that I pointed, which I can't really argue with (no harm in trying though!), and it'll be ready next week, so for once I have to say (grit teeth) well done M-B!!

 

[Glenn Smith]

Quite Honestly I've Stopped Looking At My C230k, I've Found If I Squint A Bit Whilst Working On The Car I Don't Notice Any New Rust, Having A Car Constantly Repaired For Corrosion, No Matter Who's Paying, Is Really Not On, We Should All Abandon The Marque And Let Mercedes Go Under For Their Deliberate Cost Cutting And Profiteering, Not Only Body Work That Is Appalling Quality, Mine Now Rates As The Worst Car I've Ever Owned! And Also The Most Expensive!

 

[jberks]

Its easy to get p'd off with it. I know, I had a 2000 W210. However, us all going back and complaining has already had the desired effect. It cost them, and still costs them, unless people like you give up, for their stupidity. Thats the best way to hit them. In their bonusses.
As a result, and I know a lot of it is PR, but they have really pulled their socks up. My late 04 W211 is great. Paintwork is good, no signs of corrosion, nothing has broken and dynamically, its the best car I've ever had. So, at some point we have to aceept they've learned their lesson.
Customer service... we'll lets see what happens, but they did force me to find a good indie so I don't much care now anyway.

 

[philharve]

Hi All

There are some astounding photos of rusty Mercedes in another Forum. One picture shows a rusted suspension turret that broke away from the chassis and dropped the front of the car onto one of its wheels. To see this amount of damage in so young a Mercedes gave me nightmares. I suppose the dealer would say this was due to stone chipping!

On the subject of 'stone chipping' ... would I be correct in saying that there is no conclusive method of determining precisely whether small rust spots are the result of stone chips or rust breaking through beneath the paint?

I had two small rust spots examined by the dealer recently who declared them to be stone chips. However, one of them, on the trailing edge of the bonnet, is shielded by the curvature of the bonnet and the only way a stone could cause damage in this location would be for the stone to come from above rather than from the road. Is this the first instance of untreated damage caused by a micro meteorite? Where does this leave me wrt my corrosion warranty?

The dealer gave me a MB touch-up kit containing two paint philes. Has any member had experience of this item? Will it produce a lasting repair?

REGARDS Phil

 

[philharve]

Quality improving but reputation damaged

Hi All

Just spotted this.

http://motoring.independent.co.uk/features/article318539.ece

It's not specifically about E-class rust, it's about MB quality and the long fightback to regain its reputation.

REGARDS Phil

 

[television]

Hi All



The dealer gave me a MB touch-up kit containing two paint philes. Has any member had experience of this item? Will it produce a lasting repair?

REGARDS Phil

Those two philes, one base, one clear will serve to cover stone chips and the like, biggest problem with them is that the clear coat in this form is darker in colour than the factory two pack water paint, in the trade they touch up by only using the base coat (although not a finnish in itself) fill the chip once, let it dry do it again until the hole is filled, leave to dry, and lightly Tcut, this will take the paint off the area around the chip, apply one more coat, leave it for 2-3 mins and wipe your finger across it, leave it for several hours and lightly T cut and the result will be almost invisable in most light angles, we do not bother with the clear coat, there is no pigment in it, so it has no strength.
(the min pigment in this type of paint was 40%) you cant mix the base with the clear as they are not of the same type.


malcolm
With temp under 18c you are better off leaving it a day in between coats.
as these paints shrink when they dry