List of bits to do... And a story...

[silestanix]

Evening all! So my W202 is back with me after a bit of a fall out with the boss of the bodyshop I used. He lied to me about my car being ready several times, was told today it'd be ready late afternoon but still wasn't ready... And he wasn't around. So the other gents peeled away from their other jobs and finished off the bodywork on my car thankfully as they said it was a bit out of order that I had been waiting for this so long.

I left the unit with car Bodywork finished but still a list of things to do which he hadn't completed. I got home and started to put all my belongings back in the car. I thought I'd review my dashcam... Low and behold the boss had parked my car up and it hadn't moved in a week! I'll be having words on Saturday!

So, this leaves me a list of bits to do:

- model designation badges from the boot were removed, could an indy put these back in proper place or is it a Mercedes dealer only thing?

- Mercedes star on the boot lid is a bit bent and damaged. Where can I get a new one supplied and fitted? MB only or indy?

- remove polishing compound residue...It's stubborn stuff, how's I get rid of it?

Cheers!

 

[om613]

Hope you get it sorted, love the 202!

So. Your other thread illustrated, very clearly (... from the primer shots) that you've used a cheap, back street place.
Having had a similar 'painted' 210 years back, you'll be lucky to get a year out of it.
Sorry.

 

[silestanix]

Hope you get it sorted, love the 202!

So. Your other thread illustrated, very clearly (... from the primer shots) that you've used a cheap, back street place.
Having had a similar 'painted' 210 years back, you'll be lucky to get a year out of it.
Sorry.

No no its fine haha, I only used this place on recommendation. My best freinds uncle had his old E30 resprayed here in 2012 and it's held up well so I thought I'd give it a go. Regretting it now but hey at least the car looks better than before lol.

Just want the model designation back on the boot but I won't be able to line the characters up properly .

 

[umblecumbuz]

Double sided tape is the normal method today, and 3M tape is the best.

Sensible to wait a few weeks for the paint to mature first. Keep polish away from the area until the badges are refixed. This description of how I do it might help:

Use low tack masking tape as a guide to mark the bottom line of the badge, and place it lightly on the paintwork. Fix the 3M tape to the back of the badge and trim with a scalpel, then peel off the second side of the tape and stick the badges into place using the masking tape as your guideline.

Remove the masking tape, and lightly play a hair dryer over the area (from the inside of the boot lid also if possible), pressing the badges home as you do so.

Job done.

 

[John Laidlaw]

always pays to take a photo of your boot before removing badges, print off and mark off with the measurements from boot edge and boot lip, also spacing to centre up the badges as they were..
^ above is a very good work instruction to refit too

 

[silestanix]

Double sided tape is the normal method today, and 3M tape is the best.

Sensible to wait a few weeks for the paint to mature first. Keep polish away from the area until the badges are refixed. This description of how I do it might help:

Use low tack masking tape as a guide to mark the bottom line of the badge, and place it lightly on the paintwork. Fix the 3M tape to the back of the badge and trim with a scalpel, then peel off the second side of the tape and stick the badges into place using the masking tape as your guideline.

Remove the masking tape, and lightly play a hair dryer over the area (from the inside of the boot lid also if possible), pressing the badges home as you do so.

Job done.

Thank you very much sir, will take this method and also will wait for the paint to mature... Washing her today so will be careful. Just getting the wheels put back on at the moment...

 

[silestanix]

always pays to take a photo of your boot before removing badges, print off and mark off with the measurements from boot edge and boot lip, also spacing to centre up the badges as they were..
^ above is a very good work instruction to refit too

In hindsight John I do wish I had done so, error my part Ha... Still, we live and learn eh...

 

[silestanix]

Wheels being balanced... Another step towards completion

 

[00slk]

Wheels being balanced... Another step towards completion

Good to see the tyre fitter bowing to your wheel before balancing

 

[silestanix]

Good to see the tyre fitter bowing to your wheel before balancing

Haha, genuine little AMGs, damn right he should bow

 

[silestanix]

Just come back from my mates place, he has a big shelter type thing so we washed the car at his, jet washed around the sills, door shuts and basically wherever there was Polish compound in gaps, then we both gave her a very gentle wash with brand new meguiars mitts I'd picked up using ag Bodywork shampoo & conditioner. As per advice I haven't gone near the paintwork with any wax/Polish/sealer yet, going to allow the paint to mature for a week then wash her again this time next week... Pics below, cheers...

 

[silestanix]

 

[grahamcol]

Lovely 202. These cars are often so very much underrated. I've owned my C280 v6 for almost 10 years and wouldn't part with it.

 

[silestanix]

Lovely 202. These cars are often so very much underrated. I've owned my C280 v6 for almost 10 years and wouldn't part with it.

Totally agree Graham, I absolutely love my one, just such a ****** good car, if I didn't have the C250TD I'd have a C280 or C36. C43/55 are lovely but there's just something about straight 6's and 5 pots that I love, can't quite describe it.

 

[LostKiwi]

I've had 2 W202s - both C240s. Superb cars.
First one was picked up new from the factory back in 1998 and it was a pleasure to tour the factory, then cruise the autobahns up to Dusseldorf to see friends and then on across the Ardennes to the channel.
The second was bought used (a 1999 version) and we kept it almost 10 years before the tin worms got to her too much.

 

[grahamcol]

I've had 4 202's in total. Long story but my first was a C200 which I kept over 8 years. Might still have it now had it not been written off by an idiot lorry driver demolishing most of the offside two or three years ago. I loved the 202 so much that I purchased a couple of C280's and another C200 whilst still owning the original C200. Had a 190 in between as well. Mechanically superb (the 202), pity about the rust of course. That said my current C280 is pretty good rust wise.

 

[silestanix]

Glad I'm not the only one who has a penchant for 202's lol, I'm happy with mine now for a few years but I'll be saving to restore it properly in 2020, I don't care about the diesel tax increase etc, I'd rather be driving my 25k a year in something I love and find comfortable rather than a nasty eco box.

 

[Sasha94]

That's a lovely car, my Mum had a 202 years ago, a C250 non turbo diesel in the most basic trim they came in then a C280 Sport with the awesome tartan seats and carbon trim compete with a little plastic card for the lock system. I remember that detail more than anything else really haha. Both were great and I often wonder if I should give up on my nearly new Volvo and go for something retro as the daily driver for my 30k plus a year commute. Haven't had the guts to do it yet sadly!

 

[silestanix]

That's a lovely car, my Mum had a 202 years ago, a C250 non turbo diesel in the most basic trim they came in then a C280 Sport with the awesome tartan seats and carbon trim compete with a little plastic card for the lock system. I remember that detail more than anything else really haha. Both were great and I often wonder if I should give up on my nearly new Volvo and go for something retro as the daily driver for my 30k plus a year commute. Haven't had the guts to do it yet sadly!

Thank you Sasha, still you got a lot more power than me haha.

I do 25-30k a year in mine Sasha, and it's never let me down, and first car I've had that doesn't give me backache or any discomfort over a long distance... My daily commute is around 130 miles so reliability and comfort is definitely important!

As much as I'd egg you on and say 'Go oooonnnn girl do iiiiiiittt! ', having and older classic definitely has gotta fit your personal circumstances Sasha, I've not had any issues but I do tend to look after mine well. 5 mins cold start 'warm up' in warmish mild weather, and 10 mins in anything less than 8°c.

The turbo is original as its the box etc so the tlc helps, but that's cos I have the time and facility to do so. Also, I park awayyyyyyy from anyone else to avoid marks and scuffs lol.

I love my W202 though.

 

[Sasha94]

Yeah I do 145 miles a day which is bonkers really but needs must. My biggest issue is lack of driveway, everything gets done at my Dad's, in fact I can't even wash the car outside the house as it's a busy bus route and it's not practical to be stood in the road. Backache is a big issue for me; I have Scoliosis, my spine is S shaped and it causes some serious pain at times hence I've had 5 Volvo's! As a minimum I need to have cruise control which negates a lot of older metal (or least, the kind of affordable, daily driver stuff) as the pain of keeping my foot balanced on the pedal for an hour and a half is too much to go without it.

The current Volvo is awesome though and fits in the family requirements really well. I guess safety is a concern as I have a 2 year old and that is another consideration but in an ideal world I'd have a bangernomics daily beater for the commute, the CLK for the weekend and my wife's car (which is due for upgrade) for family duties, shopping, shunting round the doors but somehow the Volvo ends up doing everything, leaving the CLK for occasional use.

I admire anyone who uses an older car as a daily, maybe when the commute cuts down and I have more space to accommodate things I'll give it a go