Mercedes Rust And The Uk Warranty!!!!!!!!!!!!

MarkCL

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Hampshire
Your Mercedes
W211 E320 CDi Avantgarde
Forgive what may look like a dumb question, but does the above mean that there is no warranty for rust if the car doesn't have a full MBSH?

Rgds Will
C200T - with rusty tailgate

Apparently rust is one of the things that MB are supposed to check for during servicing - as long as you maintain the full MBSH then they really have no excuse not to stick to their warranty as they are supposed to have spotted it early enough during servicing to deal with it under the terms of the warranty in the most cost effective way etc. If the car leaves MB's dealer servicing then they cannot perform those checks and therefore feel that they cannot be held responsible if rust appears and then gets out of hand.

At least that's how I understand it - open to correction from anyone with more knowledge etc as always ;)

Cheers,
Mark
 

HJHPH

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Location
Swanmore, Hampshire.
Your Mercedes
W211 E320 CDI Avantgarde Estate.
Can someone help me with this a little.

I have an 02 registered C Class Sports Coupe which is showing signs of rust around all 4 wheel arches. The rust is clearly coming from the inside out - and the chap at my local MB dealer agreed that it wasn't due to scratches or dings in the paintwork. He ran the paint thickness monitor all around it and was happy with what he saw.

The vehicle has 5+ years MBSH and then the previous owner got 2 services done at a private garage. I bought the car 2 months ago.

I've just had my claim for rust repair rejected by MB UK on the grounds that there is only a 3 year warranty "on these vehicles" and that anything else is strictly a "good will gesture".

Since I have only very recently bought the vehicle, MB consider that the price I paid would have included an adjustment for the presence of rust and hence I am not due any goodwill from MB. They will not help me out.

They have flat out stated that there is no warranty beyond 3 years for rust (or anything else, by inference) on my vehicle which seems completely against what is being said in this thread (and elsewhere).

They say that this is the information they have received from MB UK in Milton Keynes and have given me the switchboard number for MK so I can confirm it with them. They won't let me see the correspondence from head office.

How valid is their statement? What should I do next?

Incidentally, this is Hughes of Beaconsfield and their in-house body shop who were handling this. They did something similar to my in-laws S-plate E class - flat out denied any liability - my in-laws contacted MB in Germany and got the whole thing sorted (through a very grudging Hughes).

Before I go wading in down the same path, is this valid in my case?

What should I do? I have seen a lot of comments that one should just keep trying different MB dealers until you find one that agrees, but if this decision has come down from UK Head Office, what chance do I have?

Hi there, I find this quite odd, just got my wife's 02 Sports Coupe back from a warranty repair on all four wheel arches. This was picked up last on 22nd July at the mot, car went in on 28th July and came back Monday in superb condition. All under warranty without a quibble.
I cannot understand how two cars of the same model and year can have different warranty conditions, is it a UK car?
Paul.
 

hawk20

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Your Mercedes
ML250 BlueTEC Sport
If you have owned the car for less than six months they reckon the price should have reflected the presence of rust.

The previous owner should have got it fixed.
 

energysolutions

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If you have owned the car for less than six months they reckon the price should have reflected the presence of rust.

The previous owner should have got it fixed.

A fair point

Still shouldnt be happening on a premium brand.........
 

HJHPH

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Location
Swanmore, Hampshire.
Your Mercedes
W211 E320 CDI Avantgarde Estate.
If you have owned the car for less than six months they reckon the price should have reflected the presence of rust.

The previous owner should have got it fixed.
Interesting philosophy, they would still have to have funded it if the previous owner had requested it. Not exactly encourging new owners to stick with the brand!
 

juliant

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I have owned a 2000 X reg CLK from new. It still has full MB service history. It first rusted at 5 years of age on the offside rear wheel arch, fixed by MB. It then rusted at 7 years on the nearside rear wheel arch, again fixed by MB. It is now rusting on both front wheel arches at 9 years, well 8 and a bit actually as rust has been clear for at least 6 months. MB now say they will not fix as rust is from the outside in (how they know this is the case I don't know as all they have done is photograph the rust) after 8 years of age. Oh, and the car has never been retouched, resprayed, or notified to me by MB that it requires remedial work - I have always had to tell them. I like the car but without satisfactory support from them over an issue that should not have arisen in the first place I am finding it impossible to justify purchasing another one. Against all my instincts I am now going BMW :mad:
 

hawk20

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Your Mercedes
ML250 BlueTEC Sport
I have owned a 2000 X reg CLK from new. It still has full MB service history. It first rusted at 5 years of age on the offside rear wheel arch, fixed by MB. It then rusted at 7 years on the nearside rear wheel arch, again fixed by MB. It is now rusting on both front wheel arches at 9 years, well 8 and a bit actually as rust has been clear for at least 6 months. MB now say they will not fix as rust is from the outside in (how they know this is the case I don't know as all they have done is photograph the rust) after 8 years of age. Oh, and the car has never been retouched, resprayed, or notified to me by MB that it requires remedial work - I have always had to tell them. I like the car but without satisfactory support from them over an issue that should not have arisen in the first place I am finding it impossible to justify purchasing another one. Against all my instincts I am now going BMW :mad:

Try these threads before you leap: -
RUST and BMWs

http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=39921&PN=1

http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/forum_posts.asp?TID=39921&PN=1
 

rob aiers

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Good will anti corrosion

I have in the past had Mercedes vehicles and I vowed not to get another one because of the very poor service form the dealerships. However when my BMW lease ran out I decided to change it for a CLK Convertible. After a few months I noticed corrosion all over the vehicle, the vehicle is seven years old and Mercedes have an 8 year anti corrosion warrantee. They would not look at the issue as I had not owned the car for a year, thus allowing the corrosion to become worse.

On the anniversary of the ownership of the car I went to my dealership and they tell me that the warrantee is a good will policy. The “good will” is only in place if Mercedes service the car, my experience with them in the past has meant that I choose a local independent operator who cares about my business rather than the expensive but shoddy service that I get from the main dealer.

The reason that one buys a premium mark is because they are built to a higher standard and therefore carry with purchase a certain peace of mind, (whether new or second hand).

Where is the quality of build or the quality of service much less the good will? They even tell me that they know there is a problem with this model that is well recognised but there is no will good or otherwise to resolve the issue, good will my rusty Ar**.
 

Chris wynn

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I visited mb blackpool weeks ago about my rusty v class and they don't even have the decencey to reply back about my claim,,
Mercedes Benz warranty ain't worth the paper it's wrote on!!!!!
 

Xtractorfan

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Your Mercedes
S class
Apparently rust is one of the things that MB are supposed to check for during servicing - as long as you maintain the full MBSH then they really have no excuse not to stick to their warranty as they are supposed to have spotted it early enough during servicing to deal with it under the terms of the warranty in the most cost effective way etc. If the car leaves MB's dealer servicing then they cannot perform those checks and therefore feel that they cannot be held responsible if rust appears and then gets out of hand.

At least that's how I understand it - open to correction from anyone with more knowledge etc as always ;)

Cheers,
Mark

It certainly wasnt the brain of britian who thought that one up..it is amazing the excuse Mb will use to dodge the issue..
 

aldo48

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Plean,Stirlingshire.
Your Mercedes
1996 s280, 90 Isuzu trooper 2.6petrol, 2x 96 mitsubishi colt glxi, 90,ford escort glxi.
I will back you on this one, count me in!
regards
alan.
 
R

rustymercs

Guest
I have a 2003 ML270cdi which is rusting away before my eyes. I have always owned Mer e-classes before but I thought I`d go for something a bit different.What a disaster a horrible wallowing brute that rattles and lurches around corners like a 1957 Humber Hawk, bits keep falling off, and now the wipers have packed up! You are complaining about your rusty s- class well mine has only done 60k and itr has already had to have new brake pipes and now needs extensive work on the door bottoms, tailgate and around the door handles. It is a truly dreadful car and MB seem to have no interest in assisting me - a 30 year customer.
I am having a new BMW 5 series this year probably a 530 diesel touring, and if it is as good as they say I will never reurn to Rusty Mercs
 

housewinnie

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c class rusty 02

i too have a lemon,had the tailgate painted for rust a couple of years ago now the front wings have bubbled, my car is 4 months over the 8 year goodwill period, and guess what they dont want to know nor do they care. gutting thing is i noticed it 6 months ago but waited till it went for a service. incidently i did ask the bodywork guy at my local mb dealership if they check the bodywork when cars are serviced. He assured me that they never do when they come in for mechanical servicing.......i will just have to get a pot of hammerite....
 

robertjrt

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Covent Garden London
Your Mercedes
S500L 2001, gone but, never forgotten
i have been reading this thread with interest -

i have just been told by MB that i would need to now sue them to try and get it done by them - even though the warranty details i have in the manual state bodywork and under body are covered!

Steve

Now thats interesting; do you have that in writing?
 

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