RUST on my 2009 C180!! W204

[Lordcarter]

Hi all,

This is my first post on these forums. I wanted to see if anyone here can help and hopefully offer some advice.

Firstly some background. The car is a 2009 C180 K Blueefficientcy with 4k miles on it. I bought the car about 5 months ago with 580miles on it. Yes it was just over 3years old with 580miles on it. One owner kept in the garage. Apparently the chap that traded it in tp Plymouth mercedes only put on 263 miles by the time he handed it back after the purchase hire period! The Mercedes specialist I bought the car from, is based in london and put on another 220miles driving it up from Plymouth in Devon!!

The car was and is in perfect conditon. Not marks what-so-ever.

Last week I noticed some rust on the door! It is just under where the chrome bar that runs under the window on the rear passenger door! Now I am pretty heavily into my detailing and I can honestly say the paintwork is perfect and looks identical to the other dorrs. Not evidence of a reskin or touch up and the colour perfectly matches the rest of the car.

I took it into Cambridge mercedes last week. Thier paint warrenty guy was not there so one of the after sales staff had a look and got out the paint depth measuring device. He claims the doors measure 140 microns and the body in the 90-110 micron region. It booked in to see the paint specialist on wednesday.

Is it reasonable that the doors could be thicker than the body? 140 microns isnt a million miles outside of "normal" unlike the 250microns I have heard about on repaired cars.

Has anyone else had similar experiences? I believe I could be the first W204 with rust!?! The dealer cirtainly said it their first and I am warey of them trying to avoid a warrenty claim.

Many thanks in advance for any help or suggestions.

Updated with some pictures:

 

[vtaylor78]

Hi mate, sorry to hear about that.
Can you post up some pictures ? i would be interrested to see this.
But i would'nt worrie this will be sorted under the perferation warrenty.

 

[television]

Very hard measuring the paint thickness always more paint on the curves.

My CL has had no paint work done to it and the steel rear wing go from 117 to 240 at the last curve on the top

 

[Lordcarter]

I'll post up some pictures later or tomorrow. I think the dealer is concerned the door has been resprayed but sounds like it can vary quite a bit.

 

[Lordcarter]

Updated with pics

Thanks for the comments guys.

 

[Frontstep]

You need to try again !

 

[Rappey69]

I can see the pics...

 

[Lordcarter]

You need to try again !

Sorry should have mentioned I updated the first post with pics.

 

[television]

That could be a rust stain from a metal clip that has rusted, I would never have the door sprayed because of that,, it will T cut off and be treated

 

[ernieh]

That could be a rust stain from a metal clip that has rusted, I would never have the door sprayed because of that,, it will T cut off and be treated

That's what I thought when I saw the piccys! Worth having them look a it though.

Ernie

 

[Lordcarter]

There are small dots of rust coming through all over the door unfortunately. Seems like it rusting inside out.

 

[Benzworx]

Well just goes to show they still aint got it right !

 

[Lordcarter]

I'm hoping it a manufacturing defect. It is possible in the 263 miles before I owned it that it was resprayed. I'll find out tomorrow.

 

[bigtwin]

"*Cough* Sir has the good fortune to have the colour changing paint option that was offered as a very expensive design feature on these models..."

 

[coventryslk]

That could be a rust stain from a metal clip that has rusted, I would never have the door sprayed because of that,, it will T cut off and be treated

I would take Malcolms response as the answer

 

[Lordcarter]

I would take Malcolms response as the answer

Hi,

Its not rust stain. On closer inspection the rust appears quite deep and begining to flake away. Also there are small dots of rust appearing all over the door from top to bottom!

 

[Lordcarter]

UPDATE

I've been to the paint specialist. He was convinced the paintwork was orginal and will be submitting a "good will" claim to Germany HQ. If they approve they will Pick the car up and take it to Norwich paint shop.

Here's hoping!

 

[Lordcarter]

Good News - Mercedes have agreed to fix the rust spot for free and I get to keep the 30yr warrenty.

The little brown spots were actually tiny iron filings from the elctricity factory I live near. They will polish out.

They are not going to replace the door, just clean up the rusted area and respray. considering the rusted area is not on the main panel, the resprayed area shouldnt be too noticable.

I ahve a question. If the door is galvansied and it started rusting, doesnt that mean I wont have any zinc left anywhere on that door?

 

[Ricardo_e220]

Don't let them polish out metal deposits use iron x on the car, easier on the paint= fewer swirls.

Glad they are sorting it, my 2009 seems to have something round the rear bootlid chrome part I need to look at.

 

[Lordcarter]

Don't let them polish out metal deposits use iron x on the car, easier on the paint= fewer swirls.

They shouldnt be doing any polishing just respraying where it has rusted.

Thanks for the Iron X tip