Rust

[Suki]

Hi All,
I have a suspicion that i will know the answer to my question....

R reg C250 TD.
I have got some bubbling of the paint near the boot key hole.
What is the best way to cure/resolve.
I am tempted to have a go myself (i.e. remove lock sand down etc) but very worried that I will ruin the back of the car...
Has anyone tried this? and if so what were the results like?
Regards
Suki

 

[philharve]

Suki

Have a look at this thread ...

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=29544

It doesn't deal with your particular problem - there are other threads that deal with boot lid corrosion - but the principles are the same. A touchup repair won't last because rust will break out again and probably elsewhere.

You can try submitting a corrosion claim but if it's rejected then the only long term solution is to fund a professional repair yourself. It won't be cheap.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[jberks]

Don't do it yourself. Unless you know what you're doing, it will look awful. There are 100 tricks of the trade and unless you know them all, you aren't going to be able to get a decent finish. As Phil says, try submitting a claim at your dealer. They rusted due to a design fault on the seal and MB are aware of this. Most mercs of this era rusted in the same place.
If not, then for around £200 a good bodyshop should be able to sort it.

 

[Suki]

Hi Thanks for your help....
Mercedes reckon that paintwork is only under warranty for 8 years!
Not heard of that! Oh well. The reckon the work will cost me ~£800 so I will be looking around for a cheaper option!
If anyone knows a place near Reading (apart from Wigmore) please let me know.
Regards
Suki

 

[Blobcat]

Hi Thanks for your help....
Mercedes reckon that paintwork is only under warranty for 8 years!
Not heard of that! Oh well. The reckon the work will cost me ~£800 so I will be looking around for a cheaper option!
If anyone knows a place near Reading (apart from Wigmore) please let me know.
Regards
Suki

R reg being Aug 97 to Aug 98 is prior to the 30yr corrosion warranty, therefore the 8yrs they have told you is correct.

 

[jberks]

£800 for what?
The last bodywork I had cost roughly £80 per panel and £60 per panel to fade in the paintwork. Any prep work was included. So, assume £80 for the boot lid and £120 to fade to both wings - £200 not £800 surely. For £800 you're getting into the realm of a complete respray which your car shouldn't be close to needing.

Ok - these prices are for a non dealer bodyshop but that's probably where your car would end up anyway as most dealers don't have their own bodyshops (MB Leeds uses Reg Vardy). Mine was done at the local specialist's bodyshop and the standard of workmanship was excellent (had to be- the car was 14 months old so I was a bit paranoide but quite happy with the results).
Ask your friends, and on here, for a reputable bodyshop (word of mouth is king with these things) and get a quote.

 

[roadrunner]

I'm a paint sprayer & whoever quoted you £800 needs a slap!! I would only charge about £80-£100 for that job.

 

[brandwooddixon]

I think that the dealers occaisionally resort to replacing the entire boot in this instance, although I was quoted £375 by mine.
I for one will be approaching a little body shop just down the road when I wish to get mine sorted.

 

[alexspurs61]

I'm sure this is no bargain, but as a a guide, mine was £1200 at a very good bodyshop. Pleased with the work:

Two new MB front wings fitted, painted, blended in.
Rust to door tops (all) treated.
Rust on front doors sorted, doors painted/blended in.
Rear arches rust sorted and rear wings painted/blended in
Bootlid sorted and painted/blended in.

Seven panels in total painted

 

[Suki]

I finally got the quote!
It is over £1000.
I thought I would show you what they are repairing!

 

[alexspurs61]

I'll echo jberks sentiment - that's way expensive. Like I said teh extensive work I had done was £1200, but even the approved MB repair place @ £2400compared favourably to that £800 quote you've had, given the amount of work.

Anyone got a Berks recommendation for Suki?

 

[Suki]

Alex,
I am trying Wigmore's or rather the company that bought them out... I shall let you know how I get on!
Thanks for your help so far.

 

[philharve]

Hi Thanks for your help....
Mercedes reckon that paintwork is only under warranty for 8 years!
Not heard of that! Oh well. The reckon the work will cost me ~£800 so I will be looking around for a cheaper option!
If anyone knows a place near Reading (apart from Wigmore) please let me know.
Regards
Suki

Hi Suki

I agree with the other members, any quote approaching 4 figures is definitely suspect. I recently had 4 wings repaired & repainted for not much more that you were quoted. Did they state what they will do for the money? (re: ~GBP800)

I've had every panel except boot lid and roof painted and I would judge a professional repair to a boot lid would be of the order of GBP200 - 300. This would include paint removal, rust curing and repainting.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[Suki]

Back again,
I got another quote from the company that has now replaced wigmore in reading ther are called Prestige Quality car repair. They have quoted just over £500. It's much better but I really don't understand why it is so much...
I know that people say that they have to beldn teh colours in etc, but that much???
Anyway a question to you all out there is is there any way to stop the rust from getting worse?
I am thinking of a temporary solution of wax sealing it until I decide what to do?

 

[philharve]

Hi Suki

Whatever you decide to do, you will only arrest the rusting process for a limited time. The sort of thing you could do is scrape off the visible rust and paint on a rust inhibitor. It won't look nice but it may delay the rusting process. It won't stop it. The best option is to get you car to the bodyshop asap.

The GBP500.00 quote is a big improvement over the GBP800.00 quote but it still seems to high. I'm wondering what they will do to repair your car. Repaint the rear wings, perhaps, as part of the blending process? I should have thought a first class boot job would be around GBP300.00, including paint matching. With the right painting equipment the bodyshop should be able to avoid repainting adjacent body panels.

I think you ought to get a written quote stating what the bodyshop intends to do. That way you can judge the extent of the work and whether it is justified.

When I submitted a claim to resolve a rust issue with one of my rear door window channels, the rust bubble was about three-sixthteenths of an inch in diameter. Quite small really. But it took Mercedes over 8 months to admit my claim during which the rust had spread to about the size of the top half of my thumb. Fortunately I had the good sense to take photographs of the rust growth. I didn't treat the rust because Mercedes can be a bit funny about temporary repairs. It's important that the dealer records the rust prior to any treatment. If they then delay the repair and the rust spreads, they assume full responsibility if the part has to be replaced.

If your boot is a warranty job and the bodyshop is Mercedes-approved, you could inform Mercedes that you are going ahead with the repairs and you expect Mercedes to reimburse you later when they finally admit your claim, if the do. Be warned, Mercedes know what repairs cost and every panel of your car will have been costed. If you pay GBP500.00 to repair your boot lid and Mercedes fix the repair at GBP300.00 (say), you could be out of pocket.

If you want to go ahead with the repair, let Mercedes know first.

Don't leave the repair too long because the corrosion process will continue.

REGARDS

Phil

 

[hawk20]

R reg being Aug 97 to Aug 98 is prior to the 30yr corrosion warranty, therefore the 8yrs they have told you is correct.

Blobcat, do you know precisely when the 30 year rust guarantee started. Was it sometime in 1999?

 

[hawk20]

On another forum I see someone says Mobilo began on 24th October 1998. Can anyone confirm?

And is it right that prior to that the rust guarantee was 8 years?

 

[eGuru]

On another forum I see someone says Mobilo began on 24th October 1998. Can anyone confirm?

And is it right that prior to that the rust guarantee was 8 years?

Hawk
Used to own a 1995 W202. Had a sticker on it to say 10 year warranty against rust (or words to that effect). Despite having stone chips on the bonnet, there was not a spot of rust on the car! Sold the car to a friend and still no rust.
Jay

 

[hawk20]

Hawk
Used to own a 1995 W202. Had a sticker on it to say 10 year warranty against rust (or words to that effect). Despite having stone chips on the bonnet, there was not a spot of rust on the car! Sold the car to a friend and still no rust.
Jay

Amazing. Before health and safety forced the use of water-based paints. My nephew has a G registered E class 230 and no rust at about 200k miles. Goes well and original engine and auto gearbox.

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

I have this problem as I have mentioned before.
I got service at Sytners the Bristol Merc dealer to look at her today.
Got what appears to be the stock answers of stone chip damage/ its 9 years
old. Then went on to claim that all panels had been resprayed anf were not up to Merc quality standards and commented regarding panel shade differences. The annoying thing is what looks like stone chipp damage has gone right through to bear metal. However there are two other spots one right in the centre of the lower drivers door panel that has bubbled and burst
from clean paint work this year. Also he observed that one wing panel would need replacement to stop the rust re-appearing.
I am going to book a appointment fro the week to see the paint specialist who will measure the paint thickness.
Any similar situations where Merc' have made a contribution to the cost as the car is out of guarantee?
Someof you who were there for the open day must have had a look at her did
she look that bad, I did'nt think so before today.

Unhappy Bear