Rusty R-class!!!

[paulh]

Hi all,

Just seeing if any one else has had any rust issues on recent (06 onwards) Mercs??

was cleaning my 56reg R-class the other day and noticed a slight bit of rust on the edge of bootlid!!

Took it the the dealer who assured me I must be mistaken until I asked him to explain what the mark on the boot was if it wasnt rust.

so its getting booked into be done Just wondered if anyone else similar issues (guess it would more likely effect M and GL-class as they are on the same production line in US)?

 

[jaymanek]

thats a first...

 

[Pooh_Bear]

Crikey it's a first to find someone who actually bought an R Class!

 

[stumpy]

Saw an R55 AMG in town once - a rarer car you will not find. But back on topic, that is disgraceful that rust has appeared already. If you have had the car from new and can be sure that it has never had a repair in life then you should be ok. However, my recent MB buying experience tells me that they push out used cars with quite shocking standards of repair and I'm sure they wriggle out of any bodywork claims in the future citing 'previous damage'.

Can you post a photo of the rust?

 

[paulh]

strangely enough since I got mine three other R320's have appeared in the local vicinity!!!! now I dont feel so unique! local dealer obviously had a job lot to get rid off

mentioned to one owner about the boot rust but his is fine so maybe its a one off, obviously ran out of paint when they got to my car!

otherwise been really impressed with the car

I'll take a picture and post it up.

cheers,

Paul.

 

[paulh]

Photos of rust and location

 

[paulh]

while looking on the web found this statement on the MB USA design site...

http://www.mbusi.com/pages/products_R_design.asp


Every body panel in the new R-Class is zinc-galvanized and coated on both sides with rust-preventing zinc pigments. A six-section plastic undercladding provides protection against stones, water and dirt, eliminating the need for any conventional PVC undercoating. Substantial wheel-well cladding (1/8-inch thick) also helps protect against stones and gravel.

so either the boot doesnt count as a body panel or something odd is going on!

 

[JEZ.S320L]

while looking on the web found this statement on the MB USA design site...

http://www.mbusi.com/pages/products_R_design.asp


Every body panel in the new R-Class is zinc-galvanized and coated on both sides with rust-preventing zinc pigments. A six-section plastic undercladding provides protection against stones, water and dirt, eliminating the need for any conventional PVC undercoating. Substantial wheel-well cladding (1/8-inch thick) also helps protect against stones and gravel.

so either the boot doesnt count as a body panel or something odd is going on!

Could it have been 'dinged' and badly repaired, before you took delivery?

 

[paulh]

true sometimes they can get knocked in shipment, just seems an odd place for that to happen because its right on the lip of the boot I'd be more inclined to think that something went wrong with the zinc treatment on this area.

still waiting for MB to get back to me about it to see what they say and do.

 

[Mr Teddy Bear]

That's an area susceptable to poor spray/dip techniques.
I always assumed that dipping used a electrolytic process so that make's one wonder about the QA ?
Teddy