Same old chestnut..and the same colour

[glenluceblue]

Back on the rust subject again. Can anyone tell me if this is true or utter bollocks please. I spoke to a guy from the MB approved bodyshop where my car is going tomorrow for a corrosion warranty inspection. According to him all claims are viewed as goodwill gestures by MB and are only applicable if the car is under 8 years. He then explained that this is because most areas where work is required are due to stone chipping - bonnets, wheel arches and doors. He then freely admits that it is now widely known that these cars have problems !!
Is he talking through a hole in his arse or is this all correct ? I also get the impression that if they respray an area then that wing or door etc is then exempt from future claims

 

[Blobcat]

He appears to be quite mixed up.
The 8 yr rule was prior to the 30 yr mobilolife corrosion warranty that came in October 1998. Pls see this thread http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=22817
Stone chips are not covered as they should have been treated/repaired by you. Likewise accident damage or panels repainted are not covered, unless they were repainted as part of the corrosion warranty and they have rusted again. Then they are covered.

 

[television]

He appears to be quite mixed up.
The 8 yr rule was prior to the 30 yr mobilolife corrosion warranty that came in October 1998. Pls see this thread http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=22817
Stone chips are not covered as they should have been treated/repaired by you. Likewise accident damage or panels repainted are not covered, unless they were repainted as part of the corrosion warranty and they have rusted again. Then they are covered.

It always amazes me how upset people get when they find that things like stone chips and parking damage is not covered.

Malcolm

 

[glenluceblue]

Thanks for the input lads. However , just for clarification, I never thought stone chips would be covered under any warranty but the way the guy was describing wheel arch problems coming from the inside out as still being stonechips seemed like a load of bollocks to me (and how can the boot lid be stonechips ?).
Again it's reassuring hearing from Blobcat that MB warranty repairs are covered by the Mobillo warranty as that is certainly not the understanding of the guy on the phone

 

[Blobcat]

Thanks for the input lads. However , just for clarification, I never thought stone chips would be covered under any warranty but the way the guy was describing wheel arch problems coming from the inside out as still being stonechips seemed like a load of bollocks to me (and how can the boot lid be stonechips ?).
Again it's reassuring hearing from Blobcat that MB warranty repairs are covered by the Mobillo warranty as that is certainly not the understanding of the guy on the phone

Pls have a read through your service booklet as the warranty for you car is listed out there. Forewarned is forearmed and you have already noticed that not every one has the correct information. They will undertake a paint thickness test on every panel and every area of rust is treated as a separate claim.

 

[glenluceblue]

Well, it's over for now. I visited the bodyshop today and had some good and bad news. He has agreed to put in a claim for the 2 front wheel arches and the boot lid but refuses to claim for any other areas. He says that all the other panels have been previously painted and are therefore exempt and he also claims that the crossmembers aren't covered !. I then went to my local bodyshop for a quote for the remainder of the work (he previously checked over the car and quoted £300 for everything) and it was then that he noticed some damage to the nearside. Every panel on the nearside had been creased and this could only have happened in the bodyshop as I cleaned around the car prior to taking it in today. Fortunately most of (if not all of)this will be sorted by the up and coming work but I've missed the opportunity for claims against the workshop as I never spotted it until I was long gone. The funny thing is that there is no paint damage only small dents and creases running at the same height the length of the car. B@stard !!!!!!!!!!

 

[jberks]

There is some confusion on what the corrosion warranty actually covers. I believe the chap is actually right. The corrosion warranty is actually an 'anti perforation' warranty and all these say is that they will cover if a panel corrodes through from the inside. Technically surface rust under the paint doesn't come under this description and so by the letter isn't actually covered. Hence the goodwill interpretation. It's just that as the problem is so common and we've all had work done, we take it as read.

 

[MIW615]

I have a four year old E-class and last year noticed some rust appearing around the boot lock, took the car to an approved Mercedes bodyshop for inspection and after waiting over four weeks had a reply that the boot lid had had previous paintwork so the claim was turned down - I have owned the car from new and it has never had paintwork done ANYWHERE. I appealed, but they wouldn't budge - poor customer service I think :sad:

 

[television]

I have a four year old E-class and last year noticed some rust appearing around the boot lock, took the car to an approved Mercedes bodyshop for inspection and after waiting over four weeks had a reply that the boot lid had had previous paintwork so the claim was turned down - I have owned the car from new and it has never had paintwork done ANYWHERE. I appealed, but they wouldn't budge - poor customer service I think :sad:

By this token, the 220 car that stumpy was going to buy had a dent in the front wing, so he rightly backed out of the sale. This car is going to have the damage repaired before being sold. If the new owner has a problem, do MB say sorry its been painted before.

Malcolm

 

[glenluceblue]

I have a four year old E-class and last year noticed some rust appearing around the boot lock, took the car to an approved Mercedes bodyshop for inspection and after waiting over four weeks had a reply that the boot lid had had previous paintwork so the claim was turned down - I have owned the car from new and it has never had paintwork done ANYWHERE. I appealed, but they wouldn't budge - poor customer service I think :sad:

Looking at your experience I think I've actually done alright. The worst affected areas are being sorted by MB (apparently the wings have already been painted but he's puting it through regardless as this an easy fix for them). I now know where I stand so they can shove their dealer servicing where the sun doesn't shine and I'll just visit the spray painter every year to keep on top. I think you'd need to be a Philadelphia lawer to get your head round the Mobillo warranty and really lifes to short - wish I'd kept the Alfa (how often do read that on a Merc site !)

 

[type49]

(and how can the boot lid be stonechips ?).

Maybe you drive very fast in reverse.

 

[television]

Maybe you drive very fast in reverse.

Maybe the car has been driven too fast forward down a gravel drive, a friend of mine had a new 450SL and a ½ mile gravel drive back in 87 at the start of water based paints, the boot was bare within 6 months.

Malcolm

 

[glenluceblue]

Maybe the car has been driven too fast forward down a gravel drive, a friend of mine had a new 450SL and a ½ mile gravel drive back in 87 at the start of water based paints, the boot was bare within 6 months.

Malcolm

If I had a gravel drive long enough to cause stone chipping I wouldn't be on here whinging about warranty repairs - I'd just dock the chauffeurs wages then sack his sorry arse

 

[television]

If I had a gravel drive long enough to cause stone chipping I wouldn't be on here whinging about warranty repairs - I'd just dock the chauffeurs wages then sack his sorry arse

You do have a good point, could it be that the boot missed the degreasing proccess when new, if you can flick it off with your finger nail,it would prove the point.

Malcolm.