SLK230 rust on wheel arches

B

bernieg

Guest
Hi everybody,

I've got a silver 2001 (facelifted) SLK230. I've recently noticed there is rust forming on the edges of the rear wheel arches, but not the front ones. Fortunately, the rust has not reached the faces of the panels yet, but I'm sure if I leave it, it will in time. Spoke to a stealership body man and he said that if I didn't keep them nice and clean, then this could happen. My wife drives a 1998 A3 and by comparison there isn't a blemish on the bodywork.

He also said that originally the bodywork was warrantied for 3 years, but that Mercedes extended the warranty by an extra 5 yrs on condition that you had the car serviced by them. Unfortunately I am just outside of this 8 yrs.

Has anybody else run into this rusty wheel arch problem?

Separately, I had the rear boot handle surround rust up twice (shown by bubbling paint) in the last few years which the same dealer repaired free of charge even though I didn't have the car serviced there.

Are there know problems and weaknesses in Mercedes bodywork?
I thought these were supposed to be prestige quality cars??

Interested to know your thoughts.



bern
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
Bern,,take a look at the rust threads,,loads of them,, where it is all stupid,,some get them fixed after the 8 years and others do not irrespective of where the car has been serviced.

I would try another dealer
 

scot360

New Member
Joined
Jul 12, 2009
Messages
8
Reaction score
0
Location
Huddersfield UK
Your Mercedes
SLK 230 tip
Hi bernieg,

Iv got the same car as you, facelift SLK 230 with exactly the same rust problems.

All 4 wings and tailgate below the handle. Iv been to the dealers to try and claim on the warranty but they fobbed me off with some crap excuse about some paint work been done on the car previously. Another member on here says that I need to go and apply some pressure on the paint so called expert at the dealership.


I am in the very same situation as you.
 
OP
B

bernieg

Guest
  • Thread Starter
  • Thread starter
  • #4
Hi Scot360,

I also had problems previously with around my rear boot handle where the paint was bubbling and you could see some rust. The dealer repaired this, but then it came back again and I had it repaired by a different dealer. Now the bubbling is starting to come back again.

Not good at all.



bern
 

antijam

Senior Member
Joined
Jul 20, 2008
Messages
1,628
Reaction score
94
Location
Gloucestershire
Your Mercedes
2003 SLK320
Hi Scot360,

I also had problems previously with around my rear boot handle where the paint was bubbling and you could see some rust. The dealer repaired this, but then it came back again and I had it repaired by a different dealer. Now the bubbling is starting to come back again.

Not good at all.



bern

I'm afraid that patch under the boot handle is almost impossible to keep permanently rust-free. no matter how well it's done, it always seems to recur.
 

racall

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 24, 2003
Messages
376
Reaction score
0
Age
75
Location
london
Your Mercedes
c class and slk
Has anyone ever tried the Halfords mixed on site aerosol paint match for their car ?

I had a patch of rust under the battery tray.I got a can mixed up at halfords and it was a good match.
 

gazzab

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
123
Reaction score
0
I took my CLK 52 plate to Sheffield Merc as it has some blisters in rear wheel arches. The car has last two services at non merc but merc have ok'd the repairs under corrosion warranty. No probs at all. The pain thickness was within tolerances so no concerns re accident repairs.
 

Xtractorfan

Senior Member
Joined
Nov 16, 2007
Messages
6,085
Reaction score
159
Your Mercedes
S class
Your 52 plate would come under the 8yr time warranty, the Mb service history is just another part of the equation to make you go away when you have passed the 8yr deadline.
 

gazzab

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
123
Reaction score
0
I am not going to take up Mercs kind offer - I have sold the car over the weekend, it should go in a couple of days.
 

television

Always remembered RIP
Joined
Mar 14, 2005
Messages
164,073
Reaction score
367
Age
89
Location
Daventry
Your Mercedes
2002 SL500, 216 CL500, all fully loaded
I am not going to take up Mercs kind offer - I have sold the car over the weekend, it should go in a couple of days.

I hope that you are staying with us
 

coventryslk

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 3, 2009
Messages
1,439
Reaction score
87
Age
42
Location
Coventry
Your Mercedes
W204 CDI Sport
Hi everybody,

I've got a silver 2001 (facelifted) SLK230. I've recently noticed there is rust forming on the edges of the rear wheel arches, but not the front ones. Fortunately, the rust has not reached the faces of the panels yet, but I'm sure if I leave it, it will in time. Spoke to a stealership body man and he said that if I didn't keep them nice and clean, then this could happen. My wife drives a 1998 A3 and by comparison there isn't a blemish on the bodywork.

He also said that originally the bodywork was warrantied for 3 years, but that Mercedes extended the warranty by an extra 5 yrs on condition that you had the car serviced by them. Unfortunately I am just outside of this 8 yrs.

Has anybody else run into this rusty wheel arch problem?

Separately, I had the rear boot handle surround rust up twice (shown by bubbling paint) in the last few years which the same dealer repaired free of charge even though I didn't have the car serviced there.

Are there know problems and weaknesses in Mercedes bodywork?
I thought these were supposed to be prestige quality cars??

Interested to know your thoughts.



bern

Did my arches a couple of months back with paint from jawel mixed to exact colour. Car now looks mint and will wax oil when i have time
 

turbopete

Senior Member
Joined
Feb 4, 2009
Messages
14,209
Reaction score
331
Age
48
Location
Spennymoor
Your Mercedes
2017 '17' Ford Mondeo 2.0TDCi ST Line X 180 (sorry)
Hi everybody,

I've got a silver 2001 (facelifted) SLK230. I've recently noticed there is rust forming on the edges of the rear wheel arches, but not the front ones. Fortunately, the rust has not reached the faces of the panels yet, but I'm sure if I leave it, it will in time. Spoke to a stealership body man and he said that if I didn't keep them nice and clean, then this could happen. My wife drives a 1998 A3 and by comparison there isn't a blemish on the bodywork.

He also said that originally the bodywork was warrantied for 3 years, but that Mercedes extended the warranty by an extra 5 yrs on condition that you had the car serviced by them. Unfortunately I am just outside of this 8 yrs.

Has anybody else run into this rusty wheel arch problem?

Separately, I had the rear boot handle surround rust up twice (shown by bubbling paint) in the last few years which the same dealer repaired free of charge even though I didn't have the car serviced there.

Are there know problems and weaknesses in Mercedes bodywork?
I thought these were supposed to be prestige quality cars??

Interested to know your thoughts.



bern

try finding an e class of that sort of era that DOESNT have this problem! there was some corner cutting enforced by the bean counters at MB as they were bordering on bankrupcy a few years ago. cheper (substandard) metal was used to make many of the bodypanels and this is the result!
 

gazzab

Senior Member
Joined
Aug 15, 2005
Messages
123
Reaction score
0
I hope that you are staying with us

Thanks Malcolm.
Thanks for all the help you have given me with the CLK and my previous E320CDI. You have been the main provider of solutions to the odd problem that one has with these cars. You have probably saved me quite a few quid over the last 5 or so years!
I wont be getting another Merc for a while. My wife has a Disco 3 and I also have a TVR Cerbera. I now have a job that means train into London and live away during the week. So dont need a normal car to get me about. If that changes then I might get a C220CDI as a hack. Although my father has an S320CDI that I think I might be able to grab at some point soon!!?
 


ALL MBO Club members qualify for 15% discount on second hand parts.Please see MBO Members’ Area for discount codewww.dronsfields.com
Top Bottom