thin paint

[vinay.chapaneri]

i have a 2000 c class on a X reg W203 i have read on car websites that MB have changed the type of paint they are using to water based and this has caused problems , i am starting to get worried as i am waiting to take delivery in a few weeks, can anyone share any problems they have and how they got them fixed. please

 

[pascal]

Vijay

Nearly all paints are non-solvent nowadays.
I think most of the problems were with the E-Class around that year or B4.

Do a search for 'rust', and I'm sure you'll get enough information to keep you
reading for an evening or two

 

[vinay.chapaneri]

thanks for that , one other question do you agree with what people say that MB aren't building cars like they used to?

 

[pascal]

Well (my opinion) Vijay.

.......Don't think they are building them the way the old W123/W124s were.
These cars were over engineered(built to last forever) if anything.
I see this taxi guy in Greece, I think, has given back his early 80s 240d to
MB Germany. It has 2.5million miles on three rotated engines. They gave
him a new C220 as a token.
The reason that they are not as reliable etc. is that new innovations are not
tested for long enough. A new innovation costs a lot to develop, and in
order to stay ahead or on par with the opposition, must be fitted as soon
as possible.
So it all boils down to cost...............
.............Todays MBs are not as expensive (relatively) as in the past.
......You get all this technology ...... at a cost to quality. Not just MB, mind,
BMWs etc are all doing the same.

Also, very few people write posts on how their cars are not breaking, That
would be boring, even though the vast majority of MB owners never
experience any major problems at all except the prices they are been
charged for labour, and the way they are treated by Main Stealers

Finally, if MB were as bad as some make out, why do most go on to buy
another and another.

...........................Pascal

 

[vinay.chapaneri]

i agree with what you say, i used to have fords, before i managed to save up, and true say i never had any problems with any of the mondeos or focus's but mass produced cars , obvioulsy you get some problematic one ie. built on a friday afternoon. i'm very happy with my choice as i looked at a lot of bmw's. but i will keep my fingers crossed

 

[jberks]

Vinay,
welcome to the fold. The points made by Pascal are spot on. The quality has dropped as the complexity has risen and the price has fallen. Predictable really. That said, there is still little that really competes with them.
I have the notoriously rusty 2000 W210 and whilst it does have some very small spots of rust, its hardly bad and isn't visible unless you know where to look. I also remember my dad's cherished from new W123 at 5 years old needing some rust cleaning off the front wings (worse than my 5 year old 210) so I think there is an element of nostalgia involved. Also remember that when the reputation was forged, most mortals were running around in cars that were considered reliable if they managed to start 9 mornings out of 10 and the heater worked. I do agree that we are unlikely to find a W210 with 2.5 million miles on it, but then most will hit the scrapyard with failed electronics. The parts will be too costly and all it takes is a small sensor failing and the car won't run, perfect engine or not.
This affects all cars - have you seen the price of a Micra air sensor!

I suspect many merc owners (inc me) are just very fussy, and as Pascal says, who ever write about how reliable his car is! Faults my friends ignore on their cars would have mine heading straight for the dealer. - our expectations are just higher.
There are rogue ones, but provided yours has been looked after properly, Im sure youll be very happy with it.

 

[pascal]

Jberks,
Correct, correct, and correct.

I also remember my dad's cherished from new W123 at 5 years old needing some rust cleaning off the front wings

But even if the wings, The bumpers, the boot lid fell off, it would still get you home

That said, MB are only giving the customer what they want. For instance if
they brought out a new car, that had a totally reliable engine doing 20mpg,
but without electric windows/mirors/seats, central locking, aircon, cd player,
dimming mirors, airbags, abs, asr, esp, alloys, headrests, cruise, rain sensors,
parktronic, distronic, etc., with an option of a 3sp auto (8K), and three
colours to chose from. An extended One year body waranty included
for the first 100 customers :?: Price: same price as 1950 + inflation=
(someone else can work that one out)

Would they sell (m)any? :?:

 

[SLinKyjoe]

That said, MB are only giving the customer what they want. For instance if
they brought out a new car, that had a totally reliable engine doing 20mpg,
but without electric windows/mirors/seats, central locking, aircon, cd player,
dimming mirors, airbags, abs, asr, esp, alloys, headrests, cruise, rain sensors,
parktronic, distronic, etc., with an option of a 3sp auto (8K), and three
colours to chose from. An extended One year body waranty included
for the first 100 customers :?: Price: same price as 1950 + inflation=
(someone else can work that one out)

Would they sell (m)any? :?:[/QUOTE]

Where can i get this perfect car????

Morgan do one with similar spec but you have to wait a million years for it to be built and they make them out of wood so they have to chop down an entire rainforest just for your chassis. (I know its ASH they use and you dont find ash trees in rain forests!!! just a sarky joke in case a morgan driver/owner/fan/builder/boring bloke with a handlbar top lip and cap&scarf adds a post.) Or buy a lotus 111 with a cigar lighter and heater on/off switch standard. mind you it has a 1.8L rover engine!!!

We are a demanding bunch us Merc drivers. Never satisfied. However mine cost exactly half the price of my house and if that falls to bits i moan so why should the car be thought of any different. I sometimes think we neglect the car somewhat, even though drivers are now thought of as spawn of the devil.

Did you know that driving your car just 2 miles today will result in the earth ceasing to exist in 500 million years! I wonder what the last word said will be?

thin paint eh? look what you started.