Dieselman
Banned
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2003
- Messages
- 34,206
- Car
- Peugeot 403 Convertible
Further to gary's comment I will share a little info.
It is a sad fact that all MB products suffer corrosion due to poor build quality and paint application.
Some areas of the bodies are poorly stamped out leaving sharp edges which are either unpainted or the paint can't sufficiently cover. This is where most of the corrosion starts, think about it it's always joints and seams.
We are all aware of the corrosion affecting late '90s cars, which affects the whole range including aluminium bodied CL cars.
Strangely the humble A class appears to be the best performer, I have a thought on this.
If the paint thickness is measured on a late '90s car it will be in the region of 60-100 microns thick varying across the body. Thats primer, colour coat and clear lacquer. Pretty thin. Remember ther are 1000 microns to a millimetre.
This is due to two things; one, waterbased paints are slower drying so are more likely to run if applied too thick, and two, the colour can now be achieved in a single coat so MB save a significant amount of money by applying only one coat.
Post new century cars appear to have a thicker paint coat of about 80-100 microns but from approx '02 have had seam sealer deleted from the joints.
Post late '04 cars now have galvanising and seam sealer back on the joints to stop corrosion. The measured thickness on these cars is about 110 microns due to even paint application and the zinc plating adding additional thickness.
Some cars have aluminium panels to save weight, but be aware that aluminium does corrode if exposed to water.
On a particular current model with aluminium front wings, bonnet and boot check the boot skin to frame joints carefully. Due to the lack of seam sealer water is entering the joint and causing corrosion. (you can see I'm being very diplomatic here )
I have a theory that metallic paint may offer lesser protection due to containing the metal chips, whereas soid colour cars the whole paint thickness is made up of paint which is therefore more flexible.
Regarding the A-class. As it is the budget MB, maybe more of them are specified with solid colour than other models, hence as a range it is more tollerant to poor application.
gary350 said:John my dealer told me that corrosion problems that MB had and not just the E class was being put down to the change and thinness of the new paints, not to sure on that I would have thought the initial protection would have been at fault, anyway they say its all OK now, suddenly his nose grew another 4 inches.
gary
It is a sad fact that all MB products suffer corrosion due to poor build quality and paint application.
Some areas of the bodies are poorly stamped out leaving sharp edges which are either unpainted or the paint can't sufficiently cover. This is where most of the corrosion starts, think about it it's always joints and seams.
We are all aware of the corrosion affecting late '90s cars, which affects the whole range including aluminium bodied CL cars.
Strangely the humble A class appears to be the best performer, I have a thought on this.
If the paint thickness is measured on a late '90s car it will be in the region of 60-100 microns thick varying across the body. Thats primer, colour coat and clear lacquer. Pretty thin. Remember ther are 1000 microns to a millimetre.
This is due to two things; one, waterbased paints are slower drying so are more likely to run if applied too thick, and two, the colour can now be achieved in a single coat so MB save a significant amount of money by applying only one coat.
Post new century cars appear to have a thicker paint coat of about 80-100 microns but from approx '02 have had seam sealer deleted from the joints.
Post late '04 cars now have galvanising and seam sealer back on the joints to stop corrosion. The measured thickness on these cars is about 110 microns due to even paint application and the zinc plating adding additional thickness.
Some cars have aluminium panels to save weight, but be aware that aluminium does corrode if exposed to water.
On a particular current model with aluminium front wings, bonnet and boot check the boot skin to frame joints carefully. Due to the lack of seam sealer water is entering the joint and causing corrosion. (you can see I'm being very diplomatic here )
I have a theory that metallic paint may offer lesser protection due to containing the metal chips, whereas soid colour cars the whole paint thickness is made up of paint which is therefore more flexible.
Regarding the A-class. As it is the budget MB, maybe more of them are specified with solid colour than other models, hence as a range it is more tollerant to poor application.