2 year old C Class Coupe paint problem!

[SmartMAC]

I thought mine had only the boot affected but on closer inspection I have found is on the boot, both rear quarters and front bumper. No doubt it will appear everywhere so I am going to phone the dealer on Monday as he has put a claim for just the boot and tell him I want the whole car repainted.
Fingers crossed this will have a happy end.

 

[SmartMAC]

Update.

Car booked in 16th feb for the boot but will be inspected before on the 31st Jan to assess how many more panels are affected. I know of 4 but I was wondering how many they need before they have to go and do the whole car. The chances are all panels will show signs sooner or later anyway and I rather get everything done in one go.

Can you reply if you got the whole car done and if you have, how many panels were showing the issue when it was resprayed.

 

[RobinCcoupe]

Paint

I was told by the excellent MB approved (also Bentley!) paintshop that it will apear on all panels eventualy, if you have it on one, its only a matter of time, but you will get it at some time on all. The paintshop mine went to had extensive experience of this issue and were very aware of it.

The plastics, spoiler, rear and side skirts were not painted by the same process or at the same time, and they have not heard of any issue with them, nor expect any.

I was told it was a paint reaction issue stemming from the primer over the metal, it eminated from the factory paintwork and would not have been visible at the time of leaving the factory, and can appear any time after, weeks, months, or years.
The opinions I was offered sugested that they "believed" its appearance may be due to moisture, so wether you get it "may" be dependent on country, climate, and wether the car is garaged. I believe that was only an opinion and not a proven fact.

When mine went for spray it was initialy for all panels except the bonnet as no one including me had observed any defect on the bonnet, the paintshop who had a lot of experience of this defect, noticed the very early signs of it on the bonnet, they contacted the dealer who told them NOT to do it, but the paint shop also told me so I found out, and after I kicked up very forcefully that was also done. I am delighted with the final job.

I'd rather not name the dealer, the paintshop was superb, the dealer less so, the whole thing has left a nasty taste, great cars, terrible dealers. This is the third MB I have bought, one new, two s/h approved, I have had customer service issues before with both this and another MB dealer.

I nearly did not buy MB this time purely because of my previous experience with MB main dealers previous customer service, but it was the car I wanted and I love them, but I bought it with some nerviousness and hoping that I had previously been unlucky.

I believe there is a degree of deciet in all of this, it's a very well known problem, I do not believe that all UK official dealers are not very well aware, and certainly MB UK and Germany are very aware of it.

At least I have an excellent independent MB close by so for service so I never need to go near this or any other MB dealer again, until I want to change cars and I think it will influence what I buy next time.

 

[SmartMAC]

Thanks for that. I want to have all the info before I go to MB on Saturday to get the car inspected.

 

[riders]

Hi all

My car has just come back from Mercedes after having a full re spray and a Service FOC for the inconvenience!
Took a bloody month mind and had to drive a horrid new A Class around for a month!

 

[riders]

RobinCcoupe whereabouts was your car taken into as I wonder if one of those there was mine?

 

[erisaman]

Hi all, just coming back to MB after a spell away - and am about to purchase an E220 Coupe in Fire Opal. It's a 2013, pre-facelift car, but low mileage, hence my interest - and from a little research I find the C-Class cars and the E-Class coupes are built in the same factory (Bremen) so are therefore painted alongside each other, and using the same primer, obviously. Any instances of the E coupes being so affected?

 

[SmartMAC]

Hi all

My car has just come back from Mercedes after having a full re spray and a Service FOC for the inconvenience!
Took a bloody month mind and had to drive a horrid new A Class around for a month!

Funny you said that. I have been given a smart forfour for the duration of my respray. Well, at least they are doing the work and the process has been pain free so far.

 

[Haroon]

Hi Guys,

Do anyone have any pictures please of there defected paint?

Much appreciated

 

[SmartMAC]

Hi Guys,

Do anyone have any pictures please of there defected paint?

Much appreciated

I think you will find its very hard to photograph. It looks like very fine sap from trees. It's a very uniform defect that's how I noticed it.

On a nice note, dealer just called to say the car is ready just after 4 days. Apparently the smart demonstrator they gave me is needed for a VIP event over the weekend so they fast tracked my car. Result!

 

[riders]

Hi

Yes its impossible to actually take pictures of this paint problem, even with a top quality camera.
It basically looks like the car has a case of measles when this paint problem comes out.
It is so uniform and the defect appears all over the car practically at the same time on every panel.
But the only good news is that Mercedes are dealing with it when found in what I would call a very fair and professional way.

 

[SmartMAC]

Car is back after the respray but I am not happy at the moment. Found a couple of blemishes in the fresh paint and they have made a mess of the inside trim of the boot lid.

I'll be calling them tomorrow and see how they propose to sort it out. Maybe all this rushing to get the job sorted...

 

[riders]

Did you have the whole car resprayed?
As that should take a couple of weeks at least as they have to take the car back to the metal and start again!
4 days to me sounds iffy?

 

[SmartMAC]

Did you have the whole car resprayed?
As that should take a couple of weeks at least as they have to take the car back to the metal and start again!
4 days to me sounds iffy?

They didn't do the whole car. Bootlid and both rear quarters.

It does sound like a very quick turnaround but I would not know how long it should take. They said they had to prioritize my car because they needed the smart car back before the weekend.

 

[Boabby]

Purchased a red 12 plate c180 from mb dealer last week just inside three year warranty.
Wish I had seen this forum last week!
On purchase I noticed tiny measle blisters on boot and was told they would sort it. Today I now know my one week old used mb needs a total respray.
I am livid as they knew the issue but failed to tell me.

 

[erisaman]

Purchased a red 12 plate c180 from mb dealer last week just inside three year warranty.
Wish I had seen this forum last week!
On purchase I noticed tiny measle blisters on boot and was told they would sort it. Today I now know my one week old used mb needs a total respray.
I am livid as they knew the issue but failed to tell me.

Sorry to hear that, I empathise fully.

I've had no replies (to my earlier query re the E-Coupe) which suggests the E-Class coupe Fire Opal has 'escaped' the measle rash. Any suggestions as to proceeding - or should I change to a 'safe' colour such as Palladium?

 

[Ted]

Purchased a red 12 plate c180 from mb dealer last week just inside three year warranty. Wish I had seen this forum last week! On purchase I noticed tiny measle blisters on boot and was told they would sort it. Today I now know my one week old used mb needs a total respray. I am livid as they knew the issue but failed to tell me.

Then use the thirty day return scheme.
You can return a car within thirty days if you are unhappy with it for whatever reason.

 

[MancMike]

So if everyone with red mercs is getting them resprayed, is mine (also with this problem) too old to have it sorted by Mercedes for free? It's a 57 plate.

 

[SmartMAC]

So if everyone with red mercs is getting them resprayed, is mine (also with this problem) too old to have it sorted by Mercedes for free? It's a 57 plate.

I would ask, I think the warranty against paint defects is much greater than the standard 3 years.

 

[st13phil]

I've had no replies (to my earlier query re the E-Coupe) which suggests the E-Class coupe Fire Opal has 'escaped' the measle rash.

I can't help regarding the likelihood of an issue with Fire Opal Red on the E-Class Coupe, but my wife's 2009 R171 is in Fire Opal Red and definitely doesn't exhibit the problem.