2001 w220 RUST in several places..........

[Vlad]

apart from the recent well documented problems you have to ask just when did Mercedes make cars that didn't rust prematurely?

find a W124 with no rust (particulartly on the front wings) and you are doing well

find any W123 that hasn't needed major welding or rust repairs to keep it roadworthy

In fact find any Mercedes over five years old with no rust and you are looking at an exception rather than the rule. The engines may last forever but the bodywork is pretty poor on anything built since the 1980s.

We have a 1992 Mondeo that has spent it's whole life on the South Coast (the original owner who had the car for 12 years lived on the seafront) and it hasn't got a spot of rust antwhere on the bodywork - we parked it next to a 1993 W124 coupe the other day with holes in the front wings !!!!

It's seldom the dealers fault but they should try to soften the blow and be as helpful as possible. they are our only real contact with MB themselves and it's nice to feel that they are on your side in the negotiations.

Andy

Can't really agree on this.....I've never had a rusty W124.....yes you do see them from time to time but in view of the fact that most have serious mileage under their belts then its not that surprising that they may have a rust hole in the front wing. But as its a bolt off, bolt on for a new wing, its not a major problem and apart from this the W124 is very good against rust and you rarely have them suffer from structual rust etc etc.

In terms of the W123, yes they do rust, but the youngest is 21 years old !!!!....there aren't that many cars from other manufacturers of that age still being used as daily drivers.....volvo's accepted !

 

[Flash]

The dealer did not mention the rule about ownership length

DC are "CLEVER" - in order to submit a genuine claim the Bodyshop now request to make a photocopy of your "Log Book" which DC will then look at... They made a copy of my Log Book to for my recent claims and if not owned the vehilce for at least 6 months will use it as a "get out clause..."

 

[glojo]

They made a copy of my Log Book to for my recent claims and if not owned the vehilce for at least 6 months will use it as a "get out clause..."

With vehicles covered by mobilio I can understand the servicing issue, but length of ownership is surely irrelevant?

I can imagine a dealer selling a vehicle would 'encourage' a buyer to claim under mobilio scheme as opposed to fixing the problem out of their own budget?

John

 

[Mr E]

Be interesting to see under what basis they can use it as a "get out" clause....I'm probably going to rgret it as I can't be bothered to walk to the car and check, but when has Mobilio had a stipulation regarding minimum length of ownership?

For example - pick up new car monday, see rust on tuesday, can't claim for 6 months? Very extreme example, but can't see it. Could be a "fob off" tactic, but 1) would ask to see where the warrenty says this, and 2) in light of the articles and publicity recently would seem to be unwise of DC to be doing this.

Not disputing anything that peeps have been told by dealers, but we often get told things and don't validate them.

 

[aka$h]

Can't really agree on this.....I've never had a rusty W124.....yes you do see them from time to time but in view of the fact that most have serious mileage under their belts then its not that surprising that they may have a rust hole in the front wing. But as its a bolt off, bolt on for a new wing, its not a major problem and apart from this the W124 is very good against rust and you rarely have them suffer from structual rust etc etc.

In terms of the W123, yes they do rust, but the youngest is 21 years old !!!!....there aren't that many cars from other manufacturers of that age still being used as daily drivers.....volvo's accepted !

Wish that was true for me, ive had 3 124's and 2 of them have had rust issues. The first was a '89 300e, 150k rust on the front arches and on 1 rear, that was about 2 years ago. Ive also got rust on my current one, both rear wings and both fronts, the fronts are a cheap replacement but the rears are costly, still has to be done though.

 

[Vlad]

Akash,

Hands up, you are right about the rear arches....I suppose that I've been lucky on that front, however, when you mention the arches on your 1989 W124, I suppose to put things into perspective your car is 17 years old.....not bad all things considered....many other cars would have been scrapped by now

I suppose what I was trying to say, in a ham fisted sort of way, is that W124's and other MB's of that era resist rust significantly better than a more modern Merc, specifically the W210 which as we all know is the younger sister of the W124......sadly I can't see there being many 17 year old W210's running arround

A tip to all W124 and older Merc owners for that matter.....clean out the mud that collects within the wheel arch lips on a monthly basis as it acts as a moisture trap and can help rust out those arches.

 

[Vlad]

DC are "CLEVER" - in order to submit a genuine claim the Bodyshop now request to make a photocopy of your "Log Book" which DC will then look at... They made a copy of my Log Book to for my recent claims and if not owned the vehilce for at least 6 months will use it as a "get out clause..."

Sorry, I don't agree we had only had our car a couple of weeks before I went down to my dealer and the Log Book wasn't even in my name when they photocopied it.

 

[Carlos Fandango]

Ring Milton Keynes customer service and check, DC policy is that the person making the claim has to be the registered keeper for a minimum of 6 months.

 

[Vlad]

Ring Milton Keynes customer service and check, DC policy is that the person making the claim has to be the registered keeper for a minimum of 6 months.

If thats the case, then I can only assume that we were very lucky and that the guy at my local dealer either turned a blind eye or someone messed up.....thank goodness.

I can understand if DC were to implement that ruling as you would get car traders submitting claims all the time!!

 

[Flash]

When I was down at MB Bodyshop last week the assessor said to his colleague refering to myself when looking at the paperwork in additon to the Service History "...his the registered owner since new... so thats cool...".

Some Bodyshops check/measure the paint thickness where others dont bother and there is some inconsistentcy in the Claims Process for Bodywork Corrosion Claims. Find a "friendly" MB approved bodyshop and I am sure that they could "influence" the outcome of a claim i.e. when they check/measure the thickness of the paint to check for possible resprays...

 

[aka$h]

Had the car inspected again, they say the rear arches are a known issue and wont be a problem. The front wing has been replaced and the drivers door which has 2 rust patches (rusting inside out) and has been sprayed at some point. They are disputing the claim on the door as a result, the car was supplied as a Signiture approved vehicle and should have been checked for paintwork before being sold to me (makes sense why i was never given a copy of the pre-delivery checklist).

I should know by Wednesday what happening, if its not approved they will have a battle.

 

[glojo]

They are disputing the claim on the door as a result, the car was supplied as a Signiture approved vehicle and should have been checked for paintwork before being sold to me (makes sense why i was never given a copy of the pre-delivery checklist).

Hi aka$h,
Who is actually 'they' please?

I am totally on your side over this issue and would like to know who I am going to stick pins in.

Good luck,
John

 

[aka$h]

"They" are MBUK, the inspector today had come over from Milton Keynes.

 

[glojo]

"They" are MBUK, the inspector today had come over from Milton Keynes.

I am now making an effigy of the inspector.

Pins will be stuck into the most painful of places

Good luck,
John

 

[big x]

Ring Milton Keynes customer service and check, DC policy is that the person making the claim has to be the registered keeper for a minimum of 6 months.

This seems to be a new get out clause.I know MBUK where trying to stop traders buying cheap rusting titanic type hulks at auction and getting free
resprays but how can they change the terms of the small print as regards registered ownership length.I would of thought the Mobilolife document I have was legally binding ?
Vlad...I've yet to see a plastic panal W124 without some rust at the rear jacking hole...MB rust problems seem to date from around 1990 IMHO although clearly the W124 is a well proven mileage eater in almost all respects.

adam

 

[grober]

Think the rot set in when they moved from solvent based paint to water based paint in the early 90s as Big x said. Made necessary by new environment legislation for car manufacturing plants I think.

 

[andy_k]

Can't really agree on this.....I've never had a rusty W124.....yes you do see them from time to time but in view of the fact that most have serious mileage under their belts then its not that surprising that they may have a rust hole in the front wing. But as its a bolt off, bolt on for a new wing, its not a major problem and apart from this the W124 is very good against rust and you rarely have them suffer from structual rust etc etc.

In terms of the W123, yes they do rust, but the youngest is 21 years old !!!!....there aren't that many cars from other manufacturers of that age still being used as daily drivers.....volvo's accepted !

W124s rust badly on the front arches - it's a known issue and one that we all accept but why should we? A modern car (and buy that I mean post 1990) should not be going rusty.

The bodywork is a weak point but then if they lasted forever nobody would buy a new one

We had a 1989 Peugeot - a complete dog of a car but not a spot of rust anywhere on the bodywork which had racked up 190k when we sold it to a friend who put another 20k on it before it was written off in an accident and as I said earlier, there is a 1992 Mondeo parked outside which has hardly been treated with kid gloves. Crap car, spent it's life at the seaside but no rust and it's done 140k. Everything still works, there's no worn patch on the drivers seat bolster etc etc.

I'm not sure when the MB quality slipped or whether it was ever really there. What is fair to assume is that in the 1970s and 1980s Mercedes were so far ahead of the game compared to the other manufacturers that they earned a reputation they've been trading off ever since.

Andy

 

[Birdman]

I'm not sure when the MB quality slipped or whether it was ever really there. What is fair to assume is that in the 1970s and 1980s Mercedes were so far ahead of the game compared to the other manufacturers that they earned a reputation they've been trading off ever since.
Andy

It takes a lot for great automakers names to disappear into the quicksands of history. I think DC has been rather closer to the tipping point than it realises and is not out of the woods yet. Liking their cars isn't enough, they've got to be better made imo.

 

[glojo]

but how can they change the terms of the small print as regards registered ownership length.I would of thought the Mobilolife document I have was legally binding ?

I personally believe that if you are the registered keeper\owner of the vehicle then I cannot see how DaimlerChrysler can wriggle out of their obligations.

Car dealers that buy cars will try to get repair work done as cheaply as possible, but they never usually register a vehicle in their name (we are talking here of second-hand cars and not new vehicles registered to employee's)

Has anyone had a claim turned down simply because they have newly acquired the vehicle?

John

 

[Dieselman]

I suspect the crux of the matter is that MB can and will call all the shots as no claims are being met against the Mobilo-life warranty. They are all being met as goodwill so MB can change the rules at any time and can authorise or decline any claim as they see fit.