3 or 6

[Robbo]

Having read through this thread, I am appalled at the poor quality of these cars. My 11 year old cavalier has less corrosion than some of you have on your cars! I hope you are all successful in getting these problems resolved.

Robbo

 

[Dieselman]

Having read through this thread, I am appalled at the poor quality of these cars. My 11 year old cavalier has less corrosion than some of you have on your cars! I hope you are all successful in getting these problems resolved.

Robbo

Unfortunately your next car may not be so good. All manufacturers are now suffering paint pronlems due to water based paints and the need to reduce both weight and cost.

MB are just ahead of the game.

 

[Robbo]

Diesalman,

I also own a C320, and the Cavalier has less stonechips than the Merc

 

[GregE240]

Look at a Porche 911 rear wings to see what I mean.

Ah, but all Porkers have fully galvanised chassis and body panels.

Its rare to see a Porsche less than about 20 years old covered in rust.

No sign of anything at all on my 3 y/o Boxster S.

Took my 210 (5 years, 9 months) into Mercedes Birmingham earlier today. They are prearing a report for me for submission to MB. The chap who looked over the car told me "not to hold my breath" as MB seem to be coming back with corrorsion down to "wear and tear".

I asked him how they could qualify rust around a boot lock button as being wear and tear when it was coming through from underneath. He couldn't answer that.

He argued my NSF wing would probably be rejected on the grounds of stonechipping. Again I argued the paint was so awful you only had to rub hard with your hand and it comes off (honestly it does). I contrasted this panel with other front panels which seem to be painted to a half decent standard.

I will report back in due course....

Greg

 

[ZORRO]

First post, so hello forum members!

Ignorance was bliss till I read this thread, and gave my August 1998 E300TD estate a close inspection. You guessed it - advanced rust under the door seals, slight around the tail-gate lock, some under the bonnet. Big disappointment after my last Mercedes (1988 W124 230TE) which was rust free after 10 years.

I rang MBUK customer services to ask for the details of warranty. He stated that for August 1998, it was only 1 year, and made a comment about what to expect on a 5 year old car.

I gather from previous posts that it should be 6 years for corrosion on this car. If that's so it's off to MB Southampton for a warranty claim inspection..........

 

[Shude]

Its rare to see a Porsche less than about 20 years old covered in rust.

My Father's 1983 944 is still rust-free! Lots of other stuff broke (mainly early 80s cheapo VW or Audi electrical bits) but the rest of the car has been great!

 

[jimti]

drivers door

 

[jimti]

Off side door

 

[jimti]

and the boot. I also have rust on both the other doors and the near side front wing How can standards drop so much

 

[GregE240]

A Faint Glimmer of Hope?

Meant to post this over the weekend, sorry!

I took my car into MB Central Birmingham on Friday to have the air con rechecked. It lost its gas (recharged nearly two weeks ago) in just 5 days, so there was clearly a leak.

Anyway, I also had them take a look at the two spots of corrosion on my car. I have corrosion around the boot lock (like so many others) and also very poor paintwork around the front NS wing. The bodywork chap came and had a look. Boot lock he conceded had clearly come up from underneath. Front wing however, he claimed was stone chipping. I argued that the paint came off with a car sponge, and it was much worse than anywhere else on the front of the car. In fact, theres one or two chips on the front, yet the front wing near the headlight is all but free of paint now.

He took my comments on board and said the bodyshop manager would call me later and advise. He conceded that a corrosion claim was free to submit, and I had nothing to lose.

Later on Friday the manager called. He advised that he was sorry, but my car had a 3 year warranty that had now expired. To that end he could not progress my claim. I stated my surprise and said I thought the bodywork was 6 years, unconditional. He said no, it was 3 years, so tough basically.

After a bit of thought, I rang MB Customer Services, and spoke to a very nice lady, who took all my details, including where the corrosion was and what I wanted doing about it. She advised she would go back to the dealer on my behalf. The dealer would then get back in touch with me and she would call back to make sure I was satisfied. So the ball is back with them.

For the record, the number the lady gave me is: 0080017777777 (its a foreign freephone number). She also advised *ANYBODY* with a grievance like me to phone them and get them on the case.

I will keep you all updated with progress.

Greg

 

[stuart_hatch]

I think its about time for an round up, hows everyone getting on with their corrioson claims?

Are mercedes still just dening it?

It is really starting to anoy me now as it is clearly an paint problem around 97-99 (My girlfreinds Mum has an 1996 C230 and it does not have an spot of rust on it!)

 

[jimti]

I have taken mine into my local dealer and they have taken pictures and measured the depth of paint,(70 um) & sent off all the info to MB UK? and I am now awaiting their response..
It is obviously a known problem to the dealership as they went straight to where the rust was to take pictures without me showing them, also they checked some other places where I don't have rust..
Time will tell if my claim is succesful, The only fly in the ointment so far is the rust on the near side front arch, it appears that the wing had had some repair work done in the past (not by MB) so no warranty on that part
Fingers crossed on the rest of the car (4 doors and a boot lid)

 

[uumode]

I think its about time for an round up, hows everyone getting on with their corrioson claims?

Are mercedes still just dening it?

It is really starting to anoy me now as it is clearly an paint problem around 97-99 (My girlfreinds Mum has an 1996 C230 and it does not have an spot of rust on it!)

Well with my claim, the dealer was supposed to let me know at the end of the week. The bodyshop gentleman said that half of it was caused by stone chips. But this is just driving over 3000 miles of UK roads over 9 months. E240 purchased from a MB dealer with Mobilolife 30 year anti-corrosion. Car is now 4 years 9 months old.
(I posted it originally under a different screen name as I couldn't remember my password )
http://www.wan.st/rust/

I drove my Audi 90 over 70,000 miles over 10.5 years and not a spot of rust. I never touched up the paintwork either with a paintstick. (Yes the same UK roads).

The bodyshop gent reckoned it would be a half successful claim, the successful being the rust under the door seals, and possibly under the bonnet, and one rear wheel arch. But I will be pursuing it further as a car of unmerchantable quality should a full claim fail. (Do they expect me to drive the car on the grass only?.. or should the Highways Agency issue warning signs to W210 drivers that it is not fit for driving on)

He only inspected the areas I pointed out to him, and didn't look elsewhere, no photos were taken, but he did use a paint thickness handheld instrument.

Perhaps I'll get a call next week.

 

[miro]

Unfortunately your next car may not be so good. All manufacturers are now suffering paint pronlems due to water based paints and the need to reduce both weight and cost.

MB are just ahead of the game.

I thought it had something to do with protecting the environment against massive amounts of hydrocarbon release from the spray ovens. As you know, the green movement is in power in Germany to the extent that they can hang the parliament every so often, so in accordance, the manufacturers have been forced to comply.

It is not a petty penny pinching exercise, it is a real world problem caused by global issues.

 

[uumode]

I thought it had something to do with protecting the environment against massive amounts of hydrocarbon release from the spray ovens. As you know, the green movement is in power in Germany to the extent that they can hang the parliament every so often, so in accordance, the manufacturers have been forced to comply.

It is not a petty penny pinching exercise, it is a real world problem caused by global issues.

I thought (not 100% sure) the E36 3 series http://www.bmwinfo.com/23350.html used water based paints and recycable plastics. http://www.digest.net/bmw/archive/v5/msg00149.html
At the time of first production (J plate) they didn't spray the door sills and bumpers so the plastics could be recycled easier. But I think due to marketing pressure and consumer demand, they had to colour co-ordinate at a later date. The interior dash plastics were also claimed as anti-fog as no gases were released clouding windscreens, when the plastic reacted with the sun.



The VW Golf that has just been replaced I also thought used water based paints? (again not 100% sure) Did a quick search on the internet to back up,
"....including the largest state-of-the-art paint shop in Europe, the first to use eco-friendly water based paints."
http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/company/wolfsburg


It appears BMW E36 and Golf Mk iv have less problems if they did use water based paint.

 

[jimmy]

Quick update!

I have been away on holiday and had a phone call from MB sustomer services after I had to ring them and chase my claim. Turns out they have no record of my claim some 5 weeks after I went to MB Northampton and had the car assessed!!

MB Northampton have found my file and submitted it to MB who responded within 3 hours asking to see the service history. Do MB dealers check the bodywork for corrosion during a service? Could this be where I have a problem, I have a full service history but the last 2 services were not main MB dealer.

Anyway, I shall be compiling a file with all your cars and will take that to MB Northampton this week along with my service book. Interesting that the service manager is dealing with it now and as far as he is aware there is not a corrosion problem with MB's, guess I will have to educate him.

 

[DrNick]

Thanks to info received on a thread in the general discussion about the MObilo life website being down, someone posted the site of the Irish version

www.mercedes-benz.ie/after_sales/Mobiliolife.html

This describes the 30 year anti corrosion warranty and makes the proviso

"From the 5th year onwards the car should have been serviced regularly by an authorised Mercedes Benzworkshop within the last 2 years prior to the damage being repaired."

I take this to mean that the rust warranty is effectively for 5 years if you have no MB service history.

 

[mark.t]

at last

was informed by mb the body shp will be in touch as my work has been approved :bannana: :bannana: and as jimmy just got back from 2 weeks hols so will have to catch up with all thats gone on :bannana:

 

[uumode]

was informed by mb the body shp will be in touch as my work has been approved :bannana: :bannana: and as jimmy just got back from 2 weeks hols so will have to catch up with all thats gone on :bannana:

Ace news.

How long does it take from initial warranty report submission by dealer to approval from MBUK? Yours took around 4 weeks?

My alloys are also starting to corrode. wtf
and these aren't stone chipped. Though I didn't report this yet to any dealer, just noticed it.

The silver/lacquer is starting to bubble in places.

 

[mark.t]

no set patten anything from 5 days to 5 weeks just keep ringing the dealer when its been subbmitted and don;t stop till you have an ansaw