C43 rusty bonnet - wierd?

[scottan]

Hi - looking at buying a '98 W202 C43 71k and bonnet looks like it had a nasty stone chip at some point and has some bad rust bubbles (5p size) - needs working on now or a new bonnet possibly. Question to you guys with experience is does this suggest a non-original bonnet?. Wheel arches also have some minor corrosion and both issues are relatively easy to fix but is uncommon for a 9yr old MB?......any one else had signs of early corrosion?
thks

 

[nick mercedes]

Hi - looking at buying a '98 W202 C43 71k and bonnet looks like it had a nasty stone chip at some point and has some bad rust bubbles (5p size) - needs working on now or a new bonnet possibly. Question to you guys with experience is does this suggest a non-original bonnet?. Wheel arches also have some minor corrosion and both issues are relatively easy to fix but is uncommon for a 9yr old MB?......any one else had signs of early corrosion?
thks

Scabby Mercs are far from rare.

But it's worth putting up with a bit of rust to own a C43...

 

[Vlad]

Sadly its not unusual, seen plenty of them like this, although in the case of the one you are looking at, it would appear that the previous owner was not one for touching in stone chips and they have clearly festered and turned into rusty blebs

 

[GrahamC230K]

Don't fall for the false sense of secuirty that a 9 year old MB shouldn't/wouldn't rust. It will. Mosty likely very badly.

It may be simple to make good cosmetically now, but it will be a battle from here on keeping it at bay.

 

[stringbag]

Scottan, all W202s rust in the same places, but you may be lucky with the paint warranty. It is called mobilo life and lasts 30 years. Take it to a dealer for them to look at - they may say no if it hasn't got a full MB service history, but worth a try. My C43 has had new front wings, tops and bottoms of rear doors and the rear arches fixed all under warranty in the last 18months. Free of charge and totally hassle free. It is a great car, so don't let a bit of rust put you off - it can be fixed! (E classes of the same vintage also rust badly).

 

[glojo]

Don't be blinded by the badge, these visual signs should be telling you to have a much closer look. Unfortunately Mercedes-Benz have a well deserved notorious reputation for corrosion on certain models including the C and E-class of that era.

If you are still considering purchasing this vehicle then I strongly recommend genuine parts only. I have no idea if this vehicle qualifies for Mobilo as date of registration and service details are not known.

Good luck with the decision,
John

 

[DrNick]

It certainly won't be covered by Mobilo for untreated stone chips!

Inspect everywhere for rust/signs of repair. If there is any in the usual places (wheelarches etc) then I'd advise walking away as it will spread quickly and make you feel sad!