Goodwill repair, what are my chances?

[gbjeppm]

As some of you know I bought an immaculate 2000 (W) C208 CLK320 cabriolet in October 2007.

I bought it from MB in Portsmouth, and as it had under 60k miles, it was under Tier 1 warranty.

I look after it, although I do use it everyday, it is garaged every night.

It was last serviced by Olly (BlackC55) in Oct/Nov last year.

Anyway I was washing it on the weekend, and notice some paint blistering on the nearside front wheelarch.

Yes the dreaded rust has appeared, I always check thoroughly, and thought I had a rust free example.

So now booked in with MB Epsom for May 1st, lets see what they say. It did not bode well, when I phoned up, and the lady said "they tend to rust where they have had accident damage". She followed up with bring it in, we will test it with the paint meter, and get a position from MB, which is what I was expecting.

Anyway will let you guys know how I do.

 

[Dieselman]

and the lady said "they tend to rust where they have had accident damage".

Ha ha..LOL.

They ALL rust..forget what she said unless the paint gauge shows it has been resprayed, even then have the records checked for any previous paint warranty/goodwill repairs.

 

[gbjeppm]

Ha ha..LOL.

They ALL rust..forget what she said unless the paint gauge shows it has been resprayed, even then have the records checked for any previous paint warranty/goodwill repairs.

Don't worry Dieselman, I have been around this place long enough to know she was blowing smoke somewhere

I think I am pretty well informed, it is more than 8 years old though, but sold by MB 18 months ago, so could be interesting

 

[Dieselman]

Crickey, you've got nearly as long out of yours before rust as a second hand car as I did from new..

TBH, if it's anything like my neighbours W208 Cab that he had from new, it's already been done once.

 

[gbjeppm]

I think the drivers side may have been done already actually.

Question is, what if it has, would MB tell me, or would they say that the paint thicknesses are all wrong, so it is not covered?

 

[Dieselman]

Have them measure the car in front of you. Expect paint to be between 60um and 120um. The standard is ~100um.

They should measure a fair proportion of the car. If you think the gauge might be wrong have them check a showroom car, expect a fairly uniform 110um due to the galvanising.

It's not the dealers that knock back the claims, it's MBUK, although due to the poor rate the dealers/bodyshop get for the repairs, they are less than keen to do them.

 

[gbjeppm]

Excuse my ignorance here DM, but bear with me.

So out of the factory the paint should be between 60 and 120um?

If it has already had a panel done, what would the thickness be? What are they checking for, an additional coat, or a shoddy repair job?

 

[Dieselman]

Additional thickness due to the added paint.

The factory standard is 100um but it will vary over the car. Newer cars seem to have better paint thickness control.

 

[salesac1]

I had 2 warranty claims for wheel arches and door sills met in full before my W202 was 8 years old.

Took it in again recently for assessment - now just under 9 years old with rust starting under bonnet - and was offered 20% contribution only.

The bodyshop man said, between 8 and 10 years, it is at MB's discretion - as if a claim is pretty much guaranteed under 8 years (!).

Very interested to see what response you get - good luck.

 

[glojo]

I would definitely be polite and humble pie time mode

If the car has been repaired or even had a respray, they will know from their machine. I believe that with Mobilio it is now only one claim per section but I do stand to be corrected.

The mobilio claim also changes with the weather and on some years theat warranty states the car has to have been serviced by a main dealer within two years. Other booklets state that once it gets serviced by a non main Mercedes-Benz main dealer then that is it..

My own thoughts are that most claims are dealt with under the 'Goodwill' ruling. In other words if they like you, you have a good chance of getting the repair done or at the very least a percentage of it paid for.

Some folks carry a wallet in their pocket but rumour has it Dieselman has a paint thickness measuring gadget and it has been suggested he walks around supermarket car parks measuring the thickness of paint of parked cars (joke)

 

[gbjeppm]

I would definitely be polite and humble pie time mode

If the car has been repaired or even had a respray, they will know from their machine. I believe that with Mobilio it is now only one claim per section but I do stand to be corrected.

The mobilio claim also changes with the weather and on some years theat warranty states the car has to have been serviced by a main dealer within two years. Other booklets state that once it gets serviced by a non main Mercedes-Benz main dealer then that is it..

My own thoughts are that most claims are dealt with under the 'Goodwill' ruling. In other words if they like you, you have a good chance of getting the repair done or at the very least a percentage of it paid for.

Some folks carry a wallet in their pocket but rumour has it Dieselman has a paint thickness measuring gadget and it has been suggested he walks around supermarket car parks measuring the thickness of paint of parked cars (joke)

John I agree, I hope that the fact that an MB dealership sold it to me 18 months ago will swing it in my favour, but we will see

 

[Smiley]

But given that you bought it only 18 months ago from the main MB dealer (and presumably paid top price) - and assuming that you have not had repairs carried out in the meantime - then would it not be reasonable for you to assume that they should have told you at the point of sale that you were actually buying a repaired car that would therefore carry limited future body work warranties?

So I am not sure what the point of the paint meter is in this case.

 

[Phil Thomas]

As some of you know I bought an immaculate 2000 (W) C208 CLK320 cabriolet in October 2007.

I bought it from MB in Portsmouth, and as it had under 60k miles, it was under Tier 1 warranty.

I look after it, although I do use it everyday, it is garaged every night.

It was last serviced by Olly (BlackC55) in Oct/Nov last year.

Anyway I was washing it on the weekend, and notice some paint blistering on the nearside front wheelarch.

Yes the dreaded rust has appeared, I always check thoroughly, and thought I had a rust free example.

So now booked in with MB Epsom for May 1st, lets see what they say. It did not bode well, when I phoned up, and the lady said "they tend to rust where they have had accident damage". She followed up with bring it in, we will test it with the paint meter, and get a position from MB, which is what I was expecting.

Anyway will let you guys know how I do.

I have a copy of the MB retail warranty manual, early 2008 edition. It makes interesting reading! I will email it if you wish. I can't attach it as it is 1.24 Mbs, too big for attaching here. MBUK sent it to me, so it is legitimate to send it on I suppose.

Other MB owners forums have lots of stuff about warranty experiences. I can't remember which, but one was a US one. Much seems to be down to the dealer (bad news in my case, as set out in other threads), but the manual does make it clear that pre authorisation is required, although I got away with it after much argument over a year in duration. I have seen similar but older cars than mine - over 8 years old at the time - treated favourably. Others not! The Mobilo warranty is often misapplied. In particular they will tend to say it is from the outside in. Put the onus on them to prove that! The approach that worked for us in our one successful case was my wife saying "look, it went dangerously wrong, and could have killed me. I consulted the dealer for his expert advice. I did as the dealer said, and now you are telling me he did not comply with your procedures. I am not an expert and relied on his expertise. So why are you refusing payment on a technicality?"

I would be inclined to take it back to the selling dealer, pointing out you relied on his expertise to buy a rust free example, and now only x months later it is rusting. You bought it with a 30 year body warranty, so please sort it out, as it was clearly not of the quality demanded.

Worth a try, but as someone else said above, you are perhaps in goodwill area, so politeness, injured innocence, but firmness are called for.

Good luck!

 

[glojo]

There is no such thing as a 30 year body warranty so I would tread carefully on that issue and perhaps firmness will get you a result that might not be the one you want.

I have owned a number of Mercedes-Benz and I can honestly say that the terms of Mobilio change more regularly than I change my underwear.

Do NOT quote references that do not apply to the terms of the mobilio that are current for your car.

I wonder how many other manufacturers would welcome a stranger with an eight year old car that walked into their premises and demanded they fix any rust issues on their car for free?

I am appalled at how some Mercedes-Benz cars have rusted but I am equally impressed on how most folks get treated.

Treat others as you would like to be treated, do not expect something for nothing and be grateful if you do get this something for nothing

If you buy the car from a main dealer, have that car maintained by that main dealer, then I would hope they treat you far more favourably than this mythical total stranger that struts in asking quite firmly for a free repair. I would be inclined to tell that person to take the car back from whence it came if it had not complied TOTALLY with the terms and conditions laid down in the Mobilio Warranty

 

[gbjeppm]

John I agree.

I did phone MB Portsmouth who sold me the car, and asked whether I should take it to them. They said that as the work would be authorised by MB in Milton Keynes I could take it to any MB dealer.

I will of course be polite, and report back on how it goes.

 

[glojo]

John I agree.

I did phone MB Portsmouth who sold me the car, and asked whether I should take it to them. They said that as the work would be authorised by MB in Milton Keynes I could take it to any MB dealer.

I will of course be polite, and report back on how it goes.

PLEASE do not get me wrong,
You are doing EXACTLY what In would do and I wish you every success

 

[Dieselman]

Put the onus on them to prove that! The approach that worked for us in our one successful case was my wife saying "look, it went dangerously wrong, and could have killed me.

That sounds like it was a spring cup as opposed to a bit of wheelarch corrosion.
MB normally cover safety items, including spring cups and subframes, for ten years no quibble.

 

[Phil Thomas]

That sounds like it was a spring cup as opposed to a bit of wheelarch corrosion.
MB normally cover safety items, including spring cups and subframes, for ten years no quibble.

MB called it a suspension turret, which sounds like a spring cup. MB did quibble, for months. The excuse was that the dealer did not submit photographs before to them. MB Direct in Manchester gave the impression that it was a routine replacement.

We do have the wheelarch corrosion as well: the 'selling dealer's bodyshop' said it was not covered by the warranty at about two years old. Knowing what I know now I would not have let it rest there. I was hacked off because the sales person had specifically said the body work was covered for 30 years. I was too naive by far.

 

[Dieselman]

If the dealer fails to submit the Esculab properly MB will reject the claim as it isn't a valid claim.
There was a tendency to submit corrosion claims as paintwork claims, thus a number of rejections ensued.
MBUK will generally look at genuine corrosion claims favorably as long as the car doesn't show signs of neglect, hence the service stipulation.

 

[maddog]

I think you will be very lucky to get a claim accepted on a 9 yr old car but you can but try