Least rusting MB models?

[3 phase]

16 years coming up to 17 years of age, no rust on mine. That's not to say it wouldn't have succumbed had it lived in northern Europe.

 

[corned]

S211, 2005 model. Fully galvanised - allegedly - but the tailgate and both rear arches needed to be repaired because of rust 2 years ago (i.e. at about 4 years old).

 

[steve333]

S211, 2005 model. Fully galvanised - allegedly - but the tailgate and both rear arches needed to be repaired because of rust 2 years ago (i.e. at about 4 years old).

Thats not what we expect from a premium marque car,so the galvernising hasn't cured the rust problem but a lot of people seem to believe the paint used is the main reason(nano?).

 

[corned]

Thats not what we expect from a premium marque car

You're not kidding. Galvanised, nano clear coat, it's got the lot but still rusted through from the inside out. It has nothing to do with the paint itself, because none of the issues on my car were from the outside in.

This is not uncommon with the 211... I suspect a flawed body structure design and poor preparation of the body prior to paint being applied.

When mine went it (long and rambling thread on here somewhere...) it went in for the tailgate. The bodyshop inspector was more interested in looking at the rear arches, and found what he was looking for. He was expecting it, so something had to have been generally at fault in this area for him to go looking expecting to find trouble (which he did).

So the bodyshops know 211s have issues.

In contrast, my old Pug 406 (R-reg) body was absolutely immaculate at 10 years old, and my wife's Alfa (53 reg) - utterly perfect, despite minor vandal damage to a door in which the paint is missing completely in a couple of patches.

Would you leave a Mercedes for over 2 years with bare metal showing in the middle of a panel? No you bloody wouldn't dare! Yet the Alfa has no problem with this.

Finally, it has been suggested on here that my car must have been a 'Friday Afternoon' car. So it's acceptable for a 'premium marque' to manufacture Friday Afternoon cars?

 

[steve333]

You're not kidding. Galvanised, nano clear coat, it's got the lot but still rusted through from the inside out. It has nothing to do with the paint itself, because none of the issues on my car were from the outside in.

This is not uncommon with the 211... I suspect a flawed body structure design and poor preparation of the body prior to paint being applied.

When mine went it (long and rambling thread on here somewhere...) it went in for the tailgate. The bodyshop inspector was more interested in looking at the rear arches, and found what he was looking for. He was expecting it, so something had to have been generally at fault in this area for him to go looking expecting to find trouble (which he did).

So the bodyshops know 211s have issues.

In contrast, my old Pug 406 (R-reg) body was absolutely immaculate at 10 years old, and my wife's Alfa (53 reg) - utterly perfect, despite minor vandal damage to a door in which the paint is missing completely in a couple of patches.

Would you leave a Mercedes for over 2 years with bare metal showing in the middle of a panel? No you bloody wouldn't dare! Yet the Alfa has no problem with this.

Finally, it has been suggested on here that my car must have been a 'Friday Afternoon' car. So it's acceptable for a 'premium marque' to manufacture Friday Afternoon cars?

The fact that the bodyshop inspector went straight to your arches shows he knew there were issues with w211's & could be one of the reasons the new e-class was introduced?As for the friday afternoon car no it's not what you & i or any other mb owner would expect but who knows

 

[corned]

Actually, I think I'd rather have rusty rear W211 arches than unblemished W212 ones...

I really dislike those 'Ponton' bulges.

 

[steve333]

Actually, I think I'd rather have rusty rear W211 arches than unblemished W212 ones...

I really dislike those 'Ponton' bulges.

Agree-i think Dawn French has a nicer rear end than the w212!

 

[biturbo]

i think the r129 is about at good as the old mercs go for rust and the w210 being the worst.

 

[ss201]

Agree-i think Dawn French has a nicer rear end than the w212!

Thanks for that. I was just about to have my dinner!

 

[steve333]

Thanks for that. I was just about to have my dinner!

No problem,don't choke on it

 

[Dieselman]

No problem,don't choke on it

I don't think you would choke on it, but you would probably suffocate in it.

 

[KMA880]

Not sure if the R129's were galvanized. I spotted some poor rust repair on the side indicator area and also the hardtop that was easily repaired.

Nothing major but a few spots on the front arches where the bumper meets the wing. generally R129's are rock solid in my experience.

 

[BTB 500]

I have a suspicion that post-1999 R129s are a little more more prone to rust than the earlier ones (where it's almost unheard of, unless there's been a damage repair).

 

[James1976]

front wings go on the R129 but that's about it unless they've been left outside all the time and covered in salt etc.

When I was getting my R129 repaired after a recent incident I asked the MB bodyshop manager how the new ones were with rust. He admitted that they'd had ones a couple of years in for rust repairs. So caveat emptor, or alternatively buy a well built car like a BMW LOL!

J

 

[Super-Posting]

Hip Hop Music

You are not kidding. Galvanised, nano obvious coat, it's all but nonetheless rusted through internally. It's nothing related to the fresh paint itself, because no issues on my small vehicle were in the outdoors in.

This isn't uncommon using the 211... I suspect a problematic physiology design and poor preparation from the body just before fresh paint being applied.

When mine went it (lengthy and rambling thread on here somewhere...) it went set for the tailgate. The bodyshop inspector was interested in searching in the rear archways, and located what he was searching for. He was expecting it, so something needed to happen to be generally to blame in this region for him to visit searching looking to find trouble (that they did).

Therefore the bodyshops know 211s have issues.

In comparison, my old Pug 406 (R-reg) body was absolutely immaculate at ten years old, and my wife's Alfa (53 reg) - absolutely perfect, despite minor vandal harm to a door where the fresh paint is missing completely in a few patches.

Can you leave a Mercedes for more than 24 months with bare metal showing in the center of a panel? No you bloody wouldn't dare! The Alfa doesn't have trouble with this.

Finally, it's been recommended on here that my vehicle would have been a 'Friday Afternoon' vehicle. Therefore it is appropriate for a 'premium marque' to fabricate Friday Mid-day cars?
________________

Hip Hop Music

 

[Super-Posting]

Hip Hop Music

Hi BTB 500, wondered if you're able to assist me to. I'm a fellow Sl owner and wondered how you can take away the windshield pillar covers as mine need slight adjustment to sit down flush from the wings?

Have looked everywhere but cannot find anything, even call to megabytes dealer has attracted an empty, so that they say!

Thanks
_________________

Hip Hop Music

 

[BTB 500]

Hi BTB 500, wondered if you're able to assist me to. I'm a fellow Sl owner and wondered how you can take away the windshield pillar covers as mine need slight adjustment to sit down flush from the wings?

Have looked everywhere but cannot find anything, even call to megabytes dealer has attracted an empty, so that they say!

Thanks
_________________

Sorry no idea - never had to do mine!

 

[mrcgibb]

What about the hand built sl55 and cl55 amg models , do they suffer the same rusting issues?

 

[BTB 500]

The only hand-built bit on AMGs is the engine.

 

[mrcgibb]

so great engine rusting body ;(