Mercedes build quality

[ChrisHGTV]

The only rusting cars I've ever owned were a 1978 Alfasud 1.3ti in 1980, and a 1979 Alfa Romeo Alfetta 1.8 from 1982 to 1987.

Since then... 1 Opel, 2 Vauxhalls, 1 Toyota, 1 Renault, 1 Kia, 2 Mercs, and 1 Suzuki - no rust (touch wood).

I used to say about the Alfetta rusting that I lose sleep over it. Not because I worry, but because it's parked right outside my window and I can hear it rust at night.... (OK, a bit of a private joke that one).

Yes I had some 1980’s and 1990’s Alfas that were a tad prone. My 1989 Sprint was the worst, such a shame but I used to say it was so performance oriented it had a special self-lightening feature as the bodywork gradually thinned!

My year 2000 GTV is galvanised and touch wood is still rust-free. I think Alfa had to try hard to lose their reputation for rust and apart from the 156 I think they did a decent job.

 

[markjay]

Yes I had some 1980’s and 1990’s Alfas that were a tad prone. My 1989 Sprint was the worst, such a shame but I used to say it was so performance oriented it had a special self-lightening feature as the bodywork gradually thinned!

My year 2000 GTV is galvanised and touch wood is still rust-free. I think Alfa had to try hard to lose their reputation for rust and apart from the 156 I think they did a decent job.

My two late-1970s Alfas were still made under the ownership of the Italian government, before the company was sold in 1986 to the Agnelli family (who already bought Lancia in 1969).

 

[ChrisHGTV]

My two late-1970s Alfas were still made under the ownership of the Italian government, before the company was sold in 1986 to the Agnelli family (who already bought Lancia in 1969).

Yes, I think all the Suds and Sprints were actually built by the Camorra in Naples! My GTV was built in the Pininfarina factory in Turin, it’s actually pretty nicely screwed together. I still miss my Sprint though.

 

[slade1]

It appears that cars with rust reputation went the other way, no rust. 1980s Nissan Bluebird had rust on the doors when it went for it's first MOT.

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , as a boy I dreamed that my dad would by a Mercedes .

No was his reply and I did not find out until many years later he was in a German occupied country in WW2.

I put another slant regarding Mercedes quality including the Chrysler years.

Mercedes cars were in another league in the 1960s and European cars generally were of a poor quality.

Mercedes I feel decided the cars produced were OK but Ford changed the game with the series one Focus.

Mercedes quality has not dropped but other European have caught up with them and of course the Japanese caught all of the world car makers with their trousers down !

 

[grober]

When Mercedes decided on the new A class W176 they went to RENAULT to advise them how to build a small / medium hatch profitably.- some even came with Renault engines. They are mainly built in Hungary and Finland with engine plants in what was formerly East Germany before the wall came down. The West German built cars of the 80's and EURO/globally manufactured car's of today share the same name but to use horse racing parlance "come from a different stable."

 

[uumode]

I had a W205 built in East London South Africa then a W205 built in Bremen Germany.

The South African car had better panel gaps which are better aligned. The doors also shut better than the German car.

South African car's interior engine bay and other parts like suspension not squeaky clean for a less than 20 mile car (for whatever reason). The German car looked like it literally rolled off the production line.

The same iridium silver paint looked glossier on the South African car. It's duller on the German one.

The SA interior developed creaking in the central dashboard area, the German one some faint noises from the Pano roof.

The German centre console compartment door also does not shut as cleanly as the SA one. The auto boot opening also does not open as smoothly as that on the SA one.

Seats in the SA car more comfortable although they are exactly the same design - they might have changed the foam density?

The Burmester sound system seems to sound better in the SA one. Maybe minor component tweaks, DSP, amplifier?

Minor variances which perhaps might be seen on the same cars from the same factory.

This car shouldn't rust too badly, only the rear flank sections are steel. The bonnet, boot, doors and front wings are aluminium and the bumpers plastic. However the underbody maybe a different story.

 

[Dichtung]

Interesting report. Thanks Uumode