My mot advisories......my old 2005 W203?

[jpod]

My 2002 VW Golf 1.4 is in better nick than this Merc! Mercedes loves rust for some reason..........

Can any Pro's comment on what I may need to do if I plan to keep the motor? It has done 70k. I had the transmission fluid changed planning to keep her. Lovely to drive but rust!

• Rear Sub-frame corroded but not seriously weakened (2.4.G.1)
• Nearside Rear Upper Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)
• Offside Rear Upper Suspension spring mounting prescribed area is corroded but not considered excessive (2.4.A.3)

Q? Can it be treated/painted to protect it? As DIY?

• Rear Exhaust has a minor leak of exhaust gases (7.1.2)

Q? How much is a Merc exhaust? Think it is the front of the rear box? If fell off on holiday and I had it welded....not 100% fixed but I made it home!

The rear wheel arches are just starting to go so I am wondering about a second hand S Class or a CLS Grand...........wondering whether to ditch this plain old C Class if it is going rusty!

 

[GP801]

This is probably just the beginning. The arches may prove the most difficult to rectify in the long term. Time to move it on in my view.

 

[horatio]

Some MOT testers really doom monger on those advisories. My 190 was given a catastrophic sounding list of rust issues a few years back but all it needed was a small patch on the end of each sill. It's very clean underneath.

Conversely I had a W210 which was rotten to the core but made it through MOT's with no advisories at all!

Get it up on a ramp and see for yourself.

 

[jpod]

Cheers fellas. Great advice. I will jack her up and get my torch out. I will wire brush and paint for now and get the winter out of her. Amazing to drive.

I did enquire after a 2003 E Class 320 petrol............£2,500 no offers, owned for 3 months but unused, seller was unaware the mot had lapsed, one working key and this reply which made me laugh:

"All I know is I bought a car and Im selling it, How would I know its history or if the gearbox had a fluid change, Sorry mate ,but your asking Q that I cant answer. I dont think this is the car for you."

Damn right it isn't the right one for me!

 

[jpod]

Thanks for the like Gramey!

Okay two things more.................this may help a W203 owner (before it rusts away).............

Knocking noise OS under braking from the front suspension
The car had recent work for the MOT on the NS suspension (NS lower suspension arm, front anti-roll bar link) and the car still knocked on braking, as it decelerated to a stop...., da, da, da, da, da...

Dave at Elite Autofix Ltd Widnes (a superb Mercedes Indy) just changed the OSF lower suspension arm, alloy (which was an advisory) and this stopped the knock and it rides beautifully.........he used a Lemforder part which he highly rated. He said this is what Mercedes use in any case. He showed me the part and the large cylindrical rubber area bitty had deteriorated.

The heater was all or nothing
Either uber chilly with the rotary dials at 18 or roasting hot with one or two small clicks to the right......

Dave thought the control was working but suspected the Duo Valve.......

With my google-fu I read about - ignition on - hold in the demist button and recirculate buttons in for a while and then let go - behind the dash it sounds like a small rubber German engineer is being stretched on the rack, stretched one way then the other..............after 40 seconds it stops, turn the ignition off. Now the controls work fine, cold, warm, bit warmer and toasty! No lights flashed but it appears to have recalibrated the heater controls.