opinions please

[steve333]

Hi all just looked at/test drove an aproved used ml280sport at a local mb dealership(full mb service history 1 private owner 45k miles)car drives as it should & is very clean in/out/alloys unmarked etc but there is one slight niggle & that is a very small(1/2 inch) area of surface rust on the nearside rear arch(on the very bottom of the inside),it looks like surface rust where the paint has chipped off but can't be sure but when i pointed it out after inspecting the car i was assured it would be addressed before collection if i proceed,question is,does it sound like anything that might cause further problems or would you be happy if the mb dealer sorted it-thoughts please?

 

[st4]

Don't buy it. Sounds a shed. They will sort it badly and it will come back and because it's been painted they'll refuse the warranty. Shed alert this car.

 

[steve333]

Don't buy it. Sounds a shed. They will sort it badly and it will come back and because it's been painted they'll refuse the warranty. Shed alert this car.

Thanks for your opinion Steve,i guessed you would say that after your own experience of mb approved used,it really is only a small area of rust(wish i'd taken a photo & uploaded it)but it's rust all the same!

 

[Will]

1 private owner, full MBSH, unmarked and otherwise perfect?

I would let them sort it out if the car/deal is otherwise perfect as it sounds, it's only a 1/2" cosmetic blemish on a secondhand car

 

[steve333]

1 private owner, full MBSH, unmarked and otherwise perfect?

I would let them sort it out if the car/deal is otherwise perfect as it sounds, it's only a 1/2" cosmetic blemish on a secondhand car

Hi Will went over & over the car then test drove & it really is as good as described apart from the one small rust spot on the bottom inside of the rear arch(looks like the rear tyre may have thrown a stone onto it off the road chipping the paint which has in turn started to rust(about the size of the top of your thumb).

 

[bpsorrel]

Should MLs rust so soon? Things like that take a bit of the gloss off for me, but then again it is a minor imperfection I guess...

 

[steve333]

Should MLs rust so soon? Things like that take a bit of the gloss off for me, but then again it is a minor imperfection I guess...

^ You would hope not at 4 years old Barry but the location/size looks probable that an unrepaired chip has rusted on the arch(my cls is the same age & not a blemish even on the arches).

 

[NOMONEYBUTAMERC]

If paint has been chipped back to bare metal it is inevitable that in our climate, it will rust. Makes no odds what make or age the car is , and as long as its correctly treated should not be a problem.

 

[steve333]

If paint has been chipped back to bare metal it is inevitable that in our climate, it will rust. Makes no odds what make or age the car is , and as long as its correctly treated should not be a problem.

Thats what i'm thinking(whenever i've seen rust on wheel arches on mb's in the past you usually see bubling in the affected area,what i've seen today looks like the paint has chipped & been left untreated).

 

[st4]

Should MLs rust so soon? Things like that take a bit of the gloss off for me, but then again it is a minor imperfection I guess...

If paint has been chipped back to bare metal it is inevitable that in our climate, it will rust. Makes no odds what make or age the car is , and as long as its correctly treated should not be a problem.

I've seen many paint of the metal cases and no rust, even on german cars.

Mercedes have an ability to rust that other makes just do not have. Breached paint is not what you want on a Mercedes.

I'm surprised the OP is even considering the car. I'd run a mile, others won't have the rust (yet) and the fact that this one has rings alarm bells. Whats more worrying is the dealer hasn't even tried to fix it, just what checks etc have been made to ensure its provinance.

The dealer may or may not fix it, but they'll more than likely fix it badly. Then what will happen is the car will rust, the buyer will take it in and MB won't warrant the warranty as its had additional paint. Thats how it works.

I've been there with MB dealer paint jobs, never, ever, ever again. Cheap overspray that flakes off taking more decent paint with it.....

These are all based on my experiences and musings of owning a basket case car which has caused me thousands to sort out, and I only word my postings so strongly so someone else doesn't end up with a peice of crap that takes time, hassle and money to sort out.

There are good cars out there, this ML doesn't sound like one of then,

Steve, I really hope you don't buy it and can find another car.

 

[Will]

It's a ~ 10mm imperfection on a wheelarch of a 5 year old 4x4...

Just to put it into perspective

Should this car be scrapped or something?

 

[steve333]

I've seen many paint of the metal cases and no rust, even on german cars.

Mercedes have an ability to rust that other makes just do not have. Breached paint is not what you want on a Mercedes.

I'm surprised the OP is even considering the car. I'd run a mile, others won't have the rust (yet) and the fact that this one has rings alarm bells. Whats more worrying is the dealer hasn't even tried to fix it, just what checks etc have been made to ensure its provinance.

The dealer may or may not fix it, but they'll more than likely fix it badly. Then what will happen is the car will rust, the buyer will take it in and MB won't warrant the warranty as its had additional paint. Thats how it works.

I've been there with MB dealer paint jobs, never, ever, ever again. Cheap overspray that flakes off taking more decent paint with it.....

These are all based on my experiences and musings of owning a basket case car which has caused me thousands to sort out, and I only word my postings so strongly so someone else doesn't end up with a peice of crap that takes time, hassle and money to sort out.

There are good cars out there, this ML doesn't sound like one of then,

Steve, I really hope you don't buy it and can find another car.

Respect your opinion & reasons why you feel so strongly,wanted to gauge peoples opinions as haven't made my mind up on it.

 

[steve333]

It's a ~ 10mm imperfection on a wheelarch of a 5 year old 4x4...

Just to put it into perspective

Should this car be scrapped or something?

I accept it is a used 4+ year old car but the dissapointing thing(as *** has touched on)is that despite mb approved used promise of multi point checks having been done (prior to the car going on the forecourt) they either missed or didn't rectify the rust on the arch before it gets worse//spreads.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Should this car be scrapped or something?

Yes, it needs to go in the crusher immediately!

It doesn't sound too bad Steve333, just make sure that you go over the area with a fine tooth comb if you decide to procede.

And let's be honest, unless you buy a brand new car then there is always going to be a few minor imperfections that need ironing out.

Can I still not talk you into V8 diesel?

 

[steve333]

Yes, it needs to go in the crusher immediately!

It doesn't sound too bad Steve333, just make sure that you go over the area with a fine tooth comb if you decide to procede.

And let's be honest, unless you buy a brand new car then there is always going to be a few minor imperfections that need ironing out.

Can I still not talk you into V8 diesel?

Fair comment Lee,like i've mentioned(and Steve ***) you would expect the rust(albeit a small chipped paint area) would have been addressed before hitting the forecourt as mb approved used-you could talk me into a v8 diesel(almost)but as i currently own a v8 petrol it's not as though i'll wonder what if by getting a v6 diesel instead

 

[steve333]

Having had the night to sleep on it i've decided against doing a deal on that ml the deciding factor being the fact i viewed the car with rust on the rear arch when mb emphasize that all there aproved used vehicles go through a 120 check in the workshop before being prepped for sale on the forecourt-didn't give me much confidence that no effort had been made to address the rust(if they even noticed it in there 120 point check!),so the search continues!

 

[A210AMG]

Search out a ML320 with out rust

 

[steve333]

Search out a ML320 with out rust

^I might seem like i'm being picky(it was only an area as big as the top of your thumb) but at 4 years old & aproved used i expected better.

 

[steve333]

Search out a ML320 with out rust

What year was your ml,any signs of rust?

 

[Deleted member 37751]

Having had the night to sleep on it i've decided against doing a deal on that ml the deciding factor being the fact i viewed the car with rust on the rear arch when mb emphasize that all there aproved used vehicles go through a 120 check in the workshop before being prepped for sale on the forecourt-didn't give me much confidence that no effort had been made to address the rust(if they even noticed it in there 120 point check!),so the search continues!

My offer still stands Steve...