Respray old w210

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eutek

New Member
Joined
Aug 25, 2015
Messages
4
Location
High Wycombe
Car
Mercedes E200K
Hiya,

I'm budgeting for a respray and some minor rust repair of my old W210, if it were any other auto it'd be at the knackers, but it has a lot of sentimental value to us, we'd hate to see it go.

I realise it won't be cheap - but it seems to be a shame to let such a dependable car go to waste. Rust-wise it isn't bad, it was waxoyled a while ago which really kept the tin worm at bay. It is just starting to get a few rust bubbles by the sunroof, and at the edge of two of the doors.

Just a few questions though... From my limited knowledge of paint/bodywork - I understand that MB used water-based paint on this series (?)... is it possible to get a respray with an oil-based paint?

I want to respray it the same colour, if that makes any difference.

Also - my w210 is a Classic level auto, so it has those side mouldings that aren't quite the same colour as the paint. Has anyone ever bothered painting those as well? Is it even possible?
 
It depends on its year if it was water based paint or not IIRC the switch to water based paints was around 1998/99. Even if it is water based its possible to respray using other paint systems

Hope that helps
 
Sounds like the situation I was in barely a few weeks ago! I had a 2001 W210 E320cdi Avantgarde with a few nice extras, but the rust had started eating the wings and had begun some small bubbles in various other places. The plastic trim on the back of the rear seats had also become brittle and prone to breaking. Despite that, I loved the car as it had lots of sentimental value and I'd spent a fair bit on her over the years and I was seriously considering spending more to get her bodywork sorted out.

However, when I saw a S211, whilst the old girl was having her MOT, my rational brain took over and, despite much heartache, I decided it was time to let her go and move on. Yes, I was welling up as we said our fairwells, and the driveway doesn't quite seem the same without her, but the new girl had me grinning non - stop for days on end! Her smoother, quieter ride, greater power and speed, coupled to even more toys, has helped overcome the loss of Old Faithfull, who'll forever have a place in my heart.

Good luck with your car, I know how it feels, but trust me, if it doesn't work out, there are some lovely alternatives out there.
 
It depends on its year if it was water based paint or not IIRC the switch to water based paints was around 1998/99. Even if it is water based its possible to respray using other paint systems

Hope that helps

Yes - thanks for that. It is a 2000 W210, with that weird blue/green/black colour (smaragdsschwarz?). Really like the colour, seems to change depending on the light outside.
 
Good luck with your car, I know how it feels, but trust me, if it doesn't work out, there are some lovely alternatives out there.

Thanks :) It isn't our main auto, so I can afford to take my time sorting it out. Granted - I'd not do a concourse quality restore, as it is still driven daily, just for less important tasks (taking the wee ones to school etc).

I do know what you mean about alternatives, we just swapped one of our main rides (a Defender) for a modern, powerful alternative (Discovery). No comparison, makes me wonder what I was thinking all those years driving that tractor :)
 
Flip side is, sometimes it's better the devil you know. I've bought newer, supposedly better replacements before which were nothing but grief.

I'm in the process of stripping back the underneath of my E300, having a few bits of welding done and repainting with POR15. It's nothing sentimental, I just figure it's better to put minimal effort/cash into getting it tiptop than chancing a new car.

If you put your location in you might get some good body shop recs :)
 
From my hazy memory of painting those matt side trims, they were just done in a matt lacquer. So the base is the same but the lacquer is different.
 
Flip side is, sometimes it's better the devil you know. I've bought newer, supposedly better replacements before which were nothing but grief.

I'm in the process of stripping back the underneath of my E300, having a few bits of welding done and repainting with POR15. It's nothing sentimental, I just figure it's better to put minimal effort/cash into getting it tiptop than chancing a new car.

If you put your location in you might get some good body shop recs :)

Good points - thanks for pointing that out. Updated profile :thumb:
 
This may be a bit late; but I`ve recently replaced both front wings and refurbished the rear arches and door bottom corners on my old (`99) 300td.
With advice from this forum, I sprayed the wings, arches and door bottoms with `basecoat`(mb code 339 in my case); and then a coat of cellulose laquer.
I didn`t have any reaction with the original mb paint nor with the black `transit` paint on the new wings.
I would have liked to have given it another laquer coat or two, but I ran out of time as I was off to Germany the next day.

Pics (I hope) shows the car in Germany and late Aug fuel prices.
 

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