Rust issues on Vito 115 panel van

[Nick Bourne]

Hi all,
I have a Vito 115, owned from new 04 reg, initially serviced/maintained by MB dealer but was so poor had the servicing done at a local garage once the warranty ran out. That said, the van still went to MB dealer for major works. My problem is rust & lots of it. My initial query to MB dealer 4-5 years ago was diagnosed as "stone chipping" the 2nd query was met with the same response, the 3rd visit 1year ago was met with shock at the amount of rust. i was told to take the van to the main body shop of the MB dealer for a warranty claim. there i was told the van was built in Spain and all vehicles from the same time period have rust issues due to poor preparation before painting, that the rust is coming through from beneath the paint and not "stone chipping". The problem is they now say that as I've not had all the servicing done by the MB dealer the warranty is void as they've not had the chance to see it to put straight any rust issues. I now have holes in the roof you can put your fingers through, rust on almost every panel and no residual value on the vehicle.
Anyone experienced similar and had any luck with legal challenge?

 

[davidjpowell]

MB have and use as many loopholes in their rust guarantee as their vehicles have rust. Once a vehicle's a few years old they rarely fail to find a way out.

MB's rust - especially at that period.

If it's worth peanuts due to rust I'd be sorely tempted to get it appropriately sign written and to park it as near to the dealers as you can...

 

[BTB 500]

MB have and use as many loopholes in their rust guarantee as their vehicles have rust. Once a vehicle's a few years old they rarely fail to find a way out.

MB's rust - especially at that period.

I don't think an 04 plate 639 would have had any rust guarantee. The twelve year bodywork warranty came in when galvanised body panels were introduced ... 2005 onwards.

So all down to goodwill I think, and unfortunately a lack of FMBSH doesn't help there.

 

[Deleted member 37751]

A lot of manufacturers suffered with rust in the mid to late 90's but most got their act together in the early 2000's whereas Mercedes simply kept making rusty vans for as long as they possibly could.

I was speaking to my window fitter yesterday about his XLWB 2005 Sprinter and he and other people he knows in the trade all laugh about the joke that is rusty Mercedes commercials and he put it very succinctly "if the engines weren't so bulletproof, none of us would buy them!"

Get some photos up if you can...

 

[ringway]

Hi all,
I have a Vito 115, owned from new 04 reg, initially serviced/maintained by MB dealer but was so poor had the servicing done at a local garage once the warranty ran out. That said, the van still went to MB dealer for major works. My problem is rust & lots of it. My initial query to MB dealer 4-5 years ago was diagnosed as "stone chipping" the 2nd query was met with the same response, the 3rd visit 1year ago was met with shock at the amount of rust. i was told to take the van to the main body shop of the MB dealer for a warranty claim. there i was told the van was built in Spain and all vehicles from the same time period have rust issues due to poor preparation before painting, that the rust is coming through from beneath the paint and not "stone chipping". The problem is they now say that as I've not had all the servicing done by the MB dealer the warranty is void as they've not had the chance to see it to put straight any rust issues. I now have holes in the roof you can put your fingers through, rust on almost every panel and no residual value on the vehicle.
Anyone experienced similar and had any luck with legal challenge?

Unfortunately, Full MBSH counts for nothing. LINK.