Rusted subframe follow up

[W1ghty]

Which dealer did the work please?

Just get a quote from an MB specialist like Alex Crow in Stowmarket . Ignore anything the main dealer is saying .

 

[23 Romeo Tango]

I don't think the OP had it done at MB Warrington

My mistake, sorry MB Warrington.

 

[pmcgsmurf]

Even more bizarre when some of the bolts are stretch and use once only!

 

[W1ghty]

Even more bizarre when some of the bolts are stretch and use once only!

Jesus Christ !!

 

[MarkG14]

I find it strange that the car failed on rusty brake lines just a year after not even getting an advisory on them.

FYI - the subframe was replaced (along with other work), and subsequently MOT’d by the same dealer. Incredibly, they included an advisory on the MOT about the rusty brake lines they had refitted! No mention of the rusty brake lines was made to me BEFORE I collected the car after the car had passed the MOT.

 

[Bobby Dazzler]

FYI - the subframe was replaced (along with other work), and subsequently MOT’d by the same dealer. Incredibly, they included an advisory on the MOT about the rusty brake lines they had refitted! No mention of the rusty brake lines was made to me BEFORE I collected the car after the car had passed the MOT.

Last year my W204 failed the MOT test with the dreaded rusty rear subframe.
I was rather surprised (and delighted) that MB agreed to replace the 15-year-old subframe under warranty, and at no cost to myself.
Earlier this year I had the rear tyres replaced, and while the tyre fitter had the rear wheels off I was shocked to see the brand new subframe attached to the bodywork by the old RUSTY bolts!
Today the car was MOT‘d on the anniversary of the new subframe, and I was shocked and enraged to hear that the car had failed on rusty rear brake lines.
These rusty brake lines had been removed from the old subframe, and reattached to the new subframe.
Today, the MB dealer responsible for this explained that MB only warranted the subframe, and would not pay for new bolts or brake lines that were similarly rusted.
I was apoplectic that the dealer would refit rusty brake lines without asking me if I would pay for new brake lines.
Now, they are asking me to pay for the whole subframe to be removed again, in order to replace the rusty brake lines they refitted 12 months ago, with labour costs amounting to over £1200 alone.
I cannot believe a franchised dealership would refit rusty brake lines that would clearly fail an MOT within 12 months.

Has anyone else who has had this problem with a rusty subframe had the same problem with rusty bolts/brake lines?

Did it fail due to rusty brake lines, or was it an advisory? They’re two different things. When you started the thread you said it failed, but now say it was an advisory.

Rusty brake line advisories are relatively common and it doesn’t mean that they’re dangerous, but of course they eventually will be, just like new brake lines will be one day.

You may find that a different MOT tester - on a different day - might have reached a different conclusion on any one of your last three MITs.

Just get them replaced by a specialist.

 

[stressd]

I think it's pretty decent that MB replaced the 15-year-old subframe under warranty.

To be fair to the dealer, in this age of cost cutting / finding the cheapest anything / getting the most out of a mechanics hours / ease of leaving bad reviews, they're between a rock and a hard place. You had a rusted subframe, MB sent them a new one, they fitted it. Job done. If you had discussed it with them beforehand and asked what else can be replaced while it's being done, I'm sure they would have been happy to give you a list, as it's more income for them.

In forums, there are always people saying how they took their car in to a garage for x, and were told that y and z needs to be done, followed by lots of comments how the garage are just trying to milk them for more money. The garage is damned if they do, and damned if they don't..

 

[Fastcar155]

I had a Mitsubishi Shogun that failed it's MOT ( dangerous ) because the windscreen wiper did not clear the windscreen.The car had slight corrosion with in the distance of a strong point on the chassis and again was failed.No real issues with either issue.

However , the windscreen wipers was clearly an easy repair

The corrosion was safety critical repair that took 8 hours to complete and the MOT pass was achieved !

Within 14 days the safety critical repair has failed , the filler had fallen out.

My C207 was written off through rear subframe failure.