Rusty S320 L

[MBK]

Hi All,

I went to look at a 2002 S320 L today as i thought I'd better get a family orientated car with the little one getting bigger and harder to get into her baby seat in the back of my coupe. So i went to see this S320 L which i loved (in the pics) as it had so much room in the back as I'm quite tall and have the seat pretty far back and this makes it hard to fit a baby seat behind me. Anyway back to this car, it looked really nice in the pics Ormandeen Black with nappa grey leather, when i got there i was met with a car which suffered more from rust in 8 years then my w124 had in 14 years!!! i mean there was rust everywhere, every arch was rusted the driver side front being the worst with an inch wide rust area around the wheel. all the doors had rust on the corners, this had already made my mind up about this car, but then i started the engine and opened the bonnet, there was diesel splattering on to the belt and flying around everywhere, is this normal for a 94,000 mile car which has a FULL SERVICE HISTORY??!! or is the trader telling porkies, obviously i walked away from the car and I'm really considering just saving my money and buying a w124 saloon, i mean i can deal with rusty wings but when the whole car is rusting away that just takes the biscuit. Bar the rust and engine dribbling the car was amazing, had full electrically adjustable and heated front and rear seats, command and all the normal gizmos you find in a car that would have cost £60 - £70k new.

Sorry for the rant but are all modern used cars like this?

K

 

[blondebier]

Hi All,
Sorry for the rant but are all modern used cars like this?
K

Nope - I think MB have a problem...

Have you ever considered an E38? They made them up to 2001 and IMO I think they look pretty good. Amazing value too.

Plenty of engine choice too : 728i, 730i, 730d, 735i, 740i (4.0 and 4.4 L), 740d and 750i

Remember that 750IL in that bond film Tomorrow Never Dies?

 

[Charles Morgan]

No. Sounds shocking on a car with FSH, as to the rust, well, it wouldn't be the first S class of that era. An intensely sad fact though.

ps - my brother in law runs around in a SEAT Alhambra TDi of like age with far higher mileage. The car is immaculate. Perhaps if Schrempp hadn't pursued his dreams of glory buying Chrysler the Mercs of that era might have been better built than SEATS...

 

[hawk20]

This thread will give you details of when galvanising of all steel panels began for various MB models. BMW started around the same time and had plenty of rust issues as well before they did so.

http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=34227


S CLASS –220series and CL class 215 series.
The S class and CL class are built of a combination of aluminium and steel. For the aluminium components there is, of course, no galvanising process.

All steel panels were galvanised from Quarter 1 2003 production onwards.
During the previous quarter (Q4 2002) the process was gradually introduced
on the production line and therefore some vehicles were galvanised during
this lead-up period, but not all.

 

[hawk20]

Try this link for BMW problems
http://www.bavarian-board.co.uk/foru...TID=39921&PN=1

 

[Setanta]

Nope - I think MB have a problem...

Have you ever considered an E38? They made them up to 2001 and IMO I think they look pretty good. Amazing value too.

Plenty of engine choice too : 728i, 730i, 730d, 735i, 740i (4.0 and 4.4 L), 740d and 750i

Remember that 750IL in that bond film Tomorrow Never Dies?

My e38 750il was a pile of absolute c**p

 

[Charles Morgan]

Nothing to add on the BMW rust debate but avoid the 4.0 litre petrol engines if you do look at one.

 

[MBK]

Does anyone know if the 140 suffered from rust or was it engineered more like the 124?

I've seen a very nice W140 fully loaded (well its got everything i need) but was just wandering what people have experienced with these cars.

K

 

[st4]

Does anyone know if the 140 suffered from rust or was it engineered more like the 124?

I've seen a very nice W140 fully loaded (well its got everything i need) but was just wandering what people have experienced with these cars.

K

They can rust but not so badly. Usual spots, wings, arches etc. The newest 140 is now a 10yr old car. Later 220s should be fine (2004 on) and the 140 has a tank like quality about it as well. Try both. Money will go further on a w140

 

[hawk20]

Later 220s should be fine (2004 on)

Or even 2003 ones; but need to remember to check build date and not just date of first registration to be sure of getting a galvanised one. (see earlier posting for details).

 

[Smarties]

They can rust but not so badly. Usual spots, wings, arches etc. The newest 140 is now a 10yr old car. Later 220s should be fine (2004 on) and the 140 has a tank like quality about it as well. Try both. Money will go further on a w140

I had a S500 W140 Coupe, 1995 vintage, 73000 miles with full history...it rusted, was painted and rusted again, plus ongoing running problems & failing electrics. Sold at a massive loss...never again

 

[Sorry Pete]

I had a S500 W140 Coupe, 1995 vintage, 73000 miles with full history...it rusted, was painted and rusted again, plus ongoing running problems & failing electrics. Sold at a massive loss...never again

This quote is taken from our good friend, Honest John:

" European mid-90s slump left a lot of 'S'-Class unsold - sitting outside in Baltic Sea dockside compounds which won't have done them much good."

I have seen early well-cared for examples with unmarked paintwork, and others with fist-sized scabs of rust on the front wings. It'll be down to the individual car condition for the w140's as with the w124's. Some just seem to weather better than others. Having said that, my experience is that the water-based paints introduced commencing 1993, are less durable than pre-'93 oil based ones.

On the OP, I think it's not unreasonable to expect a non accident-damaged car under 10 years old to be rust free, from any manufacturer, let alone a premium brand as MB. My old VW Golf, left outside and if not abused, then not cherished, sold at 10 years old last year without a hint of rust anywhere on the body.

I remember reading in the 90's that the average service life of a Mercedes was much longer than other marques; in the region of 22 years. I doubt that is still the case.

 

[Charles Morgan]

On the OP, I think it's not unreasonable to expect a non accident-damaged car under 10 years old to be rust free, from any manufacturer, let alone a premium brand as MB. My old VW Golf, left outside and if not abused, then not cherished, sold at 10 years old last year without a hint of rust anywhere on the body.

I remember reading in the 90's that the average service life of a Mercedes was much longer than other marques; in the region of 22 years. I doubt that is still the case.

There is something extraodinarily depressing about all of this. My parents have run ordinary Hondas and Toyotas for years, after lifetimes with VW products. Only the Fiat 126 (of fond but hideous memory) they had in the late 70s ever rusted. Sometimes reading this forum one might believe Mercedes took rustproofing lessons from Lancia and never looked back.

 

[clk208]

The mechanicals of these mercs built during the cost cutting era still seem to be pretty bomb-proof, the only major issue which seems to consistently come up is some gearboxes needing refurbing after a serious mileage.

This will surely result in there being thousands of mercs with ugly cosmetic rust running round for the next decade or so - hardly a great advert for the brand! Not a very good business decision to wash their hands of it for warranty purposes after vehicles are older than 8 IMHO.

 

[Lugy]

Does anyone know if the 140 suffered from rust or was it engineered more like the 124?

I've seen a very nice W140 fully loaded (well its got everything i need) but was just wandering what people have experienced with these cars.

K

Try one, you might like it.

My S320 is quite a late car (August 1997). The wings are shot, literally!

Apart from that it's hard to fault them, my car may only have 230BHP but it will still pull itself up to an indicated 140mph within a reasonable time. It's rubbish on fuel, it's just as economical at 100mph as it is at 70mph. The comfort is uncanny and even though it's nearly a base model it's still loaded with toys. There's loads of space, the boot is massive - a Billy bookcase fits in sideways through the opening - and if you get the right colour masses of presence. The Yakuza love 'em too.
Yes they are very complicated when they go wrong , but all W140 owners have a friend in Carl at w140.com.

I still think that everyone would pull over for a black one.

 

[nullogik]

It's rubbish on fuel, it's just as economical at 100mph as it is at 70mph...

Out of interest what kind of mileage do you get about town and on the motorway Lugy?

 

[Benzowner]

I have a 1999 W220 S Class 3.2 and there is a little surface rust on the nearside from wing looks as though caused by stone ships. No rust anywhere else as far as I can see and the car has just passed its MoT. I look at w220's and have yet to see one with any serious rust issues as the W210 had. Have a look at another, it may have been a one off.

 

[Lugy]

Out of interest what kind of mileage do you get about town and on the motorway Lugy?

Well my best has been 26mpg going down to Kidderminster, may have been slightly better if it wasn't for Birmingham . The same journey a few months later with a strong head wind got me 22mpg! Presumably due to the sheer size I guess.

Round town I still get around 22 though. I do try to drive so that I don't need to come to a stop though, it does make a big difference. Again I guess it's because it's so big!

 

[st4]

It's rubbish on fuel, it's just as economical at 100mph as it is at 70mph.

Another reason why you should drive 100mph wherever possible

 

[James Rothwell]

My W220 must have been treated at some point because it has no wing rust at all, there is a bit of rust bubbling around the back of the sunroof though which is pretty annoying.

But the more time I spend in the 220 the more I like it but I do miss the 140 S600 I had, that car was a proper event cruising around in that the w220 just looks a bit, well, normal.