w124 Front wings, How much??

[jackgilroy]

hi

Just finished the oil change on my dad's 1995 E220. He's had it since new (8 years now!!!) and only done 56,000 miles in it, always garaged and washed etc

Problem is, it's got rust!!!! The front wings have a large ammount of rust on the inner wheelarch area which has now spread and become visable. Also around the side repeaters there is large ammounts of rust. Looks like it needs 2 new wings rather than sanding all the areas down and repainting which would involve a lot of work.

My question is, has anyone else got a w124 with rust problems. I've seen that Europarts sell the wings cheap, is this a good option? Buy from them, get a bodyshop to paint them and then just fit them myself. How much do you think a bodyshop would charge to paint two front wings, non metallic red.

thanks, sorry about all the question

jack

 

[Sp!ke]

If the rust is confined to just the wings, it sounds like maybe the wings have already been replaced at some point in the past by by ECP ones.

 

[jimmy]

To give you an idea of bodyshop costs I have just had the whole of one side resprayed because of two tiny little blisters, the dealer quoted £800, a bodyshop £500 and I got it done for £250 for cash for an evening job.

 

[jackgilroy]

hi

The wings are originals my dads had the car since new. It has rust in other places but the wings are the worst. Wings from ECP can't be any worse that the rubbish mercedes use. 8 years old and the cars covered in rust, I wouldn't except this from cars priced half as much. It's had rust on it for about 3 years it's just getting a lot worse.

He's had it into bodyshops for rust around the electric aerial when it was 2 years old!!,boot, rear lights a few years back

The car is a joke really considering how my dad looks after it and the ammount of rust on it. God knows what it would be like if the car got proper use and wasn't garaged.

Looks like he's going to buy my Rover 200 BRM off me and flock the merc at auction for pennies no doubt.

thanks
jack

 

[Shude]

Originally posted by jackgilroy
...always garaged and washed etc

That's where the rust came from then! How often was the car put back in the garage still wet? Garages are just brick-built rust- catalysts! My Father's Porsche 944 is garaged all the time but it's only put back in when it's dry and we have a de-humidifier running all the time to keep the damp away!

ECP panels are often oem reject MB panels, they didn't pass the final inspection at the factory due to blemishes in the paint etc and were sold to places like ECP. According to my bodyshop the ECP ones are usually very good, but might need some work to be lined up to the bonnet etc (which merc owners like, if it was a v*uxhall n*va or something we'd prolly not care as much) . They said sometimes it's easier and cheaper (less labour) to get oem panels from the stealership, last check was about £120 per side pre-painted in your car's colour for w202 front wings, I should imagine that w124 wings are a similar price, but I've not checked.

 

[jackgilroy]

hi

£120 sounds like a good price.

The garage has a heater in it. When he cleans it, he leaves it out till it's dry. I know what you mean, washing it then putting it straight back in the garage would cause massive rust and would be worse than keeping the car outside all the time. As it would take mush longer for it to dry in a small space.

thanks for the replies
jack

 

[Mark300SL]

Originally posted by jackgilroy
hi



Looks like he's going to buy my Rover 200 BRM off me and flock the merc at auction for pennies no doubt.

thanks
jack

Hi Jack

I presume you are the same "JackBRM" from the Rover forum ??

Welcome to the more sedate/civilised side of forum motoring

Mark