W203 corrosion

Page may contain affiliate links. Please see terms for details.

ddentrec

Active Member
Joined
Sep 4, 2003
Messages
414
Location
Cambridge
Car
W123 280TE, W123 200T, W203 C180K
Due to a bodged repair to the foglight on my 2003 W203 C180K, the repairer did not install the 'under-the-bumper' shroud properly: it separated whilst doing 80mph and ripped out the entire wheel arch liner.

Ah, but what is this? Whilst poking around the inside wing lo an behold I see evidence of ye olde tin worm muching away at the wing. True, it is in the early stages, but it is everywhere. Soon the wheel arch will be blistering.

The car has been owned from new, has never been reprayed, has full MobiloLie (sic) cover. Please see the attached low-quality photo (very difficult to get a snap - but you should be able to see the brown stuff).

I wonder if the W204 will have the same 'quality'?
 

Attachments

  • rust.JPG
    rust.JPG
    16.6 KB · Views: 240
Thanks for this. I'm really struggling to see anything though. Where is the rust in the picture?

I waxoyled the rear underside of my year 2000 W203 last week including rear subframe, exhaust hangers etc as there rust was starting to appear, and was debating whether to take the wheels off and waxoyl under the wheel arch liners. This pic may encourage me to!

BTW, the W204 will be fully galvanised and wont rust, as are facelift versions of the W203. We were simply unlucky enough to buy cars during MBs bad patch.
 
Last edited:
Hello...here is a updated photo with highlights...the bumper is to the right of the picture. Apologies for the poor quality...but there IS rust.

W204? Galvanised? Marketing guff? After my experience I would not touch another post-1996merc. My 1984 W123 200T with 362,000 miles has got rust...but that started when the car was 10 years old!

The good news is that it has completely cured me of "MB Brand" conditioning. I look forward to when I take the car to part-ex it for a Lexus...or maybe just a Toyota Avensis.

Re:

I waxoyled the rear underside of my year 2000 W203 last week including rear subframe, exhaust hangers etc...


I had a complete new exhaust system under warrantly due to severe corrosion: some of the exhaust hangers were missing too.
 

Attachments

  • rust.JPG
    rust.JPG
    17.9 KB · Views: 234
Last edited:
thanks for that. looks quite bad. Would any of that be visible with the wheel arch liner in place? I'd better take a look at mine.

W204? Galvanised? Marketing guff?

Only time will tell I guess, we'll have to revisit in about 10 years or so to find out!
 
Last edited:
Hello Robbo,

This should be visible with the liner in place. It seems to me that either the liner has been rubbing through the paint (unlikely) or it is simply moisture getting through the wheelarch lip.

But there are pockets of rust where the liner would hide the inner wing.
 
I have a Nov 2000 W203 220 CDI and I was very surprised to see the amount of rust on the car,also the complete lack of underseal anywhere underneath.There are body seams with no seam sealer and the rust has come all the way into the inside.This is my first MB and I did think I was buying quality and something that will last.I had an E30 325 Sport and at 10 year old had not a mark on it,sadly this car will look very sad at 10 years.My understanding is that the C Class was assembled in South Africa,my car being one of the first W203s must have been a practice model for the workforce.I think I agree with the previous post and if I bought another Merc it would be an older model
 
My sept 2000 W203 saloon was built in Germany (well it says made in Germany on the sticker on the drivers door pillar!), so I don't think its to do with where it's built, rather the manufacturing process involved and general lack of rustproofing. Although to be fair mine has less rust than ddentrecs car appears to have and is 3 years older. Yours must have been one of the very first off the line in South Africa.

I agree, the total lack of underseal underneath is alarming. I really dont know what MB were thinking. Have you treated the car yourself with a rustproofing agent like waxoyl? For peace of mind, I think it's worth it.

Mobilolife will be next to useless with underbody corrosion as they will try and wriggle out of it.
 
Last edited:
Hello Robbo,

This should be visible with the liner in place. It seems to me that either the liner has been rubbing through the paint (unlikely) or it is simply moisture getting through the wheelarch lip.

But there are pockets of rust where the liner would hide the inner wing.


I checked mine and there is absolutely no rust on any of the wheel arches. Mine is 3 years older than yours too so it looks like you have a bad example. I'll take a wheel arch liner off and have a look when I get some time.
 
W203 cars are definately going through for corrosion warranty claims. Post 2000 cars seem to be worse than previous cars of all models due to lack of seam sealer being applied on folds and joints.

Definately worth buying models after the galvanising process was brought in as they are not rusting generally.

I've seen scrap panels that are galvanised and have no rust having been outside for a month, even when dented and scratched.

If anyone wants to rustproof their own car Waxoyl is Ok but doesn't cling very well to the substrate. I use Waxoyl mixed with about 5% Millers Rust preventative oil. Works very well and has better rustproofing abaility.
 
Definately worth buying models after the galvanising process was brought in as they are not rusting generally.

Not wishing to sound rude but I do not believe you.

Please post a link to a mercedes-benz.com website/domain that categorically states that the W203 and the W204 are galvanised. Google shows that there are no hits for such a query.

I suspect that this myth is from the motoring press who have been fed duff info from the MB press office to make the marque more appealing.

Also note that even if the bodyshell is protected you will find that the subframe and suspension components are painted in thin cheap black paint that rusts within 6 months of new. If you look under a W123 or W124 you will see a thick epoxy-like coating on such areas. All the marketing fluff of modern mercs is just that - fluff. All style but with no real substance anymore.
 
Not wishing to sound rude but I do not believe you.

Please post a link to a Mercedes-benz.com website/domain that categorically states that the W203 and the W204 are galvanised. Google shows that there are no hits for such a query.

I suspect that this myth is from the motoring press who have been fed duff info from the MB press office to make the marque more appealing.

Also note that even if the bodyshell is protected you will find that the subframe and suspension components are painted in thin cheap black paint that rusts within 6 months of new. If you look under a W123 or W124 you will see a thick epoxy-like coating on such areas. All the marketing fluff of modern mercs is just that - fluff. All style but with no real substance anymore.

I wouldn't normally quote myself but....

Quote

"I've seen scrap panels that are galvanised and have no rust having been outside for a month, even when dented and scratched."


We had a thread posted by hawk20 showing the dates the particular models were galvanised from.

Having inspected various cars and had in depth conversations with the bodyshop I am sure the newer cars are galvanised. I originally posted all models after late 2004. This is still correct but it appears that some models are treated as far back as 2003.

Why not go to your local MB bodyshop and look at the panels coming off damaged cars, late ones will be rust free and obviously galvanised.

The subframes have always been poorly painted but that doesn't really bother me as it's easily dealt with, whereas body corrosion is more difficult to deal with so I am bothered about that.

You obviously don't believe what you are being informed. Can you substantiate your claims other than a google search? Which I'm not surprised isn't returning anything.
MB are hardly going to advertise the fact they know they were painting the cars badly, it could lead to a class action.

We already know you have a problem car as many members have or have had, just get it dealt with. It's a sad fact that w203 are rusting and yours is in the age range that are doing that.

p.s. Regarding this comment.

"I suspect that this myth is from the motoring press who have been fed duff info from the MB press office to make the marque more appealing."

Wrong....would love to say more but cant.
 
Last edited:
I suspect that this myth is from the motoring press who have been fed duff info from the MB press office to make the marque more appealing.

I regularly speak to the press as part of my job and I would doubt very much that any proper company would deliberately feed incorrect information to the press. Obviously, the media department will manage the messages to sound positively and might even try to feed the press with marketing speak, but to tell the press that they use galvanisation whereas this is in fact a lie is something that I would think highly unlikely.

Plainly lying to a journalist is an absolute no-no. It's the best route to self destruction of your credibility with the media.

When I supply a quote to the press or we issue a press release, great care goes into making sure the messages are factually correct.

That does not mean the press always understands the message, of course...
 
OK, Ok, we are all intelligent people. We may not agree...but at least we are not having a slanging match.

But the question remains: everyone seems to be telling that some MB cars are galvanised. Fair enough. So why is the only MB product that is stated by MB themselves on their website are the Actros vehicle range?

Show me MB branded documents, or web site, or press release, stating which model(s) are galvanised and I will shut up and offer you all my apologies. It is not an unreasonable question to ask. :)
 
how about this?

Note the sentence :-

'As in every other new Mercedes passenger car, the body panels of the A-Class are hot-dip galvanised on both sides for lasting protection against corrosion'
 
I hereby offer my apologies to Robbo, Dieselman and John Kerr!!! :D
 

Users who are viewing this thread

Back
Top Bottom