Wheel Arch Trims

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jayar

New Member
Joined
Aug 9, 2013
Messages
3
Car
W202 C class estate
Does anyone know of a source for a set of chrome wheel arch trims to fit a W202 c-class estate?
KMS have nil stock and do not know when they will be restocked.
jayar
 
Ebay.

Make sure you paint them, they do look nasty in chrome.
 
Or why not just get the arches done so you don't have to fit them......
 
Or why not just get the arches done so you don't have to fit them......

My arches were repaired by Mercedes, only lasted 18 months and the rust was back again. They've been repaired again, but if it only lasts 18 months each time, I might just fit these as well.

Russ
 
rf065 said:
My arches were repaired by Mercedes, only lasted 18 months and the rust was back again. They've been repaired again, but if it only lasts 18 months each time, I might just fit these as well.

Russ

The trouble is they trap water and will rot them out even quicker.
 
Am going to get a quote for the arches (NOT from Mercedes), as I agree about the look of the Chrome Trims ...watch this space.
 
Am going to get a quote for the arches (NOT from Mercedes), as I agree about the look of the Chrome Trims ...watch this space.

Firstly, Mercedes don't repair arches/rust themselves, so even if they quoted for the work it is still going to be done by a bodyshop regardless.

Secondly, in my experience, the rust will return in 18 months anyway and you will be looking at getting them done again or going for the chrome arches anyway.

Not what you want to hear, but some MB's are built with low grade steel, very thin paint or I suspect, both of these. Certainly mine is, and my repairs were done by one of the best bodywork places around, paid for by Mercedes under goodwill, yet the rust returns.

Russ
 
^^^ Quite right...

Most Mercs made between 1997 to around 2000 were never adequately rust proofed during the manufacturing process. This period is always referred to as when the accountants took over from the engineers at Mercedes. So models that suffer the tin worm the worst are W202 C Class, W210 E Class, W208 CLK, I'm not so sure about the other more premium models like S, SL, SLK etc.

Indeed rust was one of the main reasons I got rid of my cherised W202 recently (3 weeks ago). She'd been in 3 times with MB for warranty rust repair and also once privately, each time the rust came back. It may last a year or two as opposed to months but eventually the rust & rot will return unless old panels are simply binned and replaced with new. What really irritated me was that my father's 1987 W124 200 was in better nick body wise than my 1998 W202 C240. :fail I would never knowingly buy another MB from that period again.

S.
 
^^^ Quite right...

Most Mercs made between 1997 to around 2000

We need to re-evaluate those dates, mine was built in December 2005 and the worst rust I've seen on a relatively new car was a 2008 ML. I've heard of 2011 cars with rust too, but not seen one myself. MB still have a long way to go.

Russ
 
The rust in my arches is minimal and not in all which is why I was hoping to get it sorted. My comment about 'Not Mercedes was in response to RF065. I shall truck my old estate around to a local bodyshop and see what they can offer.
PS: Red Baron: some of us only have one Merc so scrapping is not an option.
 
We need to re-evaluate those dates, mine was built in December 2005 and the worst rust I've seen on a relatively new car was a 2008 ML. I've heard of 2011 cars with rust too, but not seen one myself. MB still have a long way to go.

Russ
Could well be, I mentioned the cut off of around 2000 as that's when the W203 replaced the W202 and from what I have read the W203 doesn't have the reputation for being a rust bucket as per the facelift W202. Heck, even the prefacelift W202 doesn't have the rust problems that the facelift W202 does.

Feel free to revise the dates for other models such as the ML, I very rarely read up on the 4x4 scene. Just out of interest are the ML's made in the USA like the original M Class? Or are they manufactured in Europe?

S.
 
Feel free to revise the dates for other models such as the ML, I very rarely read up on the 4x4 scene. Just out of interest are the ML's made in the USA like the original M Class? Or are they manufactured in Europe?
S.

ML's were/are assembled in US, Austria, India and Mexico.
For clarification, the bodyshop near me is always full of MB's, all different models, mostly around 5 to 7 years old and always in for rust repairs courtesy of Mercedes goodwill. It is a shameful sight to be honest for a "premium" brand.

Russ
 

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