Why are certain Mercedes-Benz E-Class models so prone to rust and corrosion?

I was interested to read the correspondence on rusting Mercedes-Benz cars. I bought four E-class Mercedes-Benz Estate cars in a row. The first three were excellent, both mechanically and bodily. I bought...

Arbitratory decision

I have a 52 Mercedes C180 Kompressor, bought second hand, privately in May 2009. Six months later I was told (by Motoraid) all four wheel arches were rusted - the upshot of which was two new back arch...

Can you recommend a rust-resistant car for use on an Atlantic island?

My daughter is going to work on a small island in the Atlantic. It has a subtropical climate and cars there have a tendency to rust due to the saline environment. Please could you recommend a small car...

Why won't Mercedes-Benz honour its rust warranty on my 2003 E-Class?

My Mercedes-Benz E-Class is nearly eight years old (79,000 miles on clock) and with the numerous areas of rust appearing (top of all doors, three wheel arches, off-side front door and around the boot lock)...

Recommend a cheap, reliable car to replace my parents' Nissan Sunny?

I need to find a replacement reliable, cheap-to-run car for my parents. Their current car (an M-reg Nissan Sunny) has rusted to the point where it is going to cost more than it is worth. I would like to...

My Jaguar X-Type has a rusty subframe but Jaguar won't accept liability. What should I do?

I am the owner of a Jaguar X-Type Estate registered in October 2008 and it has a rusty rear sub-frame. Jaguar completely deny responsibility and I have a letter from them stating "Surface corrosion is...

Is this 1995 BMW 3 Series a good purchase for £1000?

I've seen a BMW 316i for sale on a 95 reg, asking price £1000. It has a long MOT with a full service history and 122,000 miles on the clock. It looks ok, it's just the miles are a bit high. I've been told...

My Y-reg SLK is suffering from rust problems. Would Mercedes-Benz repair it?

My Y-reg Mercedes-Benz SLK is starting to become very rusty. It started at the boot handle, and is now affecting all sills. Someone told me that this is a fault associated with Y-reg Mercedes-Benz models...

Are there any cars that are designed to last more than 12 years without rusting?

In the past I have owned a Volkswagen Polo and a Golf. The cars lasted 17 years and 14 years and were still good roadworthy cars when I sold them. I was shocked when I read your comments about modern cars...

My Ford Ka's failed its MOT badly - is it worth repairing?

I bought a Ford Ka about three months ago and just took it for an MOT which it failed badly! The offside rear (chassis) vehicle sturcture, nearside sill and offside floor pan have excessive corrosion,...