|
Most MB models (and certainly C Class) were fully galvanised from mid 2003.
|
I should also add that MB's Mobilo warranty covers perforation and they seem to be pretty good about doing repairs, even when the car doesn't have full MB service hsitory.
I forget the time periods now, but it covers some things for 30 years although some of the benefits only apply to post 1998 cars, but the one in the original post would certainly be covered (assuming it hasn't had bodged accident repairs etc).
Edited by Bill Payer on 09/08/2008 at 13:10
|
|
|
|
Sadly, this is no surprise. I think they got it sorted from 2003 onwards on the C-class, although I have seen reports of corrosion on later vehicles in other classes, including some of the most expensive of the lot.
The rot really started with the W210 E-class from 1996 onwards. Curiously, it affected some but by no means all of them. I don't know what the stats are, but suspect that it may have been a large minority rather than a majority. The worst of them were indeed structural liabilities -- shameful for a company of MB's standing. The bodywork corrosion has been attributed to the switch to water-based paint, but, for what it's worth, the owner of the bodyshop I use doesn't agree. All repairs have been made with water-based paint and seem to have worked.
The one model that seems to have escaped is the R129 SL throughout the 1990s. I've been wondering recently whether that was just down to greater care in its manufacture, as the SL is perhaps the flagship of MB. Even that one can have problems if the door drains get blocked.
I said "sadly" because I own several older MBs. However, even those models (W124, W126) are prone to corrosion in the wheel arches and one or two other predictable places.
|
I've had a good look at my sister's 1998 vintage SLK which is a rust bucket.
Apart from some unbelievably poor detailing such as plastic shields trapping water against the body in various places (including front bumper to wing) the car is in my view constructed of very poor quality steel.
The kind of rust on this vehicle is reminiscent of a '70s Fiat, where the rust runs completely through the metal and flakes off in layers. There is clearly nothing to be done with a vehicle constructed in this manner and of such poor material.
659.
|
|
Poor-quality Russian steel has been the subject of rumours, but I'm not sure how well founded they are. Another rumoured factor is "when the beancounters took over from the engineers at MB".
|
More interesting reading here:
www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_49845.html
|
I absolutely love the Car-by-Car archive above :)
'1995 to 2000 cars have had paint and rust problems, particularly around the numberplate area on the bootlid in the bottoms of doors and now developing in the front wings. This is well known in Germany. Daimler Chrysler has now admitted to another rust problem on all W210 E Class up to June 2001 build - apparently due to using stretched steel construction. Affects areas around door window seals and suspension mounting points.
Inspect the paint very carefully for signs of 'filoform' corrosion (corrosion starting in the metal under the paint). Also inspect for corrosion in the seams, behind the seals at the tops of the doors, and in the underbonnet seams.'
www.honestjohn.co.uk/carbycar/index.htm?md=243&
If you look at the Car-by-Car breakdowns for other Mercs. of the period they seem just as bad.
From experience, a friend had a silver P plate C36 and the rear arches were rusting under the plastic bodykit and discolouring the silver paint.
W124 front wings rust, but last time I heard they were £82 each.
It seems amazing that Mercs from 80s are rusting far less than stuff made in the last decade.
Wouldn't it be more green to reuse these engines from these rotting modern Mercs and putting them in W124s and W201s?
Ah well, the rust problems and the price of petrol means you can get W210 E36 AMGs for less than £3,000.
You don't see much rust on 15 year old Toyota Carina Es do you?
Don't Toyotas have the build quality and integrity that Mercedes are supposed to have?
|
A rusty white estate car sounds to me like it may have had a past life as a Plod car. If it has then you can guarantee that nearly every panel will have been repaired at some point.
|
I'm afraid that in the matter of corrosion protection, things have moved on. Any car these days worth buying has a layer of zinc under the paint which acts as a sacrificial anode.
There should be no significant rust even in the event of moderate paint damage.
659.
|
I clean a 2004 C180 with corrosion in the boot shut and rear arches, an SLK '98 with a rusty bootlid and doors/front wings and a 1994 E220 with rusty front wings. Also clean a 200k 1990 190E with no rust whatsoever. Go figure. I think its hilarious.
My dads Astra is 13 years old and is only just about to need any real repairs with some tatty rear arches but the structure is still sound and floorpan is like new.
|
|
|
Roger, that link to the other site was interesting, some very disgruntled owners there, and rightly so.
We considered changing the 124 coupe for a 03 plate W215 CL500 with low mileage some 18 months or more ago.
It was the only car that mrs gb would consider in place of the old girl (until she got the hilux that is....thats another story)
After having a good look round, i found both rear wings corroded in the wheelarches, the n/s wheel arch must have had a 6 inch section with no paint at all, and one rear wing corroded just below the C pillar, whilst its opposite was actually corroded on the C pillar too, i didn't bother looking any further, the salesman seemed surprised, maybe other potential buyers don't look.
Bearing in mind this car must have been the best part of 70K new, i expected better.
I understand that most of these panels are aluminium, which begs the question what could be the state of play under the skin of the car, where aluminium meets steel and reacts.
At the end of the day, our 124 with over twice the mileage and 7 years older was in, and still is in better condition, speaks volumes.
|
|
|
|
|
More interesting reading here: www.carsurvey.org/viewcomments_review_49845.html
This was an interesting bit....'A friend just traded his 2-year old E-Class for an Audi A6 and is delighted with it...' - dated 2005.
My A6 will be 10yrs old in October and lives outside. The only body rust servicing I have ever done is on the head of a tiny 'phillips' screw at the bottom of the front doors. The rest is immaculate.
However, there has been a small corrosion problem at the banjo bolt fitting on a rear brake caliper causing fluid leakage - just needed dismantling and fettling. Apart from this, it all looks as good as new. De-rusted the original discs this summer - still plenty of wear left - 98,000m.
|
When I was thinking of buying a CLK of around 1999/2000 vintage, I spoke to a MB specialist. He advised that the main thing to look for for was rust around the wheelarches, suggesting that you also peel back all the rubber seals to check under those. Worrying on a 7 year old car that was £30k new. The MB forums have a lot of comments from owners on this issue.
We had a 1986 Saab 900 that I badly scraped the rear wing of on a gate-post. It got a light film of rust on it, but didn't get any worse in the remaining few years that we owned it.
|
|
|
My A6 will be 10yrs old in October and lives outside.
My FIL scrapped a then 10yr old A6 a couple of years ago - been in the family from new but spent an absolute fortune on it during its last couple of years after a series of problems with brakes, suspension, water leaks, auto box and then the last straw was an engine oil seal failure which would have been an engine out and dismantle job to fix.
|
I had an Audi 100 for ten years from new. When I sold it in 1999, it had just one pin-hole of rust on it at the back of the bonnet, plus a deep vandal scratch that had gone nearly to the metal but induced no corrosion at all. I'm convinced that the Audi's paintwork was better than its MB contemporaries, let alone the later rust-prone MBs. Much the same good paintwork quality was evident on the Golf VR6 I had for nearly ten years from new.
That Audi's only mechanical problem was the well known premature wear of a front-wheel bearing. Nevertheless, I am now devoted to my ageing MBs.
|
Wife's 1993 Peugeot 106 (and most others) are in better condition than most 10 years old MBs I have seen.
Bargepole job.. (the MB of course)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
