Wargen

A couple of days ago i got from very happy with my car to considering it a total disaster. My 20 months old late 2009 C-200 kompressor is starting to rust, a small bubble from under the paint is growing on the back door. The dealer seemed a bit suprised and it looks like it will be solved with no cost for me, but its still a great scandal and makes you wonder if Mercedes is comtting suicide. It wouldnt take many more car magazine articels about rusting cars to completely wipe Mercedes off the premium market.

I dont know if im mostly angry, disappointed or ashamed because ive been fooled by Mercedes self claimed increase in quality. Mercedes has probably more than anywhere else rusted like no other cars until early 2000 somewhere. I have owned what we in Sweden consider the most corrosive cars, mid 90´s Opels/Vauxhall but even with those cars this would be considered a great scandal.

Many of my friends drive Audi and BMW, and some told me that my Mercedes is going to rust in two years when my car was brand new. Of course i got almost angry and told them that it is not even possible, now im there with this very expensive and rusting car and feel like a complete idiot.

Will probably have to sell this car very fast before this becomes known and the resell prices drop, the dream of driving a brand new Mercedes benz has become a nightmare.

Janis Joplin dint know what she was asking for, a Mercedes seems like lords ultimate punishment!

The questions are many but most important, do you believe that Mercedes really have inceared quality or are they still rust buckets?

Have you heard of any other Mercs year model after 2008 rusting?

ZephyrAMG

I agree with you on the "level of Mercedes Quality". I have seen bubbles of clear coat and multiple paint imperfections on the cars brand new when looking at them at the dealership. They are not completed to an immaculate level. I think they skip a large part of the finishing and inspecting process and rush the factory release of the cars with no refinement.

I think you should post this in the private lounge section where Mercedes Benz can see it and report it back to their complaints department.

icanectc

I have to swing the other way on this one. I have driven 2 MB's a 2007 C230 (US) and now a 2010 C300 4Matic. While I do try to take care of my cars as I have a great love for the recent body styliings of MB's, they do get a lot of Miles about 20k a year. With that said, I will get an a scrap or a on paint or something because of my fault. car is low so I may hit the curb as they are quite high here in DC compared to Miami, Fl. But the dealer fixes those issues at little cost.

But I have never had to deal with a Manufacturers issue on any of those cars ever. No engine problems, no tranny problems, no electric problems, no paint bubbling or rusting the car has always worked when I needed it to and has never let me down. Perhaps in your country the air is more salty and its more proned to causing rusty, I don't know! But in the two cars I've had (one could argue I am still a newbie to the brand which I admit I am) I have never been more pleased and more secure with the brand.

Meanwhile my GF drives a BMW 2010 335i coupe AWD shes a bimmer fan and I too love that car but sometimes her gauges read faulty - example low tire pressure when in fact they are perfectly fine. My car has never given me mis information!

Wargen

Unfortlunately they put salt on the roads abaout 4 month a year in Sweden, but Volvos and even Saabs simply doesnt rust within 2 years, not talking about the real premium. Cars in Swedish climate live a very hard life but i felt that a Mercedes would be a safe pick quality wise, rust is the most embarrassing for any manufacturer.

I agree with you on every other aspect, i havent had one guarantee issue so far, and i tend to demand every interior rattle or minor flaw to be fixed. The car have been a dream in every aspect.

It could be bad fortune, but still i think Mercedes Swedens take on this is very nonchalant, i got a time for repaint in three months. I believe they should give this highest priority and give me a time right away just to make it less of a disaster for them and me.

The way they handle this gives me the feeling its not remarkable that a two year old expensive Benz is rusting...

Wargen

What is private luonge, a part of this forum or a part of Mercedes US website?

icanectc

If you do get heavy salts for winter you might want to look into treating the undercarriage treatment, wash (believe US dealers and specialized automative places can do this for you) as well as clay bar washes.

I don't know what kind of protectant you use but OEM anti-rust techniques shouldn't be your only line of defense. It just as important to wash away the salt as well (not saying you are not-you didn't mention the washing techniques you use). I know many people in the states get extremely lazy with car washing in the winter it looks like their car has been through hell and back come Janurary, February.

gforaker

I live in Northern Ohio and we have salt on the road for at least 5 months a year. Rust is not a common issue with any current European or American made car sold around here. You may have had a scratch or imperfection which went through the zinc barrier. It should not be duplicated anywhere else on the car. Keep a close watch and have any bubbles repaired quickly and you should be fine.

Beverly Gray

2001 c-240 sedan rust on the bottom of all four doors, the rest of the car shines like new:

Some research and links on this website revealed that the problem was a design/manufacturing defect on models from 2000 to 2003, MB USA acknowledged the defect in a May 2005 "Change Order" that went out to dealerships to "fix" the problem at the next rgular servicing for the more than 170,000 models effected. My sedan was "fixed," but rusted nonetheless.

After two letters to Stephen Cannon, CEO MB USA, a report to the Better Business Bureau and a letter from my lawyer failed to get satisfaction about the rust on the bottom of all four doors, I had my car restored at my local body shop at a cost of less than $1500. I then took Mercedes Benz USA Corporate to small claims court in Hackensack, NJ. Frankly, I was hoping and expecting that neither Mr. Cannon nor the MB corporate lawyer would show up and I would thus win my case (and my $1500) by default. The lawyer did show up, however, and in pre trial mediation I was convinced by the mediator that I had no chance of winning my suit with the evidence I had brought to court, so I decided to "dismiss without prejudice" and do some additional research so that I would have another chance to sue at a later date. I do plan to carry this on because I believe strongly that MB USA has an obligation to the brand and to its customers. I was surprised, and gratified, to discover how easy and inexpensive (less than $30) it is to bring a major corporation to court.

As I said, I plan to regroup and either resubmit my claim in Hackensack with more evidence, and an expert witness if needed, or to look into the possibility of a CLASS ACTION SUIT.

Any thoughts?

Beverly Gray
Warrenton, VA

Birdseye

3 months?! I would stuff my keys down the service manager's throat. You should be first in line, skipping line, whatever.

Beverly Gray

It seems to me that there's a clear lack of leadership at the international corporate level, and I thought it was only in the US. It's too bad that the brand that has been a symbol of excellence for so long may be loosing its standing to Toyota/Lexus.

Wargen

After owning a Mercedes C200 kompressor 3 years i dont know what to think of it, the rust was a distaster and the repaint newer got to the same finish as the factory paint. I blame Mercedes 100 % for that because i went to the dealer they recommended and gave them three tries before giving up.

Apart from that my blinker glassas in the rear view mirrors keeps cracking, i changed them for approximitely 400 dollars one time, and one year leter they are cracked again and i dont even bother.

Mercedeses are getting really cheap in Sweden, there is a lot of them woth 20-25 % percent lowered price. I can see why bacause the quality is way under everything built in Europe.

No Korean or Chinese car will rust sooner or have more broken parts than my Mercedes have had in three years of ownership. I had a feeling i would drive this car for a while but its falling to pieces, the VW i had before didnt have one issue and costed half as much.

Beverly Gray

Yep. I totally agree. I traded in my 10 year old Volkswagon Getta for the Mercedes C240. The Volkswagon was rust free, the chassis spotless. Never again.

MERCEDES BENZ HAS LOST IT'S POSITION IN THE MARKET AS A QUALITY LUXURY PRODUCT. Next time it's back to the Volkswagon, or a Toyota.

Beverly Gray

P.S. THE RUST PROBLEM HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH SALT OR BAD WEATHER. MY BENZ IS GARAGE-KEPT AND WASHED EVERY TIME IT RAINS OR SNOWS IN THE WINTER.