jjdejd

I have a 2001 S430 with 23,000 original miles. It has been garage kept since new. Since I retired, I recently started using it more and occasionally take it through a car wash. It has been in the rain maybe 5 times. I just noticed a small rust spot on the driver and rear doors. Can’t believe it is rusting? Is it possible the car wash is allowing water to accumulate in the doors? Can I drill drain holes in each door? I read on old posts that Mercedes has repaired these issues for some customers at their cost. Any suggestions would be appreciated. The car is practically “brand new” and I want to get the damage repaired. Thanks.

baldsparky

I also own a very low mileage S320 one owner from new. Like your car mine was garaged and the whole car looks like new.
The problem is, its not.
It may look new, but its 14 years old, and the metal although covered with a pristeem shiny paintwork is 14 year old metal.
I had a few bubbles appear on the lower front wing. Just where all the water drains from the front bulk head. And also, like you lower doors.
I took it to a very good body shop and arranged to see the rust damage once the metal had been stripped back.
I was comforted by the fact that it wasnt as bad as I thought it might be.
The rust was completely removed, and the affected panels filled and re sprayed. the rear of the wing and inner doors were given a wax treatment, and the car is its former self again.
Cost me £500 but money worth spent. I was told it should last many years, but if I see it re appear I will get it sorted straight away.
Rust to a car is like cancer to us. The quicker you get it sorted the less chance it has to get a hold and spread, and the better the chances of survival.
Get it sorted asap and you will feel much better for it.

tusabes

If you paid £500 I assume you are in the UK ?

Mercedes offers a 30 year rust warranty on UK cars

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=178072&styleid=20

https://mbworld.org/forums/showthread.php?t=167439&styleid=20

trombone

There is a weather strip on the lower edge of the doors that make the doors closing tighter and make the cabin quieter,
but the body shop here blamed those strips for keeping the moist and promoting rust. So much so they did not want the strips put back after fixing the rust spots.
As for rust, PA is very unfriendly to cars. Try to have FL dominate :-)

jjdejd

Thanks. The car has been in Florida the last three years and it never saw rain or snow when in PA. I'm just wondering if I can have drainage holes drilled before I have it repaired? It would make sense to channel the water so the doors stay dry? Any thoughts would be welcome.

mcguirja

I just recently repaired a rust spot on the front passenger door of my 2004 S Class. To complete the repair I had to remove the weather strip Trombone referenced above. I'm not a professional, however, in looking at how this area is constructed, there are already drain holes. You can check to see if they're plugged, however, seeing how the rust developed it looked to be related more to weatherstrip than drainage problems from the door itself. I did put the weather strip back on, but will make a practice of removing them and drying out after car washes, etc.

James

corkshoppe

the are of the rust isn't isolated to just a few cars, is a huge problem with mb's its just a matter of time before it happens to all.

tusabes

It won't happen to all. My 2000s430 has rust free doors and over 200k miles

and for the past 7 years its been parked outside , I live near the ocean with fog and mist every night and rust is common here.

I do have some rust by the left rear tailight bottom , but not the doors

trombone

It must be the lucky places you can make your home. The salt makes a world of difference.
I purchased my car from Florida, there was not a needle head of rust bubble anywhere. Ocean fog and mist and rain by truck loads but no salt.
After two relatively mild winter seasons in Indiana rust was discovered at all four door edges and some on the lower edge of the front fender. None on higher places though, like lights, windshield and sunroof.
In spite of frequent under body wash. An always garaged.

tusabes

I am in California , definitely never seen any snow or salt on the road .

Do they use salt on the road in the UK ?

baldsparky

In winter if snow or ice is forecast the gritters spray a mix of salt sand and fine gravel onto the roads.
But in the UK half an inch of snow and the country comes to a grinding halt lol

Wolfman

2000-2001 models used a new and flawed water-based paint process that made these cars rust no matter what.

MB is also aware of that issue and will pay for fixing the car, even if out of warranty. I don't know about now, as in 2014 but I had ours completely redone which included replacing the front fenders, all door panels and the hood.
Cost was $14k of which $12.5k was covered by MB. My body shop manager made that happen...
This was 6 or so years ago but long past the warranty.

Never hurts to do some research and see if MB will pay for the majority of the fix.