Hi all,

As you may\may not know I only got my CL500 a week ago. Ive been looking for all 4 d\glazed side windows on the net and whilst doing that I have come across other MB forums and CL500 Review pages which have scared me to hell.

Basically there are alot of ppl who HATE MB - why? Because they own CL's and have found them littered with Rust. If I beleive what im reading the CL is notorious for rust. And even more scarily is that MB will not replace the panels but rather sand down the rust and respray which means the rust would only return later!

I have yet to do a full in depth inspection of my car - its so bloody cold here that I havnt had the inclination to go outside into the garage and have a good look round but so far I havnt seen any noticable rust spots.

But my question is to all you'll out there - have you had any issues with rust? If so how did MB deal with it?

I must admit my C32 had rust and the sanding down and respraying is exactly what they did. I didnt mind too much because I know I was going to sell it back to MB soon . My old 1997 CLK had rust too around the bonnet edges! Once again - sanded and resprayed. Never saw any rust on my ML430 but oh my god did my C36 have a bad rust issue. All around the rear boot lid lock - and bast ards MB didnt honour the 30 year warrenty because we'd missed afew services!! I eneded up replacing the boot and paying for painting etc on my own - wasnt too bad £250 all in. Both my w209 CLK's havnt had rust but then I only kept them for like 1-2 years! The web pages Ive read say that the w209 CLK is also a bad one for rust - as well as E classes.

Did MB thin their paint or something - I mean my wifes Hyundai F2 was 7 years old and not a spot of rust and her Ford Focus 2004 (which I would have thought would show rust by now) is rust free!! Never garaged and not really looked after - yet my C32 was traeted like a king

So whats your experiance with the CL and whats your thoughts all?

Shane

 

This forum is killing me!!! Everytime I read something about CL's on here it is pretty negative. I go outside and check my car and I have a new item to worry about. I have been reading all the brake threads and wouldn't ya know it...now my brakes are squeaking. I never heard a single sound inside the cabin and then I read a thread that described a vibrating sound behind the NAV, guess what, I got it now! I am terrified to go looking for rust. I have had my first MB, an 03 CL, since March, and I love it. I have been to the dealer about 6 times for miscellaneous fixes from bad brakes, trim pulling up, unusual noises in the cabin, broken trunk motor, broken A/C fan in the seat, and now my brakes are squeaking again and cats are rattling.
Do I stick with it or move on to something else? I have had zo6 vettes, and 928 Porsches with few to no problems, but there is something about this car that makes me accept all the little tweaks here and there. I have an Eisenmann Race exhaust going on next week, a Kleeman Lowering Module and rear differential on order, and I can't wait to see how the old girl handles it all. I think I am starting to understand the passion MB guys have for their cars. If I could do it all over...It woulda been an AMG.

 

Where are all these other problem posts?
Have some links?

 

my post clearly states I found this info in OTHER MB forums and CL specific reviews - for instance:

http://www.carsurvey.org/review_49845.html

Have a look too at the other comments on this page.

Hey I checked my car and found just one small area of rust bobbles so my car aint doing bad - lets see what MB do about it and ill post right back here when I know

I just think overall, MB paint quality went right down to have this much rust issues.

 

i have had my cl500 for six months now and have had an issue with rust bubbles on the bottom of both doors, and also very small rust bubbles on roof where it meets the trim above the door, all sorted out by MB no problem. the car has FMBSH and 98000 miles on the clock, i was quite shocked that a car like this would have rust issues and never looked very hard when i bought it, as i thought rust was a thing of the past on modern cars. but when i joined the MB forums you realise your not alone! also after all side windows as mine are delaminating if anyone can help pm me! thanks

 

Hey join the club dude I have only had my car 1 week and all 4 windows are splitting around the edges - it was like that on delivery! And guess what the warrenty wont cover it - they dont cover glass!!

I ended up doing a deal with the dealership where I get my money back that I put towards the CL500 along with my C32 - the money back I will then use to get the windows done. All 4 windows from MB are just over £2000 then you have the labour. Im also looking into breakers for these windows - im sure they will be alot cheaper.

 

i have been trying breakers but no luck yet, this really should be covered under defective parts as i gather there are 2 suppliers of this glass and pilkington is the defective one, i think i ill try and complain again,as i no one man got his replaced on those grounds.

 

Are you in the UK? Kent maybe? I was thinking that if more than 1 person went in in 1 week with the same problem then they'd HAVE to get MB to pay up!! Ive now spoken to 5 other ppl that have this problem. And to confirm yes mine are Pilkington too!

 

hi, I'm in the UK but Bristol. i have written to Mercedes UK in the past but no luck on this but i really do feel its worth chasing up.

 

Well I will take my car into a MB dealer to start with and complain. Ill see where it ends up. Who did you in particular write to? Was it C\S at Milton Keynes?

 

yes i think so, did you get my pm? this might be of use to quote this vin, when you thinking of trying?

 

hi there - got it beecham - will defo be using this and ill let you know how I get on. Im having the sat\nav and heated seats issues done by my local dealer who have already told me it wont do windows under warrenty. Im then gonna take it to another dealer a few miles away and see what they say - and if its a no go then im gonna create merry hell

 

hmm, looks like i'm running into my own spot of rust, on the hood emblum, their are little bubbles around the emblum, and on my trunk, i see the paint flaking.

would stuff like that be covered even if i didnt buy it from a MB dealer?


i still love the car, just gotta straighten her out thats all


ALi

 

wo wo wo, i just got an idea, didnt you say that the windows have a seal or something in between?

i bought a aftermarket warranty that covers everything except my headunit i belive. and all seals and gaskets are covered, think the windows would be covered to?



ALi

 

i hope if you get the window problem your covered, as for the rust it should not be a problem, i did not buy from MB but i do have full mbsh all sorted no problem and only had car a few months.

 

how about sorting us out some second hand glass! the cl is quite rare in the UK. i did find a breaker in the US but they would not ship.

 

Hi Goliath - 30 year warrenty for paint covers your car as long as youve kept up the regulaer MB servcicing - without that I didnt get my C36 honoured cause I took it to MB Specialists and not approved workshops. It sucks.

 

Hey thats a good idea Goliath - fancy helping us out? 2 sets of all 4 windows for our lovely CL's please

 

if you guys want me to order some windows, i can do it, but you'll have to make some form of deposit and such, and i can ship it to you soon as i can get them. My dude at the dealer might be able to hunt me down the proper windows.

let me know if that is what you would like to do. but honestly, so far, i can survive with the bubbles in the windows, wont you?



ALi

 

hi, as far as my windows go my drivers side is not looking to good, thats passenger side to you! if you can get us some prices, we can sort out the cash (if your prices are good). what do you reckon? secondhand is fine as long as there not pilkington.

 

Count me in too - if you can get hold of good priced decond hand ones then cash aint no issue

Shane

 

wait, that might be a problem.

ok lets get this straight, you want replacement windows, because your windows are bubbleing right?

i can attempt a search for some used ones, but to be honest, that might just get me some bubbles used ones.

so instead, i'm gonna contact my dude in the window business, and see what he can do me for on all the windows




ALi

 

OK, see what you can do for us if you don't mind, that's very kind of you. i have been trying our UK breakers but the cl is a rare car, so no luck yet

 

RUST??? I thought these were made of aluminum, and aluminum can not rust.
The rust you may be seeing is from something else for example a hood ornament is made of iron or steel and may rust, any bubbling on the body is from faulty paint work.
Ed

 

good point, gonna ahve to look into that when i get a chance to go up to my dealer.



ALi