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Image showing the "polished like finish" of the pieces that surround the front and rear window openings
My 2020 S560 4Matic was just delivered. It looks very good but the trim around the front and rear windows looks a little faded/oxidized. I know the front grille is chromed plastic. I checked and the window trim in non-magnetic. Is it plastic, aluminum, or stainless steel? If it is aluminum or stainless, does it have any type of coating on it? The main reason for the question is to find out whether it can be polished and buffed.
Larry
Last edited by lldurocherhome; Aug 6, 2024 at 09:03 PM.
I guess I don't need a reply. I found a ton of other posts indicating that this was a common problem and apparently there is some type of coating so it cannot be polished, regardless of material, without potentially damaging the coating. A number of posts indicated that mbusa authorized the trim replacement under warranty but some posts indicated dealers did not get the approval or didn't push to get the approval.
My car still has a few months or original warranty and just went through the CPO process. I didn't notice it when I looked at the car in strong sunlight but it is very obvious in my garage under florescent lights. The techs doing the CPO must have seen it and ignored it. I am going back to the selling dealer to see if they will push for factory replacement.
I guess I don't need a reply. I found a ton of other posts indicating that this was a common problem and apparently there is some type of coating so it cannot be polished, regardless of material, without potentially damaging the coating. A number of posts indicated that mbusa authorized the trim replacement under warranty but some posts indicated dealers did not get the approval or didn't push to get the approval.
My car still has a few months or original warranty and just went through the CPO process. I didn't notice it when I looked at the car in strong sunlight but it is very obvious in my garage under florescent lights. The techs doing the CPO must have seen it and ignored it. I am going back to the selling dealer to see if they will push for factory replacement.
Larry
I had the window trim on my 2016 S550 Coupe covered with gloss black vinyl. It looks like other trim on my car and stays looking good. You might want to consider that option. Good luck!
I've used water stain removal chemicals on it (ones for car paint, Sudfactory's dissolve x2 or whatever) and was able to rub off any oxidation/water spot/stains. I don't believe they are a mirror chrome finish from factory.
Thanks for both comments. I am going to send photos to the dealer who unfortunately is two hours drive away.
Even if the stains/cloudiness can be removed, the cpo included a couple of hundred dollars for detailing. I don’t think it should be delivered to me with obvious discoloration.
i don’t want to try anything, yet, to resolve the issue since it might look worse or they could say i caused the problem.
if i cant get any satisfaction from the dealer or mbusa, then i will try removing the stains and/or install black film.
I’m going to guess they won’t replace it. If I’m wrong, let me know - mine bothers me (a little) as well and is also a CPO with 3 more years of warranty.
I used McGuire’s cleaner wax and it worked for me. Also, the trim has stayed in a good appearance for a year. Admittedly, my trim wasn’t in bad shape, just a few spots here and there.
As expected, the dealer says it is considered normal wear and tear due to environmental factors, etc. I learned a great lesson, which I should already have known, inspect the car in the sun, in the shade and under florescent lights.
I am going to try contacting mbusa directly but I expect that will not do me any good.
I received a reply from mbusa. They said to get an estimste from a mb dealer and email it to them. They would forward it to the appropriate department and ask for consideration under warranty or goodwill.
Sorry for the delay, I tore my lateral meniscus on the right knee and have been off the computer for awhile. drivers side, rear door window trim., cloudy and spots
I have attached one photo, all the pieces look the same.
Sorry for the delay, I tore my lateral meniscus on the right knee and have been off the computer for awhile. drivers side, rear door window trim., cloudy and spots
I have attached one photo, all the pieces look the same.
Larry
Yeah I can see that. This likely from touchless/brushless car washing stations, or even with regular ones, due to harsh chemicals. Depending on your dealer, they may or may not cover that under warranty. Did you try to buff it out?
Yes, i tried several polishes, no real improvement andcseveral of the remedies suggested by others on this website.
There was a three part youtube video on youtube that discussed refinishing earlier MB surrounds that were anodized aluminum; perhaps the 2020 ones are also anodized aluminum. The Youtuber tried a large number of polishes with no success; in the third part he found a home made polish with a pad and a multi tool got the job done and he was selling a kit.
if MB will not replace the trim, i am going to try autosol for anodized aluminum poish.
I got assigned a case number and sent the person on the case 4 emails and left two telephone messages. No response after 11 days. Called the support number and told them i wanted to escalate the call since I had received such poor customer service. also sent an enail to Dimitris Psillakis, ceo and president of mbusa, outlining the exceptionally poor customer service .
not sure what caused it but about 1 hour later i got a call and an apology, said they would be back in touch after reviewing the replacement cost with an “approval team”.
I can only offer advice based on my 30 plus years detailing my high end show cars. The freckles in the finish is just the breakdown of a water based clear coat. Early on you can use Semichrome in a tube. If the spots run deeper use a blue or purple rouge on white foam buffing wheel for a 4” buffer. Don’t worry, you can’t burn the surface. Autogeek is my preferred detailing supplier and the have guys that will walk you through any detailing problems.
if i look at the photos of the stains and cloudiness of earlier MB window trims (which are anodized aluminum) they look identical to the stains and cloudiness on my 2020 trim.
Does anyone know with 100% certainty? I don’t want to damage my trim but perhaps someone has a damaged piece that can be checked
Not sure what you meant by freckles, the surface is smooth but looks stained and cloudy.
My father owned a commercial buffing and polishing company for 40 years so I am familiar with most polishes, buffing rouges, etc.
Larry
Last edited by lldurocherhome; Sep 20, 2024 at 09:25 PM.
if i look at the photos of the stains and cloudiness of earlier MB window trims (which are anodized aluminum) they look identical to the stains and cloudiness on my 2020 trim.
Does anyone know with 100% certainty? I don’t want to damage my trim but perhaps someone has a damaged piece that can be checked
Not sure what you meant by freckles, the surface is smooth but looks stained and cloudy.
My father owned a commercial buffing and polishing company for 40 years so I am familiar with most polishes, buffing rouges, etc.
Larry
Larry,
Anodizing is usually a process to add a micro thin layer of oxide that protects the base metal, most often for Aluminum parts. This process is done on Aluminum wheels or Aluminum diamond plate often seen on large trucks. The anodized surface allows clear coating to firmly adhere to these parts. One way to tell if the window trim in this case is anodized aluminum is to look at the back of the trim. Because the oxide layer is applied through an electrolytic process and this window trim would be charged as an anode, the backside will show a slight rainbow effect as this side doesn’t get buffed.
The “freckles” are the tiny little rust looking spots mainly seen on chromed plastic but can found just the same on clear coated chromed aluminum. Luckily this contamination is very close to the surface so buffing usually works.
Yes, I agree but is it clearcoat or anodized? I don’t want to pull up my trim.
Obviously, if its clearcoat then polishing/buffing should improve the finish.
If anodized, then polishing/buffing won’t do much unless you polish all the way through the anodized layer and then you have to protect the buffed aluminum with a clearcoat or polish and wax it often
These parts are expensive, guessing $300-600 each and yet MB has replaced them on a lot of cars. If it is a clearcoat, why would MB pay to replace them rather than asking the dealer to just refinish the clearcoat? I don’t see any posts where MB asked the dealer to polish/buff the trim as a remedy and it worked.
It’s funny but I just got a 560 yesterday and it has the very same problem.
Sometimes it’s cheaper to just replace the part then to fool around with it. What happens when the shop spends hours buffing out these parts and the owner doesn’t like it, maybe even making them mad because it may be worse!
It is very difficult to remove anodization unless you go nuts using a harsh abrasive materials. I’m very knowledgeable on this subject so if you care to wait a bit while I fix my car then I will share info with you.
I am still waiting on MBUSA to get back to me so I am happy to wait to see what works for you. I have looked at probably a dozen different threads on different websites and what worked for some, doesn't work for others. I am holding back from trying anything, except in a very small inconspicuous area,other than the mildest abrasive, so MBUSA can't say I caused the problem.
I even saw one thread where the demo seemed to work just using a clay bar designed for glass use, not saying it is really any different than a regular clay bar. Of course, a clay bar isn't really a true abrasive (in the way that most people use an abrasive) although any material is somewhat abrasive.
I expect MBUSA will reject my case but they might just throw me a bone. Within my first 20 minutes of driving the car a check engine light came on, the faults indicated a thermostat issue and a crankshaft position sensor issue. The car spent 5 weeks at the MB dealer before the issue was resolved by replacing the thermostat, which is a fairly big job on this car. Of course,why replacing a thermostat corrects a crankshaft position sensor error is still a mystery to me.
I sent an e-mail to Dimitris Psillakis, the CEO of MBUSA, outlining my dis-satisfaction with MBUSA taking so long to get back to me (i sent 4 emails and left two phone messages with no reply) and it taking 5 weeks to get my car back for a CEL. Was it a coincidence that the next day the MB dealer called to see the day would be ready the next morning and a MBUSA representative called and apologized for taking so long to get back to me and let me know my car would be discussed early next week? Probably, it was just a coincidence.
Larry
Last edited by lldurocherhome; Sep 22, 2024 at 02:48 PM.
Just got a call from the MBUSA rep (that replaced the one that was non-responsive), MBUSA has authorized the dealer to replace all the window trim. The rep said the trim should have been replaced as part of the recent CPO inspection process.
Amazing, the first representative no response for 11 days, then asks for quote, then says it will be discussed by a committee the next week. After my e-mail, new representative calls the next day, says she will be handling the case, she gets the quote from MB dealer, says she will review the quote, and three days later the issue is decided.
I will ask the dealer if I can have the removed pieces so I can check whether it is a clearcoat or an anodized finish.
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