How Did Mercedes get away with it?

[AngleGrinder]

How on earth did Mercedes survive as a prestige car manufacturer when they made such rusty heaps as this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-MERCEDES-E240-ELEGANCE-...

[anonymous-user]

AngleGrinder said:

How on earth did Mercedes survive as a prestige car manufacturer when they made such rusty heaps as this?

By stopping making rusty heaps like that.

[AngleGrinder]

Have they? I've seen a 3 year old A-class with rust bubbling on the tailgate.

[giggity]

Should never have happened in the first place.

The cost cutting is a joke. Plastic uncoloured door handles is another thing I see often on basic C-Class cars.

[anonymous-user]

AngleGrinder said:

Have they? I've seen a 3 year old A-class with rust bubbling on the tailgate.

Could've been poorly repaired accident damage, I've not seen rusty versions of any of the models built in the last 5 years.

There's always cars that have been poorly looked after, poorly repaired etc - I walked past a 5yr old BMW 5-series the other day that had rust on every panel, either a very bad respray or it's spent a lot of time parked up next to the sea!

[AngleGrinder]

True, but I still don't get why the motoring media largely ignored the 7~8 years when Mercedes metal was crumbling faster than a Cadbury's Flake in a tumble drier. You still see Jeremy Clarkson sticking the boot into Lancia 25 years after they started started galvanising their cars, but Mercedes are equally guilty.

[saladdodger]

i had a 1987 vauxhall nova with rusty arches

my mate had a 1988 vauxhall nova with mint arches

difference, i never cleaned inside my arches so road grim and mud rotted the arches where it lingered, my mate cleaned and undersealed his arches.

could very well be user/repairer error

[v8will]

AngleGrinder said:

How on earth did Mercedes survive as a prestige car manufacturer when they made such rusty heaps as this?

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/2000-MERCEDES-E240-ELEGANCE-...

The name and reputation carried them through. Just think how many people buy new Mercedes and change them after maybe 3-4 years for a new one, before the rust really dug in.

I love the marque but anything from about 1998 to 2005/6 would not be on my wish list (our '98 SLK is clean but has had a fair bit of paint in the past)

[Deva Link]

yellowbentines said:

AngleGrinder said:

Have they? I've seen a 3 year old A-class with rust bubbling on the tailgate.

Could've been poorly repaired accident damage, I've not seen rusty versions of any of the models built in the last 5 years.

B Class is having issues with rust in all doors and tailgate.

[davepoth]

Those E-Classes are apparently notorious for rust.

[mickk]

Seen many a rusty Vito.

[AndrewW-G]

Even though they are known for rust issues (I've had to paint the arches on my SLK) the car in the advert looks like it's led a very hard life, which coupled with the no smoking stickers on the interior and no mention of the mileage, I'd be suprised if it didnt turn out to have been worked to death as a taxi

[va1o]

Deva Link said:

B Class is having issues with rust in all doors and tailgate.

Same as A-Class, only pre-07 build affected

[Beeby]

For any W plate car to have rust like that is absolutely shocking. My car is a V plate and has no rust at all.

[anonymous-user]

mickk said:

Seen many a rusty Vito.

The vans are on another level altogether, I think the Sprinters and Vitos come pre-rusted from the factory.

Didn't realise the B Classes were rusting, if its just that model does that not suggest poor design (dependent on where they're rusting) - the problems Merc had on the 90's were down to not galvanising and using crap metal IIRC.

[Ageing Barge]

The w210 reputation is a poor one and that's hardly a secret! Anyone who's in the market for a cheap e-class knows (or should know!) that the 1995-2000 models should be avoided unless its really cheap and you don't go too far in it. After 2000 they improved somewhat then the w211 arrived. As for why, the company seemed to forget what it did best (this was also the era of the Mk 1 A Class let's not forget) and started ramping up the spec while costing cutting on the essentials - like materials and build quality so the electrics are a hornets nest of trouble, trim falls off and wings rust at will.

[red_rover]

Let us not forget - the S-class and C-classes of the same era are notorious rusters as well.


Lord knows why they think that heap is worth £1000.

[saladdodger]

i take it back - sounds like alot of rusty mercs about then..... scary

[g3org3y]

Ageing Barge said:

The w210 reputation is a poor one and that's hardly a secret! Anyone who's in the market for a cheap e-class knows (or should know!) that the 1995-2000 models should be avoided unless its really cheap and you don't go too far in it.

Indeed. Certainly recognised by Merc who understood the potential damage to their rep and took steps accordingly. Although current build is not of the old skool granite carved 80s era, it's a big step above those mid/late 90s models.

[Allyc85]

Bloody hell thats poor, and I thought Fords were bad for rust!