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Car Forum / Mercedes-Benz Cars / October 2005V-CLASS and 30 Year rust warranty
Hi to the group.. I have a year 2000 v-class 220cdi with serious rust problems. I bought the car 2 years ago from a main dealer here in the UK, covered by the Mobilife warranty. There are major rust patches appearing behind the bump strips that go around the entire vehicle. They are obviously acting as a water trap, but it seems to me something has reacted with the paint, probably the adhesive that holds the strips on. I have been trying to get Mercedes to look at the rust for over 8 months now. The first time it was photographed and an estimate put together to go off to head office. After waiting several months I was told they had changed repair places and would have to take the car there to get another estimate, that was about 2 months ago, still not had it looked at yet!!! Anyhow has anyone actually managed to get rust repair work done on their MB under the Mobilife 30 year warranty? They state its covered from rusting from the inside out.... As far as Im'e concerned rusting behind the door strips is a valid case for a warrenty repair!!! To finish, all said and done, I did love this motor when I brought it, it was my first MB and was proud to own it. Now..... Greatly dissapointed, serious quality issues going on at MB. The reality is the paint on the V-Class is as crap as it gets!!! I also own a 30 year old Volkswagon Karmann Beetle which is in better condition than my five year old (Highly expensive top of the range Ambient) - SAD BUT TRUE.. (If I ever get an answer either way, Ill let the group know) Regarding paint, it has been said that the durability has dropped since organic solvents were being reduced.eliminated. MB has been in the forefront of reducing the use of such solvents. I have seen no scientific data confirming this, though. DAS For direct contact replace nospam with schmetterling --- > Hi to the group.. > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > (If I ever get an answer either way, Ill let the group know) > Hi to the group.. > [quoted text clipped - 27 lines] > > (If I ever get an answer either way, Ill let the group know) The V-class is just a tarted up Vito commercial vehicle. I am surprised they offered it with Mobilolife. It has not gained a good reliability reputation. My 40,000 mile example is needing a complete set of fuel injectors presently. The paint is OK for a Vito. I would be pleasantly surprised if Mercedes remedied your problem free of charge but at least you have 25 more years to test them out, so don't get too hot under the collar just yet. Reserve your anger for the point where they might reject your claim on a technicality. Huw >> Hi to the group.. >> [quoted text clipped - 39 lines] > > Huw I recently asked Mercedes to respray my E Class E320. Its 6.5 years old and has rust in many places. They took photos, measured the paint depth and after a 4 week wait they said no. I complained and mentioned that it does not look good for Mercedes and potential customers to see my car, but they don't care. It seems they only interested in new customers that buy their new cars. While the rest of us have to pay premium prices for all parts and servicing with nothing back from Mercedes. Why did they deny the request? Are they really supposed to cover rust for 30 years? That does not sound right. 30 years is a long time. . > Why did they deny the request? Not for me to say but I suspect it was because the rust origiated on an outer surface chip which should have been touched up immediately it happened. The warranty is for rust due to a manufacturing or material defect causing the metal to rust from the inside, out through the metal in a blister or perforation. > Are they really supposed to cover rust for 30 years? > > That does not sound right. 30 years is a long time. > > . 30 years is indeed a long time and the car must be serviced once per year at a Mercedes dealer for it to remain valid IIRC. Huw Partially right. As stated it is from the inside out. In my case most of the rust is all around the bump strips which I believe to be held on with adhesive. The worst section has bubbled paint above and below the strip as if the worst and originating section is well behind the strip. These types of trim are disasterous water traps. I still suspect that the adhesive has eaten away the paint underneath it causing it to start rusting. If it was in one place only you would suspect that it was odd, but just about all the strips are starting to rust around them! As you say the vehicle has to be serviced regular to withhold its 30 year warranty, albeit no more than a two year period is stated in the warranty.... I should be chasing the matter up again this week. Every time I ring the dealer I can never get the guy I need to speak to who is then meant to ring me back, but is obviously to busy to bother. This is obviously the outstanding customer service you can expect from one of the worlds leading marques.... Just to update anyone interested in my battle with mercedes... Rang a local dealer yesterday to arrange taking the vehicle to be assesed. Initially they said yes bring it down we'll put in a claim. Then the guy asked me what model the car was... V-Class I replied. 'Oh' he said, well that model isn't included in the 30 year rust warranty!!!! What!!! I replied.. 1) Why the hell then have I been strung along for about 8 months with other dealers that obviously don't know this fact... 2) Why does't it say about this exclusion in any of the customers information on Mobilolife... He recons. the dealers full Mobilolife document states this little fact, but obviously it was an after thought, an ammendment, after they realised just how crap the V Class really is. So even though I have the car up for sale now, I shall be discussing the matter with head office, and then assumming I don't get anywhere I shall be making just about every publication aware of just how bad MB really are. Thanks MB for shattering my dreams of owning a classy quality car, backed up by excellent customer service!!!! - Rest assured you have lost a potential future customer. Anyone thinking of buying an MB should look elsewhere, quite frankly I would rather own a Ford Focus anyday of the week, at least it won't be a rust bucket in 4 year time!!!! > Partially right. As stated it is from the inside out. In my case most > of the rust is all around the bump strips which I believe to be held on [quoted text clipped - 14 lines] > the outstanding customer service you can expect from one of the worlds > leading marques.... > Just to update anyone interested in my battle with mercedes... > Rang a local dealer yesterday to arrange taking the vehicle to be [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > anyday of the week, at least it won't be a rust bucket in 4 year > time!!!! Well I did say "The V-class is just a tarted up Vito commercial vehicle. I am surprised they offered it with Mobilolife. It has not gained a good reliability reputation." The moral of the story is never to be seduced by a brand name. Look at the quality and reputation of the manufacturer and dealer [mercedes have got low ratings locally in West UK] and particularly the reputation of models within a marque. Some are better than others. Better luck with your next choice of vehicle. If it were my money and for my occasional seven seat requirements I would not hesitate buying a new LR Discovery [I know they have not the best of build quality reputations, but speak as you find], a Peugeot/Citroen/fiat people carrier or a Vauxhall/opel Zafira in their respective classes. Maybe the new extended [is it?] R class Mercedes unless you have just had enough of Mercedes. Huw > > Just to update anyone interested in my battle with mercedes... > > Rang a local dealer yesterday to arrange taking the vehicle to be [quoted text clipped - 42 lines] > > Huw or even a Sprinter if you need to take extra supplies and still get good mileage and do not have an aversion to extra long or extra tall. One other nice thing about vans is they do not have the SUV stigma. People assume you actually need the thing! . So if anyone is still out there and remotely interested a turn of events has occurred. I got in touch with the dealer I brought the car from, wanting an explanation of why I was not made aware of the v-class's exclusion from the warranty. He replied "well thats because it isn't excluded!". He double checked and confirmed that it was indeed included. So... a young and keen chap came to my place of work with camera in hand to take the photo's and measure the paint thickness (A mere 50 microns in places....70 is bad) Today he rang me up to bring it in tommorrow to be fixed in the week!!! All four doors to be resprayed. I did mention the whole car should be resprayed but there was no chance of that... I will let you all know how it goes when I get it back in anything up to a week and half from now. > > > Just to update anyone interested in my battle with mercedes... > > > Rang a local dealer yesterday to arrange taking the vehicle to be [quoted text clipped - 50 lines] > > . > Just to update anyone interested in my battle with mercedes... > Rang a local dealer yesterday to arrange taking the vehicle to be [quoted text clipped - 24 lines] > anyday of the week, at least it won't be a rust bucket in 4 year > time!!!! ouch! I do not know what the laws are in your jurisdiction but in the USA I think that if they communicate to you via their brochures that you have this rust warranty and do not tell you about the exclusion then they are legally responsible for the warranty. I would guess you could legally compel the performance spelled out in the contract or a significant refund. . |
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