How much to fix this rust spot on my Mercedes? PICS

[ProV1]

I have 2 bubbling rust spots, one is obvious, the other one is very small, above the upper right corner of the license plate.



If I get this done professionally, how much can I expect to pay? I`m getting multiple estimates but wanted to hear what you guys have to say first. thanks



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[Monte78Carlo2k1]

Well cant give you a price but after working in a body shop for two years. I know that it will have to be sande(a large portion to bare metal) then repainted. So if you take it to a busy shop you should only be out of a vehicle for maybe two or three days depending on how busy the shop is. Lucky you caugt it early so you wont need any replacement parts. Ball park in price I would esitmate a couple hundred w/materials to do the job, but most of it will be in labor.

[LouisanaJeeper]

how old/milage is the mercedes. depending on how generous your dealership is it might be covered under warranty.



corrosion warranty is usually like 80k i think (but the fine print might say it only covers spots completely rusted through)

[ProV1]

this is my 2001 E55 AMG with 70k gentle miles. Car is otherwise MINT.



I also can`t believe a $83k car has rust problems. I asked my local MB dealer and I was told no warranty=i`m out of luck. I might try another dealer about 25 miles away. #%#@

[Absolute Detail]

See my post I have done less than 15k going to war on this.

[imported_Yal]

It will cost you a couple of hundred I agree. Not to bad considering the horror stories I am hearing. Good luck getting it fixed cause that a beauty of an engine in there :)



This is my 1988 W124. One single rust spot, not visible, under the trunk lip that I treated with Por 15, thats all in close to 200k miles of life, all original paint except the hood which was updated to the 94 style. In fact I didn`t have rust in the undercarraige until I updated the suspension links in the back then the new links rusted on the surface. They don`t build them like they use to.

[davis98]

I work at a Chevy dealer and we see something very similar on some Equinox. Basically the chrome bar on the tailgate is too tight and it rubs/vibrates against the paint as you drive and eventually it starts to rust there.

[ProV1]

i got 2 estimates today, $635 and $440!!!! ARGH #%()*)!(#%

[Changeling]

PROV1, I think a good detailer could fix that (a couple 100 would be cheap). The area has to be sanded back to bare metal with something like 1500/2000 grit, some paint applied and allowed to dry, sanded, paint applied again/dry, sanded 2500/3000 grit and then polished out. That small of an area would be best polished out by hand.

To do it correctly this way and get it blended well would take some skill. What I said above would be darn near like treating it as a chip by making it a chip and then correcting it.

The above is one approach, but I doubt you`re going to get any one to do it for a couple hundred $$. Maybe but doubtful.



The second method would be the one I highly recommend!!

Get the number for the manufacture call and complain like hell (don`t cuss or threaten) , explain that you paid 83K for a 2001 vehicle that has 2 rust spots ready to break through, ask for a representative to meet you at the dealership (they don`t like you going there with a rep) to discuss this outrageous situation. No action, write BBB and complain in a civilized manner, in writing!

Still no action (doubtful), post the letter you wrote to BBB in local paper.

This sounds like a lot but it really isn`t. A good letter identifying the problem should take you maybe 30 minutes, the two phone calls lets say 15 minutes. So you have maybe an hour invested.

After you get it fixed, get off your donkey and come back to Autopia and learn how to properly take care of a 83K vehicle.

Good Luck.

Changeling

[slippy]

I have seen this type of rust before, on many new model Mercedes ML`s; very strange.



Whoever you choose to do the work for you, make sure that after paint removal,the area is treated to a rust remover,or a rust converter(Eastwood,Bilt Hamber etc),before priming and painting.

[tom p.]

Pro, don`t I know you from somewhere else? ;)



We`ve got a silver `02 wagon. Had rust in the same place, somewhat worse than what you`re showing. Got the MBz dealer to cover under factory warranty. They (crudely) re-finished the entire tailgate.

[Accumulator]

ProV1- The one by the upper r-hand corner of the plate should be a "touch-up type" repair IMO.



The other one is the sort of minor spot-in that my Porsche/Audi dealer would do for maybe $250 tops. Now they`re not as good as the private body/paint guy I also use, but they`re OK and they`re expensive compared to him. So..if my *expensive* shop would fix it for half your quoted price, well your estimate would seem high to me :nixweiss



It`s a small spot and it should be blendable. Shouldn`t be a big deal if it`s no worse than it appears to be. If the rust is really *deep*, let alone if it`s through, then that`d be different, but I wouldn`t expect that.

[David Fermani]

i got 2 estimates today, $635 and $440!!!! ARGH #%()*)!(#%



I just wrote an estimate based on the Mercedes dealer here in Palm Beach :bow , & I`m coming up with $490. I figured about 3 hours to completely sand down and repair the rust and paint the whole trunk lid. You really need to replace all 3 emblems when doing this repair. Re-gluing them is for hacks!! Send me you e-mail address and I`ll give you my estimate. I really can`t see how anyone can justify charging you $635???!!! No way in hell is blending of the 1/4`s necessary. :nono

[ProV1]

Thanks for the input guys.



This is what i`m doing. I`ve `````ed & complained to MB USA headquarters on how a $83k 2001 Mercedes can have rust problems. We`ll see if they step up to the plate and cover this.



If not, I`ll cuss even more and I`ll never buy another MB again in my life. Then I will just get a can of paint spray and some sandpaper, and do the job myself.

[David Fermani]

Good Luck!! My friend has a 2003 S-Class(AMG) and both 1/4`s, trunk and 1 fender are rusting and Mercedes won`t do anything fo him?? Their stance is out of warranty = out of warranty. He went above the dealer`s head and dealth with the regional customer service rep and they still said no. It`s a real shame that out of all the vehicles out there, the most luxurious and expensive ones are rusting?