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#1
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W210 Rust: How Best to Address?
Well, Murray, my 98 E300, goes in today for some rust repair. How much I have done professionally and how much I do myself (with POR-15 and touch up paint) depends on the cost. My guess is that no body work has ever been done on the car.
Where I've noticed rust: All four wheel wells (only one visible from side) Trunk lock Various bubbled spots here and there Crossmember below radiator The spring perches look to be in good shape....but I will have them carefully inspected. I'm not a fanatic when it comes to cosmetics, but within reason I want it done right. Those of you with a W210, have you found that dealing with rust is a constant ongoing concern? Or if I decisively deal with things at the 16 year mark, could I be set for another 10 years or so?
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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles 06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU 91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion 19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi Fourteen other MB's owned and sold 1961 Very Tolerant Wife |
#2
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On my '99, rust became a problem after less than five years. I think it's a permanent problem with the 210's. One thing you want to do is to gently lift the door weatherstripping, especially around the top of the doors. On mine, rust formed under the weatherstripping. By the time it became visible, it was extensive.
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#3
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After the repair if the car is extensively rustproofed with a petroleum based product or a good synthetic equivelant can extend the metals lifespan considerably.
The rust will come back as it totally never sleeps once established. But it can be substantially delayed with thought and effort. If the solid tar like coating was applied to the car at the factory. It both contributes to the problem and prevents a superior rustproofing agent from getting to the metal. Oxygen has a tougher time reaching the metal is what you are trying to accomplish. Existing rust coated in a semi fluid product slows it's rate of oxidation many many times as long as the oxygen cannot gain direct access through it. |
#4
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Quote:
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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles 06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU 91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion 19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi Fourteen other MB's owned and sold 1961 Very Tolerant Wife |
#5
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When I discover rust I usually address it in a very stern manner. Some people might even find it rude.
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1992 W201 190E 1.8 171,000 km - Daily driver 1981 W123 300D ~ 100,000 miles / 160,000 km - project car stripped to the bone 1965 Land Rover Series 2a Station Wagon CIS recovery therapy! 1961 Volvo PV544 Bare metal rat rod-ish thing I'm here to chat about cars and to help others - I'm not here "to always be right" like an internet warrior Don't leave that there - I'll take it to bits! |
#6
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I found rust under the door seals in the front window frames. Even California W210s are not immune. Good thing rustoleum gloss white matches my car.
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CENSORED due to not family friendly words |
#7
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It's mostly a function of how much time the car spent in the Rust Belt. Our 1998 car has been in the south nearly its entire life and there is absolutely no rust on the car apart from a small area where some sub-standard body work was done. The underside is very clean, too. I'm quite certain the exhaust is all original apart from the oxidation catalyst.
Two neighbors have W210 cars. One is an early wagon and it carries some serious rust. Not sure how much longer they'll make it thru inspection. The other is a face lifted E430 and that car is real clean. Can't see any rust on it and it sits outside 24/7. We had an '02 wagon. Got rid of it at 140k. Ran great but the rust was making a complete nuisance of itself...popping up everywhere. Kinda like whack-a-mole. I couldn't keep up with it. MBz repaired some minor stuff twice. |
#8
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Not bad....my auto body guy is going to do all four wheel wells, several bubbled areas, and the trunk lock for $700.
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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles 06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU 91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion 19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi Fourteen other MB's owned and sold 1961 Very Tolerant Wife |
#9
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I'm not sure this is the case. While I'm certainly in the rust belt, the '99 rusted far faster and with more gusto than my '87 190TD or my old '79 300CD. It certainly woudn't have survived 25 years. I think it had something to do with switching to low VOC paints.
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#10
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Look at my pictures, it shows one front fender, both were replaced and the car repainted. There was other rust, the front fenders were the worst. My brother, who lives in the same area, has a 1999 E320 with zero rust. His car was bought 6 months after mine, did they change something at the factory, who know? The rust started about 8 years into ownership, a 1972 Pinto probably would have less rust....spring perches OK.
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1999 E300 Turbodiesel 169,000 miles 1986 Porsche 944Turbo 20124 miles 1948 Dodge Deluxe 4 door 66521 miles |
#11
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$700.00 and you are good to go for many more years. My Black 1999 E300 has a little around the rear quarter panel and two spots smaller than the end of a q-tip. Guess what? Survived upstate New York harsh winter as a daily driver and now PA. Just getting that bit of rust. It was just taken care of is all. I'll have it till I croke or they stop selling parts for it (I doubt I'll see that). Oh, if the rust becomes too much for you to handle, I'll be happy to take the girl off your hands.
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#12
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Quote:
I thought about doing spring perches just because....but my auto body guy, who has done dozens and dozens of these, seems to think I'm fine.
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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles 06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU 91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion 19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi Fourteen other MB's owned and sold 1961 Very Tolerant Wife |
#13
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Now rust free! Spring perches carefully inspected and look to be in great shape.
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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles 06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU 91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion 19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi Fourteen other MB's owned and sold 1961 Very Tolerant Wife |
#14
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Not a bad deal by all means. You sound like you made out well. Care to post some pics? Would love to see the work.
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#15
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Some pics:
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14 E250 Bluetec "Sinclair", Palladium Silver on Black, 153k miles 06 E320 CDI "Rutherford", Black on Tan, 171k mi, Stage 1 tune, tuned TCU 91 300D "Otis", Smoke Silver, 142k mi, wastegate conversion 19 Honda CR-V EX 61k mi Fourteen other MB's owned and sold 1961 Very Tolerant Wife |
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