Help with rust on 1994 E500 (W124)
 

Hi. I'm brand new to the forums. I just picked up an E500, a car I've wanted to own since the 500E/E500 was introduced. I'm particular about color and I've actually seen this specific car for sale in the past as I've been watching them go by for years.

Overall, it's in very good shape and the price was reasonable (given that there is a low-mileage example for sale a couple blocks from my house for $39K). The car has spent most of it's life in Ohio and about a year in Denver.

The first thing I noticed when I got it home from the shipper was RUST!!! (which was unexpected given the detailed description of the vehicle). The past 3 cars I've purchased were sight-unseen and to date, I've had very good luck (a '90 Audi Coupe Quattro, which i still have, and an BMW S54 M Coupe, which I hope to keep in the family forever). The seller offered me a buy-back guarantee, so I'd only be out the shipping if I decided not to keep it.

I really like the car and the color. It wasn't purchased to be a garage queen, rather I'll use it for commuting daily. It has about 120K and I expect to put about 10K on a year.

Is the rust unavoidable on these cars and should I just live with it, or should I walk away from the car and try to find something else? Is there any way to stop the spread? I'm in the Bay Area, so will that help slow things down (though it's raining today)?

The worst spot is on the bottom of the front passenger door. There is similiar rust on the bottom of the front driver's door, but much less. I can see a tiny bit forming on the driver's door sill. And, I also found some bubbling behind the cladding on the passenger rear door.

Your help is greatly appreciated. I've posted some pictures.

Thanks in advance!

i just got a 97 E420 and she also has some rust problems. but i got her for a REALLy good price.

if that car spent its life in OH, that's to be expected I guess. But it'd leave a bad taste in my mouth if the seller didn't tell you about the rust. If he lied about the rust problem, what else isn't he telling you??

I'd get the car up in the air and check for rust on the frame & suspension etc. Be careful and goodluck!

btw, to fix all that rust at a reputable bodyshop will run at least $6000. and the rust will come back.

Provided there is no rust-through, that rust doesn't really look all that bad, especially considering where it is located. POR-15 would take care of it.

newE500, if you can back out of the deal I would recommend it. Rust is a bad sign, and it's only going to get worse.

Thanks, everyone, for the valuable feedback. The seller has already agreed to the buy-back. I may take it to a shop for a final opinion, which was recommended on another board. Most likely, I'll walk away.

Thanks again - this was very helpful!

As ths song goes:

"Know when to hold em, know when to fold em"

In the long run you would be better off finding a better example.

I can tell you that W124s do very well in the Rust belt. If that is the only rust you can locate(look on the trunk lid as well underneath by the weatherstripping too), maybe buying used doors would be a great option. I bought two (left driver,left passenger) for $100 that were found in a chop shop and were like new(police recovered). So that may be an option for you. As stated above rust is about impossible to stop so replacement may be easier and less expensive.

Chris