harrycatcat1 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 My car has rust spots/scabs in numerous places and a chap quoted me £500 to "tidy it up but could not guarantee that it wouldnt come back" So what are my options? I have tried years before on other cars rubbing them down myself and such but they have always looked a dogs dinner. I will be keeping the car for a few years yet as I have only had it 6 years, so is there some rust stuff that I can just paint on that would stop it getting any worse? If so would it take off the other paint around it? A few pictures below to show the beast and the rust. Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hamster Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 A tidy up will come back within 18 months at the most, if you're not too bothered by the look then personally I'd just leave it as is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jaymo Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Got a love Merc's Like seam bleed of Fords. Tickle it at your peril- needs bumpers, wings and doors removing to tackle the root of the problem. But, I'm not 'body shop' but have seen my fair share of them unfortunately due to the wife :-) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 How long it stays away depends on the lengths you go to getting rid. The door could be sandblasted on outside and along inside edge, then use something like Jenolite which neutralises the rust turning black and inert then filled, painted and lacquered. The edge of the wing I'll bet has possible scabbed on the outside but is rotted through (and possibly from the back) which would mean cutting any rust out and letting(welding) in replacement metal. Is it worth throwing money at it ? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
figgy Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Get it tidied up and trade it in for something else. As others have said back to good metal then treat acid etch primer before paint and no guarantee it won't return. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
crichbish Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Lived with a 2002 e class for a few years and apart from the bodywork it was a great car. Unfortunately the rust killed it for me, wheel arches, under rubbers on top of every door, leading edges of doors, tailgate then the front coil spring cups fell off. From experience, if you can see rust on the surface there'll be a lot more lurking. Personally, I could live with the surface rust, it's just when the rust starts impacting mot that things get serious and for me there wasn't the value in the car to keep on repairing it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) How long it stays away depends on the lengths you go to getting rid. The door could be sandblasted on outside and along inside edge, then use something like Jenolite which neutralises the rust turning black and inert then filled, painted and lacquered. The edge of the wing I'll bet has possible scabbed on the outside but is rotted through (and possibly from the back) which would mean cutting any rust out and letting(welding) in replacement metal. Is it worth throwing money at it ? Oh dont get me wrong I dont intend chucking loads of money at it I was just wondering if there was some way I could paint something like "Jenolite" is it called ? To slow the effects of the rust? Or just leave it? Regards H edited to say does Jenolite fetch paint off if I pasted it onto the rust without rubbing it down? Edited February 12, 2016 by harrycatcat1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stuey Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 A tidy up will see the rust back in months. My BIL has his own garage and the guy who does his car prepping told me not to bother with a similar job on my wife's car as it would be straight back. Only way to get rid is cut out the rusty areas and put in new metal which is big £££££ and not worth the hassle. Stu Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Budice Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 If its just those two panels, find a second hand door and if the wing bolts on do the same, then get them sprayed to match Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 On a modern car thats often an indication of panels having been replaced. Most cars are pretty well rust proofed these days but accident repair workshops don't replace the rustproofing when they do a repair. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rupert Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 (edited) Early noughties ML? That will be the surface manifestation of a far more serious problem such was the paint quality of the period. spend big money to eradicate the root of the corrosion or live with it. A tart up will be all fur coat and no knickers. Edited February 12, 2016 by Rupert Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harris2006 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 On a modern car thats often an indication of panels having been replaced. Most cars are pretty well rust proofed these days but accident repair workshops don't replace the rustproofing when they do a repair. Plenty of "modern" cars rust a lot more than they really should. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted February 12, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Early noughties ML? That will be the surface manifestation of a far more serious problem such was the paint quality of the period. spend big money to eradicate the root of the corrosion or live with it. A tart up will be all fur coat and no knickers. Its a 55 plate ML I got it with 29,000 mile on and its done 103,000 now but its still a nice ride and I like it its like an old pair of slippers A chap I know with one its done just shy of 370,000. Looks like I will just live with the rust and just not wash it. Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 Plenty of "modern" cars rust a lot more than they really should. Not just on two adjacent panels though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TONY R Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 My advice if you dont want to spend any money is, Carefully scrape of the loose paint and scotcbrite pad the rusty area , once its got no loose rust or paint just clear coat laquer the area help seal it up. It will come back in a few months but just repeat the prosedure, car most probably will have far more expensive issues or you will be bored of owning it and driving it before it holes right through. Look at it as a slowing down the inevitable very cheaply rather than throwing money at a problem thats going to have the same result eventualy anyway. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
triumphant59 Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 If what you show is all that needs painting I would say £500 is expensive. However if the car is otherwise sound and well maintained I would have those areas grit blasted and painted properly. Done well it should last the car Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cosd Posted February 12, 2016 Report Share Posted February 12, 2016 ML's around that year are notorious for rust. Mercedes suffered from poor rustproofing across a few of their models. No matter what you do to those panels, barring replacement or cutting the rusted areas away and patching in new, the rust will come back. Don't throw money away, other than patching up and spray can paint yourself since it won't look any worse. Look at any other ML around that year and you will see 9 out of 10 of them are rusted around the same areas. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mungler Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 That colour is a big hit with the Stamford Hill Cowboys, it's 'Jewish racing gold' Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldypigeonpopper Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 hello, get some jenolite Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pistol p Posted February 13, 2016 Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Unfortunately this Mercedes is blighted with the recycled steel bought from South Africa back in the mid 90s. It will surface again once it's been refinished, the problem is within the steel. It's a huge mistake that Mercedes have been running away from for a long time. However, if the vehicle has full Mercedes history and is full stamped it is covered on warranty. I come up against this a lot in my line of work. I usually apologise that I won't do the work and explain why. Unfortunately the affected cars are worth more as parts. Also due to the critical colour of the vehicle (gold), local or SMART repairs are difficult to blend away. The repair becomes extensive, so a small repair becomes a cross panel blend which covers a larger area. I have " patched up" affected cars for traders in the past, but I never warranty the work as it will creep back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harrycatcat1 Posted February 13, 2016 Author Report Share Posted February 13, 2016 Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply and message me about my post I really do appreciate it. I think that I will just keep running it and not spend money messing with the paintwork as it doesnt seem cost effective. I might just paint some of that jenolite on it, do they do it in 45 gallon drums? I do still like the car though and I dont think the doors will drop off anytime soon so it should last me another few years at least. Regards H Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rovercoupe Posted February 18, 2016 Report Share Posted February 18, 2016 Try the stuff called vactan, it's been keeping my rust at bay for years. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TaxiDriver Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 Thanks to everyone who has taken the time to reply and message me about my post I really do appreciate it. I think that I will just keep running it and not spend money messing with the paintwork as it doesnt seem cost effective. I might just paint some of that jenolite on it, do they do it in 45 gallon drums? Blimey it's not like sheep dip, you don't drive the car through it lol Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neil w Posted February 21, 2016 Report Share Posted February 21, 2016 I think it adds to,true Mercedes-Benz characteristics.save your money for a set of injectors. Nice to drive though. Get plenty of muck on it,you will never see-it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Vince Green Posted February 24, 2016 Report Share Posted February 24, 2016 Its funny though, I was parked next to one, same year , in a car park and the paintwork was spotless. I know they have rust issues on some years and there is always the wheel arches on the cars Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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