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Rusty w639's

2K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  kaso 
#1 ·
Hi all, there has been a long thread on this before, I know.
I'm usually very pro Merc etc. and have defended them over this problem. But I've grown to find this quite a fascinating subject.

I have to admit I have seen quite a few rusty 639's now. But what I seen recently stunned me. While travelling through Cornwall, in a place called Gunnislake... there was a 2003 model w639(must have been one of the first) in an appalling state. The rear door was so badly rusted, you could have pushed your hands right through tholes in at least two different areas.
This van looked about 30 years old....... but it was only seven. I stopped to take a picture, but ironically just as I approached, he literally pulled out and shot away.

I'm no lover of VW, but I've seen VW vans that ARE 30 years old but look only seven years old..........
 
#5 ·
My 2004 W639 had rust in 3 doors in 2009. MB payed 70% of the repair, but this spring, 2 of the doors were rusty again + several other places. MB offered to repaint the 2 doors and pay 60% of the repair for the rest.

I sold the car - tired of increasing cost to yearly rust repairs on a relatively new car. :mad:

W639 have just had a major facelift this year - once again stating much higher quality, less noise and lower consumption. I'll wait and see.......
 
#3 ·
If you want to photograph a really rusty 638 in Lincs then mine has rust in every panel. The bottom of the front doors are rusting through, and the under bonnet cross-member is almost total rust!

Mine is a 110CDi and is exactly 8 years old with 149,000 miles.

I have seen an E-Class and an S-Class of about the same age with rusty wheel arches, so I assumed that they had a paint issue at that stage. Then again, perhaps MB adopted the old Vauxhall Victor/Lancia Beta trick of designing a vehicle that disposes itself saving the customer the recycling trouble before it gets to 10 years old!
 
#8 ·
"Great"???????

There should be no rust on a car of that age - and not on a 6 years old either. Years ago I sold a 8 year Renault without any rust at all - and that's a car that cost a fraction of a MB.

As mentioned, my W639 started to rust at the age of 5 - at least 8-10 years to early! The exhaust was rusted through before the age of 5 - on Renaults the exhaust is made of stainless steel - just to give an example of how cheaper brands create more durable cars.....
 
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