Rusty Mercs... again!

[xtriple]

Yes, the dreaded 'R' word rears its ugly head on the pride of Germany. Lots of post on the various SLK forums about the rear subframes rotting away, lots of very disgruntled owners. Galvanise the bodies then barely cover the subframes in cheap shit black paint.

I had a feeling mine was gonna fail on this even though I and Busmansholiday had a look at it back at Christmas time. So have a look and note this is just one side...

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A used rear subframe that's any good seems to be a thing rarer than rocking horse shit and anyway, posh garages don't want to be fucking about with dirty old used shit, much prefer to bill the customer and fit all new stuff. Can't say I blame them to be honest and as COVID bites yet again, even this main dealer is rushed out with work and other garages can afford to pick and choose jobs, in short, no one wants to fit an used subframe to this car, nor do they want the hassle of taking the subframe out, welding it up in a million places and then bunging it back in. So it looks like to keep any value/use of the car, I have to buy a new bastard.

Also failed on the front discs I've been trying to get changed for 6 months but got advisories for the rear discs (also being changed) and perished valves on the tyres! never had that before, they are only 10 months old as it had all new tyres fitted just after Christmas. I think this lad may have been a tad fussy!

[Bangernomics]

I’ve had the valves thing at MB main stealers, literally weeks after they’d done an expensive and videotaped inspection/service. Suffice to say they paid for them as their expert had missed it.

I’m not surprised about the subframe, on the late 90’s C class they started fitting plastic covers over the wish bones so you couldn’t spot how shit the looked as they literally dissolved before your eyes.


Less annoying tag line.

[The Reverend Bluejeans]

Standard Merc subframe rust, GM stuff suffers at the front and E90/E87 etc 1/3 Series crap does too.

[DodgeRover]

Any chance of importing a rust free one complete from a dry state?

[mercrocker]

Watching with interest.....speaking as one who has no rusty Merc for the first time this century.

[Hooli]

Jaysus that's an impressive amount of rust.

[xtriple]

While I am committed to getting the heap of shit repaired (I do like the heap and it goes well and sounds brilliant) I am also not fond of having only one car. I was just chatting with my son about a 2015 XF for under seven grand! Okay a 2.2 diesel(and I hate diesel) but it looks tidy from a dealer but just seems too cheap?
So, Rover 75 CDTI Connoiseur SE 2,0 150 thousand miles, 54 reg facelift for £1500...

11 reg Fiat 500 1.4 auto lounge 3 door. 20K miles, 1 owner from new -£5000 in bright red, looks really cool.

Advice please...

[Hooli]

XF diesel whine like an old truck around town, lovely once moving though.

At least that's my experience of one as a loan car.

[SiC]

Ouch that's bad. That's Mazda levels of rust.

What year is the car?

[xtriple]

2007.It's normal apparently! Lots of folk complaining about this very thing and worse, it goes from looking fine to fucked in about 20 minutes! Seriously, at Christmas it was fine (looking) though I didn't go poking about with sharp sticks or anything while the tester obviously has, you can see scratches. It seems to be just the rear subframes that do this the rest of the cars are galvanised. Subframe rots from the inside out and ,I must admit the level of fookedness is impressive!

Witness the dearth of used rear subframes for sale compared to front ones!

At least the earlier cars ust rusted their wheelarches and left the undersides alone. So is this an improvement?