Mercedes C class and rust, What years?

hillbilly2 · 9 Dec 2014 at 13:08

What is the "bad zone" with rust on the C class.Should a W203 2005 facelift be safe?
Looking at possibly buying a C55 estate when i go home to NZ at the end of the month.

rodenal · 9 Dec 2014 at 13:35

I've seen rusty examples of all that iteration (they're also pretty terrible on a general quality front) - but I would imagine our climate plays a huge part in that.

hillbilly2 · 9 Dec 2014 at 13:38

This would be a Jap car.I have read that the W203 got galvanized body panels and chassis in early 2003,but this was from the internet :?

rodenal · 9 Dec 2014 at 13:44

They might have done but they still seem to rot terribly at the back. Only way to really tell would be to go and find some to look at of a similar year and see how they generally look

lemonade · 9 Dec 2014 at 14:11

Just because it is sold as galvanised doesn't mean it won' rust.

In the UK we get salted roads in winter which doesn't help, not sure what it is like in NZ.

hillbilly2 · 9 Dec 2014 at 14:15

lemonade said:
Just because it is sold as galvanised doesn't mean it won' rust.

In the UK we get salted roads in winter which doesn't help, not sure what it is like in NZ.

Yes i understand that. Was just trying to see when Mercedes fixed the rust issues that plagued the cars of this era.

lemonade · 9 Dec 2014 at 14:39

It was mostly the 1995-2005 period that was really bad, especially on the quality front, would avoid any generation from that period.

CaptainRAVE · 9 Dec 2014 at 19:50

lemonade said:
It was mostly the 1995-2005 period that was really bad, especially on the quality front, would avoid any generation from that period.

This. Everything since is fine.

hillbilly2 · 9 Dec 2014 at 20:02

So a 2005 is a 50/50 call?

This is what i am looking at,there is a few around this age and mileage.

http://www.trademe.co.nz/motors/used-cars/mercedesbenz/auction-750062476.htm

Vita · 9 Dec 2014 at 20:37

W203 rusts under the front and rear arches. Door sills and underneath back bumper from what I can remember, this was with the estate model. I would have thought the C55 does not have this, but it probably does.