Rust rust and more rust

220629

Well-known member
I own 7 Sprinters and at least 5 of them have really bad rust problems, even in the fuel tank.

http://img412.imageshack.us/gal.php?g=cimg0926o.jpg
RobRAGE,
My white 2004 paint hasn't held up at all either and it isn't from the mileage or stone chips. Given their marketing themselves as a high end producer MB should be ashamed to the point of voluntary recall.:rant: At 194,000 miles I have no hope of warranty. If your year and mileage fall under the cut-offs maybe you can find some relief. A search may give you some direction. Other than that unfortunately all I can offer you is sympathy.:bash: AP/vic
 

jdcaples

Not Suitable w/220v Gen
The one VIN captured in a picture shows a 2002 model year.

I don't think any vehicle should "rust out" in just 7 years, but might be singing a different tune if I lived in severe weather.

-Jon
 

TimJuhl

Member
RobRAGE,
On the Sprinter with the rust around the windshield - was the windshield ever replaced?


Tim
 

CARex

New member
Rob,
If you live in Massachusetts or New York... I'm not surprised. Winter driving in those states is horrendous. You should see my ten year old (all steel) car hauler. Right thru two coats of top paint and the undercoat.
Best luck, Bob
 

georgetg

2005 140" low roof
LOL

I'll be immune from fuel tank rust...

Mine is plastic ;-)

MB had poor QC procedures in the early to mid 2000 time frame.

The new NCV3 Sprinters have more galvanized components but still have some rust issues...
The official line by MB Germany is that the paint quality exceeds the "typical standards for that class of vehicles"
In other words they expect a commercial vehicle to be written off and replaced in a 5 year timeframe...

Still the paint quality and durability of the "shoddily" built Sprinters is superior to many US domestic cars...

Baby it like Richard, seal all interior voids with rust inhibitors and it will last 100 years ;-)

Cheers
George

P.S. Mine has rust and as long as you cath it early and remediate it you will be fine...
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
Guilty. I should have stated fuel neck or the back of the cap:bash: But George is spot on I watch mine like a Hawk or I'd never live it down.
 

talkinghorse43

Well-known member
I own 7 Sprinters and at least 5 of them have really bad rust problems, even in the fuel tank.
My '02 has similar problems, but when I see a spot developing, I chip the loose paint away and dab a bit of Rustoleum's rusty metal primer on the spot (even unprotected by an overcoat, it stops the rust). Except for the hood, it appears the primer or metal prep was lacking, which allows water to creep under the paint at any little imperfection. Except for the cosmetic effect, that's not too bad, but I worry about the surfaces I can't see and what may be happening under the heavy undercoat beneath the vehicle.
 

TimJuhl

Member
Like Talkinghorse, I survey my vehicle periodically (usually after a long trip) and clean up any chips and use touch-up paint. My paint of choice is Zero-Rust, which seems to work pretty well. It comes in white, black and gray.

When I put my rear windows in I cut some big pieces of sheetmetal out. I have one rigged as a test piece where I've painted the cut edge as well as scratched the paint to the metal and then topcoated with a little Zero Rust as well as some regular rustoleum. I have it outside, exposed to the elements and am monitoring what happens to it long term. So far it is holding up.

I recently removed the rear fascia and cleaned the rust off my rear step (it had been "tapped" a couple of times) and coated it in and out with Zero-Rust. I'll be keeping an eye on it so see what happens, but in any case I feel better about being proactive in such matters. I certainly agree that the finish on the Sprinter could be better but I knew that when I bought it and decided to deal with it as need be. I haven't regretted my choice yet.

Tim
 
3

312 diesel (closed)

Guest
High end producer? People really don't seem to get what the Sprinter is all about. The fact that it's made by Mercedes and shares some of the mechanicals of the cars doesn't somehow make it a rather corpulent E class.

The genius of Mercedes is that it caters to all markets. Somehow it has convinced rich executives that the thing they really need to show the corporate world that they've arrived is an S class. Those executives don't fret that the taxi they take at a middle eastern airport it has that same 3 pointed star. Meanwhile their transport department is pounding the motorways using Actros trucks distrubuting the widget that produced the family fortune. The hairy arsed builder who comes to fix the leaky roof rolls up in a Sprinter. and the eldest kid gets taught to drive by a driving school using an A class. The wife goes to the health club in an SL, the tree surgeon tends the trees on the estate using a Unimog and when Granpa pops his clogs the undertaker takes him to his final resting place in a coachbuilt E class.

Most Sprinters get leased for the first 3 years of their lives, they then get handed down to a whole raft of small business after which they get driven to Eastern Europe for a new life or loaded onto a boat bound for deepest darkest Africa.

The initial purchaser simply doesn't see the need to pay for the finest paint and consequently Mercedes doesn't provide it. The fact that the odd eccentric uses their Sprinter as a leisure vehicle or as an oversized car and that some of these people like to kid themselves its a "luxury" van is neither here nor there in the global Sprinter market. The simple truth is it competes head on with Ford, Fiat, Iveco Renault etc etc etc. And it does it very well. These vans like to get used long and hard. Give them decent fuel oil and water at regular interval and they just run and run and run.

RobRAGE,
My white 2004 paint hasn't held up at all either and it isn't from the mileage or stone chips. Given their marketing themselves as a high end producer MB should be ashamed to the point of voluntary recall.:rant: At 194,000 miles I have no hope of warranty. If your year and mileage fall under the cut-offs maybe you can find some relief. A search may give you some direction. Other than that unfortunately all I can offer you is sympathy.:bash: AP/vic
 
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220629

Well-known member
//snip//The fact that the odd eccentric uses their Sprinter as a leisure vehicle or as an oversized car and that some of these people like to kid themselves its a "luxury" van is neither here nor there in the global Sprinter market. The simple fact is it competes head on with Ford, Fiat, Iveco Renault etc etc etc. And it does it very well. These vans like to get used long and hard. Give them decent fuel oil and water at regular interval and they just run and run and run.
312,
Have you been talking to my friends or my family.:bounce:

I can't disagree with you, but they still coulda put some good paint on them.:thinking: Thanks, AP/vic
 

Altered Sprinter

Happy Little Vegemite
312 I like the bit about the hairy arsed plumber come builder reminds me of a HAIRY WOMBAT:lol: I've ran up on that before and promptly reminded the socialite, my van cost more than your half priced A class and in some cases the price of a Tin for that time YEAR 2005 exceeded a C class sedan's purchase price:professor: the smirk was wiped off that guys face so respect came back, as to Who's Boss of the Pack of Mercedes.
Mercedes did offer two paint finishes one for fleet delivery drivers as to a company own livery colour, or wrap being applied before being put into service. one extra double coating offered optional as is in the identical quality right forget metallic 4 grand extra :shifty: down to the micron finish of a standard base Mercedes sedan. Mine has it, along with double seaming on roof seams,so I don't have problems with my finish, apart from maintaining the finish and keeping an eye out as to possible long-term-issues under the screen, so far no problems and very few stone chips over almost five years the finish is as tough as enamel.and quite thick.
Even base fleet paint should hold, if kept maintained.
Your spot on with fleet firms buying new and being passed on down the trade. I don't see many being maintaned which reflects as to quality of the company selling thier goods and chattels.but rust is not a big issue either and we have extreme climatic changes here in OZ. Queensland gets rust under the screen as it's a high humidity somewhat tropical area. where the dust gets trapped behind the screen, remains damp so rust can be an issue up there, again it falls down to maintenance.other vehicles suffer from it too it's not exclusive to Mercedes.
Richard
 
3

312 diesel (closed)

Guest
312,
Have you been talking to my friends or my family.:bounce:

I can't disagree with you, but they still coulda put some good paint on them.:thinking: Thanks, AP/vic
Sure they could, but the market doesn't want to pay for it. And indeed they will put it through the optional paint process when you go to buy one new.

Most of these vans get beaten to death by white van man long before they fall apart from rust. The may look unsightly, but by and large they hold together. I don't necessarily like it that way, but it is the way it is and from a commercial perspective the logic is hard to argue against.
 
In 1975 I was driving my 1963 Chevy when my 4 year old son informed me he had dropped his shoe through a hole in the floor. I'm amazed at how much better modern vehicles resist rust than they used to. My 2002 has rust which I've been attending to. I think it will be good for 5-10 years. It doesn't look particularly good, but thats ok. I only paid $7000 for it. I almost bought a new 2008, and I'm so glad I didn't. A new vehicle will break your heart, because you'll watch it detiorate, no matter how hard you work at maintaining it. I see my van getting better, which is good for my mental well being, and it doesn't take any more work than maintaining a new one. And by the way, mine has a plastic fuel tank.

Thanks for posting the pics. It shows me what I need to look for.

As for it being a MB, who cares? I never thought there was anything particularly great about MB. Anyway, mine says Freightliner, which is fine with me.
 

stroud_omnibus

New member
My late '01 has various small areas that have to be rubbed down, treated and repainted every six months or so. I have precious little time for Mercedes products and only have the Sprinter as it's the best of a bad bunch when it comes to bus conversions. The only other van based conversion that comes near is the Iveco.
Mercedes cars.....well I wouldn't have one as a gift. My mother had three 190's in the 1980's and '90's. All needed major engine work doing despite being serviced properly. Last year I was very close to buying a 500SEC as they do look very attractive cars. However, doing some internet research revealed that they (as well as every other model) rust faster than a tin can left out in the rain and need engine work as routine at 100k miles. What a joke! Decided to keep my lowly (but very reliable) Mustang instead.

Alan
 

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