[W126 Coupe] Rear Window Seal Rust

[Carl Hansen]

All the more I think we ought to raise hell with the factory.

Carl Hansen
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Markus Meyer 
  To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists 
  Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 4:27 PM
  Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Rear Window Seal Rust


  Its not just the SECs, one of my two SELs has the same problem as well (as did my SEC which I just had fixed, SEL is in the future).  Of course my wrecked SEC does NOT have that problem, go figure...!

  Markus Meyer
  mfm at meyerprobateproperties.com
  www.meyerprobateproperties.com
  Meyer Probate & Properties, LLC
  484-919-9762


    -------- Original Message --------
    Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Rear Window Seal Rust
    From: "Carl Hansen" <c.c.hansen at cogeco.ca>
    Date: Mon, January 21, 2008 3:44 pm
    To: "Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists" <mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com>


    With this problem seemingly happening to every last SEC, this must surely be considered a design flaw and therefore the responsibility of Mercedes-Benz.
    These cars were considered top of the line, the flagship model where nothing was spared to build a car as close to perfection as humanly possible. Certainly the price for these cars when new reflected that. Many of them have very low mileage less than 100,000 and most have been pampered, never seen snow or rain and rarely used for anything but pleasure, tucked away under cover in a garage during winter months. 
    As a club of this size we should have a certain amount of influence to convince the factory that they provide some assistance for example make parts available at cost if nothing else. 
    Some years ago the factory provided new aluminum bumpers that corroded due to interaction between the aluminum and the steel fastenings. 

    Carl Hansen 
      ----- Original Message ----- 
      From: DCrawford at tompkinsinc.com 
      To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com 
      Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 2:00 PM
      Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Rear Window Seal Rust


      Mike;
      A picture is worth a 1,000 words - thanks!  I have a bit of rust starting at the corners of the back window and have thought that I had some time before really needing to get it fixed.  The image of the rust migrating across the back was quite starting to say the least.  I think this repair has moved up the priority list for me.

      Again, thanks much,
      Dave Crawford
      84 500 SEC


--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      From: Mike Taylor [mailto:Mike.Taylor at tracegroup.com] 
      Sent: Monday, January 21, 2008 6:19 AM
      To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
      Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Rear Window Se al Rust

      Mark,

      I also had this done recently on my '88 560SEC.   Axel is right, what will double the cost is if the window cracks (I was quoted GBP1,200 or USD $2,400 in the UK for a new rear window) so the bodyshop who did the work for me brought a specialist in to take it out and replace it, and lucki ly it stayed in one piece.

      There is a metal strip around 2 inches wide running right across the rear of the car underneath the window, this should be replaced as it is cheap (GBP50 from MB).  The only other body part in this area is very expensive, and goes from the base of the rear window all the way across the rear shelf, and down between the petrol tank and rear seats.  This is more like GBP750 just for the panel, but things would have to be very bad for you to really need that.

      Mine was pretty badly rusted (picture attached) mostly invisible until they took the screen out, but the guys managed to rebuild what was needed well enough, without the need for the big panel.  Make sure the window is well (and carefully !) sealed  back in afterwards.   The labour charge for me was around GBP500, so in US terms USD1000 for the labour and re-paint, plus USD100 for the metal strip.  It also keeps the cost down if they can weld the strip each side of the car without damaging the rear quarter panel, otherwise this would need to be re-sprayed too.

      See the picture attached, this damage was possible to rebuild, and you can see where the metal strip goes, following the line of the blanket (this was used by the bodyshop.I do not keep an old blanket on my rear parcel shelf J  ).   Make sure they replace your boot (trunk?) seal too.

      Cheers,
      Mike





      From: mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com [mailto:mbcoupes-bounces at mbcoupes.com] On Behalf Of Joseph Schumann
      Sent: 21 January 2008 03:12
      To: Mercedes Coupes Mailing Lists
      Subject: Re: [W126 Coupe] Rear Window Seal Rust

      Hi:

      I just had this done a few months ago. The prices are about right or maybe a biy on the low side.


      Joe

      Axel Wulff <axelwulff at hotmail.com> wrote:
      I thought I'd add my 2-cents to this debate.
       
      I had this problem on my car and had a body shop do the repairs.
       
      On my car the window sill had rusted through and the body shop replaced the entire sheet (you see the seams with the trunk lid open) with new metal. At the time I did not know that MB provides a replacement panel. Had I known, I would certainly have gone that way instead of letting the body sh op fabricate a piece.
       
      The entire job cost about $1,400 (paint, metal work, new window gasket, rear window in and out).
       
      However, what can turn this job into a $3,000 affair is if the rear window cracks at any point in the process. If the rear window has any deliamination (white fog along the edges), cracking is more likely to happen, resulting in the need for a new window $1,300, gasket $160 and installtion).
       
      My advice would be to find a very experienced glass guy to handle the rear window.

      Regards, 
      Axel J. Wulff
      610-731-5453 Cellular
      610-572-4611 Home

      > From: aniello3 at mac.com
      > To: mbcoupes at mbcoupes.com
      > Date: Fri, 18 Jan 2008 22:29:15 -0800
      > Subject: [W126 Coupe] Rear Window Seal Rust
      > 
      > Hi All - Looking for some help to understand cost to have the rear 
      > window seal repaired correctly. Only visible rust i s under the center 
      > of the rear window, noticed when viewing from the inside of the trunk.
      > 
      > Appreciate any input.
      > 
      > Mark
      > Southern CA -
      > 1991 560SEC 81k miles
      > The MB Coupes Website!
      > W126 SEC Mailing List
      > Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

      The MB Coupes Website!
      W126 SEC Mailing List
      Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

        

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Be a better friend, newshound, and know-it-all with Yahoo! Mobile. Try it now.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------

      Disclaimer: The contents of this E-mail plus any attachment is intended for the use of the addressee only and is confidential, proprietary and may be privileged. It will not be binding upon Trace Group plc or any group company (Trace). Opinions, conclusions, contractual obligations and other information in this message in so far as they relate to the official business of Trace must be specifically confirmed in writing by Trace . If you are not the intended recipient you must not copy this message or attachment, use or disclose the contents to any other person, but are requested to telephone or E-mail the sender and delete the message and any attachment from your system. Trace takes all reasonable precautions to ensure that no virus or defect is transmitted via this e mail, however Trace accepts no responsibility for any virus or defect that might arise from opening this E-mail or attachments. 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------


--------------------------------------------------------------------------


      The MB Coupes Website!
      W126 SEC Mailing List
      Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.

----------------------------------------------------------------------------
    The MB Coupes Website!
    W126 SEC Mailing List
    Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C. 


------------------------------------------------------------------------------


  The MB Coupes Website!
  W126 SEC Mailing List
  Postings remain property of MB Coupes, L.L.C.
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/mbcoupes/attachments/20080121/efdfe0c9/attachment-0001.html>
-------------- next part --------------
A non-text attachment was scrubbed...
Name: not available
Type: image/jpeg
Size: 70821 bytes
Desc: not available
Url : <http://www.pairlist.net/pipermail/mbcoupes/attachments/20080121/efdfe0c9/attachment-0001.jpe>