A-class buying advice

[stuartmac]

Hi,

Just tried to search the forum but 'A class' as a key isn't much use. What is/are the 'W' number/s for the early 'A' class?

What prompts my search is: during dinner with friends this evening, they mention they're looking for another car; as long as we've known 'em, they're small car - Fester, Peugeot 20x and 30x, etc. - users; seems an opportunity to point 'em at an A-class but I don't know if any are particularly bad (or particularly good?).

Regards,

 

[Ellsy Tanners]

The early A- class's are 168 chassis.

I would recommend you go for a facelift model, they were much improved on the very first ones.

Others will post with much more details!!

 

[hawk20]

The early A- class's are 168 chassis.

I would recommend you go for a facelift model, they were much improved on the very first ones.

Others will post with much more details!!

I think you mean the new model which came out in 2005 -not just a facelift- and called the 169. I agree it is a vast improvement. Good car IMO. The new model (169) was facelifted in autumn 2008 but largely unchanged.

Here are some links: -
A CLASS LINKS
Costs over 3 years (30k miles)
http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=52249

From 2008 on fuel economy:
http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=36489

Another from 2008
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?p=507939#post507939

Here's a couple of other links: -
http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=45064
http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=42833 http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=43044 http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/showthread.php?t=33319

 

[Stu_CDX]

Hawk,

I think ET means the facelift it recieved early on (Clear rear lights and revised interior opposed to the pre-facelift with the groovy wavy arrangement of buttons and orange rear indicator lenses)

 

[hawk20]

Hawk,

I think ET means the facelift it recieved early on (Clear rear lights and revised interior opposed to the pre-facelift with the groovy wavy arrangement of buttons and orange rear indicator lenses)

Yes. I think you are right. So facelifted 168 is better than the early ones -we agree- and the 169 from 2005 is even better still by most accounts.

 

[Stu_CDX]

Yes. I think you are right. So facelifted 168 is better than the early ones -we agree- and the 169 from 2005 is even better still by most accounts.

The 169 is much nicer.

The Facelift 168 is pretty decent too

 

[rhud]

Can confirm I am very happy with my W169 - the post-2005 A Class. As is commented on widely - surprisingly roomy. I have the A150 Classic SE, the smallest petrol engine. Not v pokey,but v smooth and good consumption. More sensibly priced than the high-spec models.

 

[stuartmac]

Gents,

Thanks for your help.

Realistically, ... even an early W169 will be outside our friends' budget ... and a pre-facelift W168 is best avoided?

So that leaves facelifted W168's. Presumably, as the W169 came out in 2005, the latest W168's are also registered then? I read how to tell the facelifted W168's from pre-'s but when's the earliest facelifted?

Regards,

 

[mastereng]

I have a friendly local mechanic who says the original A Class is a nightmare - horendously unreliable. However, the curent model (post 2005) W169 is vastly better and scores highly in J D Power and other customer surveys. If your budget does not recah to used post 2005, then perhaps a Merc is not the best choice.

 

[Stu_CDX]

Gents,

Thanks for your help.

Realistically, ... even an early W169 will be outside our friends' budget ... and a pre-facelift W168 is best avoided?

So that leaves facelifted W168's. Presumably, as the W169 came out in 2005, the latest W168's are also registered then? I read how to tell the facelifted W168's from pre-'s but when's the earliest facelifted?

Regards,

I think the facelift was about 2000...

The A-Class W168 is a fine car, go for average mileage and perfect service history. Don't accept anything less.

Don't be scared of "Non-MB" servicing, there are some Indy's out there (Independant specialists) who provide service better than MB at half the price.

Make sure that servicing has been carried out by MB or an MB Indy though.

Use your brain, one thats immaculate with a perfect service history will obviously command a higher premium due compared to an unloved example.

There are A140, A160, A170CDi, A180, A190 and A210 models (That's what I know of!). The Diesel 170 and 180 Petrol models are reasonable units, I've no experience of the 190 and I believe the 210 was an AMG/Special edition model.

The A140 is slow and unrefined and if you're a spirited driver, the 140 wont deliver a fuel economy anywhere near that of the 170 or 180.

Air con is a good resell point as is a CD player/Multi Changer. Electric Windows all round are on most models, but watch out for the switches. Make sure each one works as it should and the switch is secure. They've been known to become detached from the circuitry and wont perform properly.

Hope this helps

Stu.

 

[Stu_CDX]

I have a friendly local mechanic who says the original A Class is a nightmare - horendously unreliable. However, the curent model (post 2005) W169 is vastly better and scores highly in J D Power and other customer surveys. If your budget does not recah to used post 2005, then perhaps a Merc is not the best choice.

If that isn't blatant snobbery, it's still completely incorrect.

A Mercedes bought cheaply such as my W124 can perform faultlessly for less than £1000.

I think others will agree with me on this one...

If he was looking for a cheap Mercedes 600 Grosser, I'd agree with you. :lol:

 

[mastereng]

Dear Stu CDX - let me clarify...

What I am saying is that the original A class is not a wise buy and there are numerous sources you can go to in order to verify that. If a small Merc is what is required then the post 2005 A Class is a sensible buy. If that is too expensive, don't buy an early A Class as an alternative. By all means buy any other Mercedes that fits the budget if that is what is desired.

 

[Stu_CDX]

Dear Stu CDX - let me clarify...

What I am saying is that the original A class is not a wise buy and there are numerous sources you can go to in order to verify that. If a small Merc is what is required then the post 2005 A Class is a sensible buy. If that is too expensive, don't buy an early A Class as an alternative. By all means buy any other Mercedes that fits the budget if that is what is desired.

I dunno...

I would say if it's been looked after, any car is a wise buy.

I'm not disagreeing with you, the A-Class has it's faults, but most of them were rectified towards the end of production.

Typical example of this is my Rover Maestro. So many people said don't get one, you'll spend more time at the side of the road than you do driving the thing... 1,000 miles later, it's just flown through an MOT and the Mechanic said the engine and bodywork was the best he's seen on a Maestro since the 80's. What made it much better was that it was only £70

So many places like Car Giant have new style A-Classes, but most of them are three door, hence they're so cheap. Cos' they're useless.

Keep looking, you'll find something soon.

 

[rhud]

Odd that MB decided to bring out a 3 door A Class - I think I've seen one in the past 2 years.

 

[roofless]

I dunno...

I would say if it's been looked after, any car is a wise buy.

I'm not disagreeing with you, the A-Class has it's faults, but most of them were rectified towards the end of production.

Typical example of this is my Rover Maestro. So many people said don't get one, you'll spend more time at the side of the road than you do driving the thing... 1,000 miles later, it's just flown through an MOT and the Mechanic said the engine and bodywork was the best he's seen on a Maestro since the 80's. What made it much better was that it was only £70

So many places like Car Giant have new style A-Classes, but most of them are three door, hence they're so cheap. Cos' they're useless.

Keep looking, you'll find something soon.

it's probably the first one he's seen since the 80s

 

[Stu_CDX]

it's probably the first one he's seen since the 80s

Indeed it is... Lol...

 

[ShoeQueen]

Afternoon all

Just read this post .... I drive an A200 CDI 5 door, not 3! ... shes fab... I have however kitted it out with everything possible as I do an 80mile commuter round trip and you have to be comfortable ... dont you

Im not clear on what W168 and W169 means (sorry :Oops but I love my car.

 

[hawk20]

Afternoon all

Just read this post .... I drive an A200 CDI 5 door, not 3! ... shes fab... I have however kitted it out with everything possible as I do an 80mile commuter round trip and you have to be comfortable ... dont you

Im not clear on what W168 and W169 means (sorry :Oops but I love my car.

The 168 was the original A class. The new model in 2005 was the 169.
I had the A180cdi and much enjoyed the experience. We did about 15,000 miles including driving through France to Spain and back and comfort was excellent. We had the comfort seat option and the steering wheel adjustable for rake and reach, which being longlegged I found a boon.

 

[ShoeQueen]

Afternoon

Thanks for the info Hawk... mines a 169 then

 

[mya160]

A Class W168 Pre Face Lift

I have a 2001 W168 Auto, which I use as a driving school car. I purchased it two and a half years ago with 55,000miles on the clock and a good service history, it as now done 80,000 miles and in that time has been VERY reliable. Servicedd by and Indy at 7,500miles intervals, the auto transmission was just recently serviced at my request and the transmission fluid replaced with synthetic fluid in keeping with the engine oil I use. The auto now changed so smooth it is hard to detect the change.

As a driving school vehicle this car is used to make money, therefore reliability is at the top of my list. It has 6 students a day driving it and I have never heard anyone say a bad word about it, in fact, the opposite can be said. It would seem that all my students parents or friends drive vehicles that do not come up to the mark.

I have thought about trading it in on a later W169 model but so far cannot see the value for money.