It's time for me to cause offence...

[GarbageOverlord]

I am about to target drivers of a modern Mercedes, look away now if easily offended...

The other day I was given a lift in horror called a GLA.

Now style is of course subjective, but it looked rather as if something had sat on it and squashed it. Never mind, at least you can't see it from inside. What you could see from inside was depressingly black, with an iPad crassly nailed to the dash. To the owners annoyance, it spend a lot of time buzzing and rattling. Impressive.

Never mind, at least we have the engineering, right? Indeed so, except the engineering contract was given to Massey Ferguson, who rose to the occasion and supplied their finest tractor unit, which clattered and grumbled loudly when asked for motive power. What was that? I can't hear you. Maybe we forgot to remove the plough from behind?

This was mated to stop/start which shook the squashed body shell vigorously when starting each time at the traffic lights. Very impressive. All those chavs aren't nodding to the thumping beat at the traffic lights, it's the engine clattering into life...

Then there was the ride. Or rather, there wasn't since they forgot to fit any discernable suspension. It thumped and jostled it's way along. "Watch out, there's a leaf on the tarmac ahead...don't drive over it...aaarrrgghhh..."

Have Mercedes forgotten how to make cars properly? I couldn't wait to get back to my rusty E-Class!

But we are all different, and to those who have this model I wish you happy and enjoyable motoring. Truth is, I'm not a fan of most modern cars these days!

 

[Blobcat]

All style over substance with every manufacturer these days

All about the tech on the inside - I had a Peugeot 208 hire car a couple of weeks ago - it had a setting for photo albums on the central screen FFS

 

[00slk]

Unless you opted for the top of the range Mercedes the rest are a little in the 'throw-away-society'
The w210 was a lovely car to drive. Any Mercedes from the 50's up to 2000 were great cars, money then governed quality, with the intervention of the government to make cars for fools and non skilled drivers to be safe in their abs, esp, rock hard suspension and 25 profile tyre, and 20 airbag cocoons which left no money for the manufacturers to include comfort

 

[Blobcat]

Thought I’d taken a picture of it…



And a “wanquay” 3d screen - with the anti glare coating already worn off in 15k miles... Also a stupid steering wheel that looked like it came out of K.I.T.T. and blocks the dash…

 

[Srdl]

I am about to target drivers of a modern Mercedes, look away now if easily offended...

The other day I was given a lift in horror called a GLA.

Now style is of course subjective, but it looked rather as if something had sat on it and squashed it. Never mind, at least you can't see it from inside. What you could see from inside was depressingly black, with an iPad crassly nailed to the dash. To the owners annoyance, it spend a lot of time buzzing and rattling. Impressive.

Never mind, at least we have the engineering, right? Indeed so, except the engineering contract was given to Massey Ferguson, who rose to the occasion and supplied their finest tractor unit, which clattered and grumbled loudly when asked for motive power. What was that? I can't hear you. Maybe we forgot to remove the plough from behind?

This was mated to stop/start which shook the squashed body shell vigorously when starting each time at the traffic lights. Very impressive. All those chavs aren't nodding to the thumping beat at the traffic lights, it's the engine clattering into life...

Then there was the ride. Or rather, there wasn't since they forgot to fit any discernable suspension. It thumped and jostled it's way along. "Watch out, there's a leaf on the tarmac ahead...don't drive over it...aaarrrgghhh..."

Have Mercedes forgotten how to make cars properly? I couldn't wait to get back to my rusty E-Class!

But we are all different, and to those who have this model I wish you happy and enjoyable motoring. Truth is, I'm not a fan of most modern cars these days!

So - did you like it or not?!

I could offer you a ride in my GLC - bigger, better styled (in my opinion), air suspension, V6 petrol - and the iPad dash (which I like).

 

[bembo449]

life style vehicles bring in more cash than making cars in keeping with the brands historic standards unfortunately

 

[rorywquin]

....................

But we are all different, and to those who have this model I wish you happy and enjoyable motoring. Truth is, I'm not a fan of most modern cars these days!

People live under the illusion that a modern Mercedes is a quality & “prestige” car. Excluding the high end models, they are no better than most other brands.

I’m not a fan of the modern interiors. All bling over substance and functionality.

That being said, our "Old B class" is 50k miles & 9 years old and faultless except for a set of rear springs (which I blame on our lovely roads).

 

[C16RKC]

I completely agree with you, but I don't think this is limited to Mercedes, but rather most prestige brands, and I personally find it difficult to decide which new car I would buy, even if money were no object. I'd probably buy a rare classic, rather than a newer car.

I regularly scour Autotrader thinking "I fancy buying a much newer car" and can't really find anything that floats my boat. Then I find myself thinking "I wish my beautiful old W215 was on the road...

 

[rorywquin]

I completely agree with you, but I don't think this is limited to Mercedes, but rather most prestige brands, and I personally find it difficult to decide which new car I would buy, even if money were no object. I'd probably buy a rare classic, rather than a newer car.

I regularly scour Autotrader thinking "I fancy buying a much newer car" and can't really find anything that floats my boat. Then I find myself thinking "I wish my beautiful old W215 was on the road...

Yep I have the same issues. When I sold my SL, we were also planning to sell the B Class and buy a newer car. Problem is I (we) cannot find a (mid range) car that I can say I'd like to own.

The B is faultless so we might run it until it becomes unreliable.

 

[C16RKC]

I think the problem is that it is not fashionable to be "flash" any more, so designs are more clumsy, with wood and chrome being dropped for more humble looking materials.

Luxury and Sports cars are not the same any more, unless you can afford a Supercar. The Japanese used to make some amazing sports cars and grand tourers, but they hardly make any decent ones these days.

 

[sonic]

I completely agree with you, but I don't think this is limited to Mercedes, but rather most prestige brands, and I personally find it difficult to decide which new car I would buy, even if money were no object. I'd probably buy a rare classic, rather than a newer car.

I regularly scour Autotrader thinking "I fancy buying a much newer car" and can't really find anything that floats my boat. Then I find myself thinking "I wish my beautiful old W215 was on the road...

Bought my 212 E350CDI 6 months old in 2011. In all that time I have had 2 faults, turbo boost sensor, & one of the power steering pipes leak.
Why would I change it for something newer, & possible less reliable?

 

[Larkone]

Aren't the GLAs powered and geared by Renault?

 

[MBDevotee]

The whole CLA / GLA is basically a Renault Captur / Megan with a posh badge - not (in my humble opinion) a proper Merc at all.

I think nowadays you need to go to the E class at least before some of the Merc "values" start to come back.

If I ever buy another Merc I'll seek out a 170,000m example of the car I'm considering - if it still feels like a Merc then, I'll buy one.

My last Merc CLK had 165000 miles on it and still felt special....

 

[Not_Anumber]

Maybe Im getting old but I think the sheer variety of models, the move towards smaller engines and the styling lose a lot of the brand cachet. Im not sure what i'l change my S212 for in a few years, just wished there was an S class estate really.

 

[C16RKC]

If you look at car leasing comparison sites, there are pretty much no Diesel models even available, and very few Petrol. The push seems to be overwhelmingly Electric for brand new cars.

 

[Srdl]

life style vehicles bring in more cash

I like my lifestyle Mercedes - it suits my, err, lifestyle!

 

[Dean Fletcher]

In my opinion Mercedes and other high end brands because less luxury when stealers/finance companies opened up the doors so every boy racer in the county could an A200 with the AMG badge on it.
I like my car it fits my lifestyle kind of chaotic, unpredictable and falls apart at times I also own it never really been a PCP kind of guy.
However i have been very tempted to get another bigger engined merc but resisted. Plus SHMBO would rip me a new @$$hole

 

[alexanderfoti]

The whole CLA / GLA is basically a Renault Captur / Megan with a posh badge - not (in my humble opinion) a proper Merc at all.

I think nowadays you need to go to the E class at least before some of the Merc "values" start to come back.

If I ever buy another Merc I'll seek out a 170,000m example of the car I'm considering - if it still feels like a Merc then, I'll buy one.

My last Merc CLK had 165000 miles on it and still felt special....

247 is mb MFA2 platform, not Renault related I belive

157 chassis is very mud mid 2010 MB underneath, with the 1.6d being a Renault engine (om607) and it's noticeably more rattly than the 651 version (which isn't exactly quiet and refined!)

 

[Dean Fletcher]

247 is mb MFA2 platform, not Renault related I belive

157 chassis is very mud mid 2010 MB underneath, with the 1.6d being a Renault engine (om607) and it's noticeably more rattly than the 651 version (which isn't exactly quiet and refined!)

Quiet and refined is boring

 

[C16RKC]

I don't really think it matters if a car is based on a Skoda or a Ford these days; they all make relatively good cars. My view is that it's the styling and finishing that counts, as I think that's what makes a car special.

When a car is just black plastic everywhere I fail see see how anyone can get excited about it.

I had a brand new BMW hire car when I was in Poland a couple of months ago, I think it was an X1, and that's exactly how it was. Black everywhere.

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