ML no A Class possible.

[jibcl500]

All

Need some feedback from owners of the A Class. Looked at some ML's and thought they are too big for what we need.
Wife would like the A class year 2000, petrol or diesel I would prefer the 1.9 diesel. Any feedback would be helpful before I go insane.

thanks

jib

 

[Andy Wr]

Expensive gearbox / clutch problems?

 

[jibcl500]

Toyota

jib

 

[psmart]

I've had an A-Class for 2 weeks now, a 2004 model 1.4. Its quite a good little car, roomy, economical and comfortable.

Depends what you need, but the A-Class at 110 (goes to 118 on the clock at a push), it returned ~36mpg and running around Austria it returned 46mpg.

Only issue I have with it is its a little light at speed (>90mph), but otherwise, great little car.

Before the local plod arrive.... I do most of my motoring in Germany, hence the speed

 

[hawk20]

All

Need some feedback from owners of the A Class. Looked at some ML's and thought they are too big for what we need.
Wife would like the A class year 2000, petrol or diesel I would prefer the 1.9 diesel. Any feedback would be helpful before I go insane.

thanks

jib

The AvantGarde has different shaped seats. I checked with Merc on this. They are better than the Classic or Elegance. LWB models give huge room and much improved ride.

If you can stretch to the new model it is amazingly improved especially in ride and interior quality. Like an E class now. My brother has the A160cdi and regularly gets 65-70 mpg on a long run. Amazing. The safety is best in class according to NCAP. Impressive cars with legroom to suit almost anybody.

 

[psmart]

Impressive cars with legroom to suit almost anybody.

Id agree 100% on this. Having long legs, most mercs Ive driven (ie. our C, rented Es) I get cramp after a long journey, but the A is like my ML, you dont get out hobbling when you pull in for fuel.

Id go for a diesel, personally, just I got offered a great deal on the petrol version, and its pretty good.

 

[RGubbioli]

Before the local plod arrive.... I do most of my motoring in Germany, hence the speed

But surely the Austrians are zealous of their speed limits too?

I ask because we regularly drive through Austria from Italy to the Czech Rep. and was interested in hearing your view.

We only do it once a year, for the past 20 years, and only got stopped once (my mom, doing 130 mph, even got filmed!), but thats because we never go over 95mph... (apart from that once).

 

[A210AMG]

Hello,

We have an A class, its a A210 lwb Evo, great car loads of room (more room behind driver than in my dads e class estate). goes well does up to 40mpg and very rare.

spent ages searching and this was on less than 20k when we bought it.

 

[citroennut]

hi jib,
my wife had two, an '01 140 and a '53 140 lwb both classics (unfortunately not in the old car way) seats not the best, plenty of leg room, i'm 6' and the seat went back farther than i could reach. lwb had tons of space and both could take large items the w210 couldn't with the same no. of people seated.
swb really chuckable on twisty roads bringing on warning lights! good view of the road as well.
cheers
simon

 

[psmart]

But surely the Austrians are zealous of their speed limits too?

I ask because we regularly drive through Austria from Italy to the Czech Rep. and was interested in hearing your view.

We only do it once a year, for the past 20 years, and only got stopped once (my mom, doing 130 mph, even got filmed!), but thats because we never go over 95mph... (apart from that once).

Going off topic a little (sorry jibcl500).... The Austrians are terrible with speed enforcement, its how there local police pay their wages!!! I got stopped doing 95 in a 80 zone last weekend and was issued a EUR20 fine!! They have designed, on-purpose, a signing system designed to confuse even the hardest of motoring nuts!
Question, what does 80 on a white background with a black bar going across it mean, a) on the left hand side of the road, b) on the right hand side of the road? What does the towns name with a black bar across it mean a) on the left hand side of the road, b) on the right hand side? Lots more of these to quote, but one means you must lower your speed to the next bracket, or increase it!!!!!!

Saving grace is the motorways, 130 (except for fresh air zones, where they have 100 limits)! 160 is the accepted max, where you wont get touched (gen erally)! Never had a problem on motorways, just do as the locals do!

All values quoted in km/h!!!!

 

[Blobcat]

All values quoted in km/h!!!!

Yes I've made the Km / Miles error a couple of times :Oops: :razz: :evil:

 

[psmart]

Yes I've made the Km / Miles error a couple of times :Oops: :razz: :evil:

Unfortunately... it doesnt work with the Austrian Police..... they see you as a nice friendly meal cheque

 

[Micman]

Hi

I used to have a 1999 A190 petrol Avantguard. It was great at the time - small and nippy to drive, yet like a tardis inside.

On a few occasions I removed the seats and it became an extremely practical little van and managed to shift a double bed headboard inside it on one occasion when moving!

I had all the AMG bits on mine - alloys and bodykit and it looked the business and was dirt cheap to insure and cheap to run with good mpg, they later bought out the more meaty A210 evo version.

However I did experience some issues, all of which I discovered where quite typical and common to other owners I talked too:

Rear suspension issues, failing spring mounts, wishbones etc.
(Listen for it creaking when you get in the car!)

The gearbox linkage rods can fail, not expensive to fix, but annoying as you find you lose some gears!

I've heard of steering rack issues - not something that I ever suffered with on mine.

Changing headlamp/sidelight bulbs is a major pain and you will rip you hand to shreds reaching inside the wheel arch through the access panels!!

Mine also developed a smell of petrol/fuel that would enter the cabin through the vents. This only ever happened when the car had been driven for a while and I would have to stop (such as at traffic lights etc). Something my mechanics/local garage could never really trace. I've since heard of other people having a similar 'fuel' smell.

Anyway, as much as I loved the car at the time I think I'd have to say I wouldn't buy another one. Mine was only 2 years old when I got it.

It was okay in it's day but there are loads of alternative small mini SUV's around today so I'd seriously look at what else is around.

If you do decide it has to be a Merc and go for the Aclass I would go for the A160 engine or bigger. Forget the A140 it's gutless!

Hope that helps a little and doesn't sound too negative - but you did ask for experiences of an Aclass owner. )

 

[jibcl500]

Micman

Thanks for your input, my wife is the one wanting the A class, personally I think it looks dated now and ive never seen it as an attractive car. Here in Cambs they all seem to be driven by pensioners!!!
I'd like the next purchase to be a Mercedes which would take it 4 MB in the family, but the A class is something I dislike.
Might have to consider a C class Diesel esate.

jib

 

[hawk20]

Micman

Thanks for your input, my wife is the one wanting the A class, personally I think it looks dated now and ive never seen it as an attractive car. Here in Cambs they all seem to be driven by pensioners!!!
I'd like the next purchase to be a Mercedes which would take it 4 MB in the family, but the A class is something I dislike.
Might have to consider a C class Diesel esate.

jib

It is a wide mix of people round here. And the new one was described by Clarkson as 'the funkiest looking thing ever to come out of Germany'.

 

[Micman]

Hi

Yep have to agree - don't think it's aged gracefully, it was always a love it or hate it kind of car.

Now a C-class I can thoroughly recommend, I traded my A-class in for my present C-class. There is no comparison, The C-class is in a diffent league from the A-class, feels better built and more like a true Mercedes should be.

I love it!

 

[Clive197]

All

Need some feedback from owners of the A Class. Looked at some ML's and thought they are too big for what we need.
Wife would like the A class year 2000, petrol or diesel I would prefer the 1.9 diesel. Any feedback would be helpful before I go insane.

thanks

jib

HI

Wife has A180 CDI now, which replaced the older model A160 she used to have.
I thought the first one wasn't that well built but as a small car was exceptionally practical, which prompted the purchase of the current model which is far better built and less plastickey. We call it the Tardis which gives a clue as to what a great little car it is.

Clive