Thinking of buying an A160

[Colin Tigwell]

We are thinking of buying a LWB A160, and would appreciate any deed back on performance etc.

The year model will be 2001/2.

We are on a limited budget, so we would like any information that you may care to share with us.

Many thanks

Col Tigwell Downunder

 

[jeff]

I bought a Danish import A160LWB and saved circa £3,500. The car was immediately available and my experience with it so far has been great. I did test drive the A140SWB and found it a little underpowered. The LWB is certainly worth the extra expense and with seat removal makes for a fairly versatile car.

 

[kamlesh]

Hi Colin, I just bought an A class 160 Avantgarde auto, T reg with 18,500 miles, sunroof, a/c, heated seats, e/w, met paint, e/mirrors for 10k. I went to 'Direct Mercedes' in Hemel Hempsted, they also have LWB versions too.

I think I saw a few LWB 160's going for 15-16k
I got the ad from whatcar magazine.

My A Class is good although I foung the steering to be a little heavy otherwise a good buy.

 

[Stewart Smith]

( Only my opinion - I may be wrong ! ) - We intended buying an A-class, but the quality of ride in 2 test cars made both me and my missus car-sick over long distances, (and neither of us ever get car-sick - I'm a land-rover fan and can cope with Series 1 suspension.).  The high driving position, along with the rock-hard "elk-test panic over-reaction" suspension makes some of them feel weird. Of course that's only my opinion, but I'm really chuffed I decided to go for an older C-class instead at the same money. If I was looking at new A-Class money I would invest it in an ex-demo/nearly new C-class I reckon.  ( Mind you - I told the garage I didn;t want one of their new A-classes as a courtesy car - they gave me a 1996 E class turbo deisel the other day as a courtesy car - wow, wich I'd bought one of them instead, just need the garage extending a bit! ). Maybe all of this is sorted out in the long version....

 

[LewisA]

Dear Colin,

I have just bought an A160 Avantgarde on a V plate, with 40k on the clock.This is the first Mercedes I have bought, and once you get used to the highish driving position I find it an excellent little car. I have owned VW's Audi's etc in the past, and I am by far the most impressed with the Merc. Avoid the A140, as I found it underpowered. If you can find an A170 CDi with low mileage it will cost you more, but they are very economical (saying that my A160 returns over 42mpg combined) . Like Kamlesh I bought a car from Mercedes Direct in Hemel Hempstead, and found that they appear to be about £2-3k cheaper than a Mercedes Dealer, but do be aware that a lot of the newer A Class's are from EasyCar.

 

[fuzzer]

I had an A160 auto . Great wee car , the suspension allong with the low profile tyres make the ride hard i grant you , but it can corner like its on rails. Allong country roads up and down the Tiptronic geaerbox is really superb.

I got rid of it because i wanted a flashier car. No other reason.

I would also recomend the A170 CDI as the 160 has a bad drinking habit.

 

[Anonymous]

Just reading the other replies , ill post this one too.

My a class did about 25-27 in the town and about 34 combined.

I did have my a/c on all the time ..

 

[Koolvin]

A190's 0wnz jo0

 

[Colin Tigwell]

Thank you all for your kind and helpfull inputs.

Nice to see the interest, from half way round the world.

Regards

Col Downunder