A-Class 210///AMG

[Matt32AMG]

Ok Guys, I’ve been offered the aforementioned vehicle, finished in black with all the usual AMG accents one would associate with the car, AMG alloys, spoilers, leather/suede seats, CD etc, in short everything. The car has covered 80,000 miles and is a 2002on a 52plate. A Full MDSH up to 60,000 miles, at which point I'm guessing, the original owner at the time got frightened with the last bill, (£1400) and sold it whereupon it went to specialist care. (which I don't have a problem with).

The current owner has recently had the car completely re-sprayed by Mercedes Benz Salisbury, so it looks mint, and as I understand it the reason was that the car had drivers door damage through the current owners wife hitting her own home gate post. It was not in a collision or in a road accident with another car per say. Lastly, the car is currently having a brand new clutch fitted as I type this. (Engine out job). bare also in mind the car potentially, would be used as the general hack about/ shopping trolley, and I’m under no illusion of astonishing AMG performance as I know it compared with say my 32///AMG for example.

Now for the negatives, (aside from the total respray some may argue)

The current owner has mislaid/lost the service book, but as I have said, I was able to establish history up to 60,000 through my MB dealer, the rest is kind of unknown or I’m unable to verify. Now based on the last documented service record with MB, it had a large B service at 59,600 miles including brakes, so it’s probably due for an A service now at least.

What else can I tell you, its short wheel base, (I would prefer LWB, it not being black, and a later car, say 2005 onwards, but then think shopping trolly).

Now the 64K dollar question, the owner is asking £4k for it which is cheap I think and reflects issues I've highlighted. So with that in mind, what are the things to look out for with this particular car, or should I not even bother? I’m maybe thinking of getting MB Poole to look at it if it interests me enough and feed back is not entirely negative… Thoughts??
Many Thanks
Matt

 

[npuk]

You would be better off with the w169 a-class from 2005 onwards. I too spent quite a while looking at these before deciding to go for the new w169 due to all the problems and negative comments I read about the w168. BTW most A210 AMGs I came across were all LWB so a SWB is rare I think.

 

[kwakdonut]

I take it that this is the Mark1 A Class/W168? Not a great chassis, the W169 was way better. I don't know a lot about the A210 AMG but I think you will find that it is not a 'real' AMG per say. We have an A210 AMG owner on the forum and if I remember, he loves his! My memory has somewhat greyed and I cannot remember his bloomin name! Anyone else help here?

Instead of getting your MB stealer to look at it - have you thought about a local independent instead? Would probably cost peanuts and may well be a much better opinion.

 

[npuk]

We have an A210 AMG owner on the forum and if I remember, he loves his! My memory has somewhat greyed and I cannot remember his bloomin name! Anyone else help here?

A210AMG funnily enough. http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/members/a210amg.html

 

[wemorgan]

as I understand it the reason was that the car had drivers door damage through the current owners wife hitting her own home gate post.

So with that in mind, what are the things to look out for with this particular car, or should I not even bother?

The above could be correct and in which case I wouldn’t be too concerned. But it’s easy for the true extent of the damage to be covered up with a white lie. In particular I’d check for damage/repair to the B-pillar. As I understand it, if the B-pillar is damaged sections can be cut out and new ones welded in. The parts are then hand painted. With the complex shape of the B-pillar it’s very difficult to achieve a consistent paint thickness. A paint thickness gauge would be ideal for this. But otherwise run your fingers over the whole section, also look for thinning/thickening around the tight radii. Peel the door seals away and look for paint masking lines.

 

[kwakdonut]

A210AMG funnily enough. http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/members/a210amg.html

That's the puppy! I blame all this snow.....

 

[Vlad]

We owned one for three years and it was problem free and was a good car.....it was our third A Class in 9 years.

Advice....go for a long wheel base if you can as they ride much better.

The total respray would concern, me as a knock to a door would not require a complete re-spray....have you discussed it with Mercedes Salisbury to see if this is the truth behind the full re-spray?....I would also get a HPI done to check out the history on the car.

Other things to check....see if it starts first time and try it three times over as sometimes the starter motors play up on these and its a B*tch to replace. Also make sure that there are no SRS lights coming up in the dash as the airbag control unit can play up and they cost £450 to buy.

 

[Matt32AMG]

I take it that this is the Mark1 A Class/W168? Not a great chassis, the W169 was way better. I don't know a lot about the A210 AMG but I think you will find that it is not a 'real' AMG per say.

Yeah I read as much somewhere before, they even stopped calling it an 210 AMG, and now just a 210. In view of that I'm not expecting anything like the performance or handling like my SLK32AMG

We have an A210 AMG owner on the forum and if I remember, he loves his! My memory has somewhat greyed and I cannot remember his bloomin name! Anyone else help here?

Instead of getting your MB stealer to look at it - have you thought about a local independent instead? Would probably cost peanuts and may well be a much better opinion.

A valid point , if it gets that far I may well do that instead of going to MB

 

[Matt32AMG]

We owned one for three years and it was problem free and was a good car.....it was our third A Class in 9 years.

Advice....go for a long wheel base if you can as they ride much better.

Thats one of the reasons I'm in two minds

The total respray would concern, me as a knock to a door would not require a complete re-spray....have you discussed it with Mercedes Salisbury to see if this is the truth behind the full re-spray?....I would also get a HPI done to check out the history on the car.

I will be talking to them regarding the work they undertook for sure before any decision is made.

Other things to check....see if it starts first time and try it three times over as sometimes the starter motors play up on these and its a B*tch to replace. Also make sure that there are no SRS lights coming up in the dash as the airbag control unit can play up and they cost £450 to buy.

Many thanks Vlad, some useful points to look out for

 

[npuk]

Good site for info on the a-class: Albert Rowe, Lofty's homepage

 

[BlackC55]

is it an auto?

 

[thebook]

Arghh a pre 2005 A Class!! My wife has an 04 plate which has caused no end of grief, currently requires a new starter motor after the £2k I have previously spent fixing it and the £6.5k I spent buying it 12 months ago.

My opinion (FWIW) is to run for the hills... My wife would offer you a lift to the hills but the damn thing won't start!

 

[Matt32AMG]

is it an auto?

You know what, I haven't a clue As things stand I've yet to see it in the flesh or metal so to speak, as it's still having the clutch done.

It was only offered to me on Tuesday of this week, via my step daughters boyfriends boss who's friend it belongs to....(that was a mouthfull), and having had the telephone conversation with the vendor, it was one of those details I failed to pick up on . Again if it's a preference I'd rather an auto as that tends to protect the motor, but then being it's having a new clutch fitted as we speak, this tends to point to me its a manual.

So what's the verdict regarding transmission in your experience (Probably the same as mine I suspect)

 

[BlackC55]

If its having the clutch done it will be a manual.

 

[d w124]

This cars have the weak point with auto-trans

 

[Matt32AMG]

Arghh a pre 2005 A Class!! My wife has an 04 plate which has caused no end of grief, currently requires a new starter motor after the £2k I have previously spent fixing it and the £6.5k I spent buying it 12 months ago.

My opinion (FWIW) is to run for the hills... My wife would offer you a lift to the hills but the damn thing won't start!

That speaks volumes

Though as stated, I'd pefer a 2005 + model, LWB if I'm going to have one. It's just the spec and price that says to me, it's worth squint at least, particularly as the cars owner lives less than a mile away from me, so it's not like I've to go far to look and have a test drive if required. And as the saying goes "you don't dump on your own doorstep" if that makes sense. Well you wouldn't if you're smart that is!

 

[Matt32AMG]

This cars have the weak point with auto-trans

Interesting...Hmmmn

 

[thebook]

Interesting...Hmmmn

I should point out, the wifes collection of metal plastic and rubber (now refuse to call it a car) is a 160 Auto.

The real shame is when it does work it is perfect for her, massive rear interior (LWB) and nice ride height...

 

[npuk]

The auto boxes were a problem on the w168. BTW on the w169 from 2005 there is no LWB and SHB, they are all the same.

 

[J400uk]

Well essentially the 3dr W169 replaced the SWB W168 and the 5dr W169 replaced the LWB W169.

Anyway I think it would be more sensible and cheaper in the long run to go for a post-2005 MK2. The w169 A200 Turbo is a bit of a pocket rocket with nearly 200bhp, can't remember how much power the A210 has but it wouldnt be as quick.