A Class - thoughts and advice re purchase

[Beetnik]

Out of the blue today someone asked if they might buy Mrs B's Audi. Since getting the SLK she's hankered after an automatic and I've always said I'd sell the (manual) Audi at some point and get her a car with an auto box.

Possibilities are a VW Golf where there seem to be a few about and I'm OK with the brand, having had a few in my time, or an A Class Mercedes of which I've no experience.

Which is the one to go for or is it one to go for at all?

City car and 5,000 miles a year max so 2nd hand.

 

[hawk20]

Most would say go for the new A class model from 2005 (the 169) as all reviews rate it streets ahead of the earlier model.

I had an A180cdi with the auto box, which we drove down to Spain and back on a 2 week holiday, and then used back here for general use. I was very impressed. It offers more room than the Golf (about the same as an E class in the front and rear believe it or not, though less in the boot). It is easy to get 45/50 or more on a run. And it is nippy enough for general use.

Wife had a Golf for a while. Nice car but the interior is not in the same league as the 169 A class, and the legroom was not enough for me. But if you don't need the legroom it is a good car.

My brother has an A160cdi manual and my eldest daughter has the A180cdi manual. All have been very reliable.

 

[hawk20]

Costs over 3 years (30k miles)
http://mbclub.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=52249

Forgot to say that the 'sports' suspension option is well worth avoiding as it gives a very harsh ride. The normal ride is plenty firm enough IMO (and most reviewers).

 

[oscarisapc]

A Class experience

I had one of the early A Class and two things stand out as excellent. Fisrtly, the car saved me from any injury when I was hit head on by an out of control car coming the other way. All the crumple zones crumpled and all the air bags went off as advertised. The impact was so severe that my glasses were forcibly removed from my nose whilst I was safely enveloped in the swirling white mist that was the airbag. So top marks to MB for designed safety. The other point is that with the seats out. I could carry my son and all his junk (should I say luggage?) including a bicycle back to university in one trip. I've had MBs ever since, and although my lifestyle no longer needs an A Class, I would have one again.

 

[portzy]

I have one, its my second. I got an October 2008 (new shape) 170 petrol this time round having found the 150 petrol to be just ever so slightly under gunned on occasion when three up plus bags etc.

There's plenty of room front and back but I can confirm, just like others, that the boot is not cavernous. It drives well even though I have the sports suspension, which came as a "pack", as did my previous one but this one does drive better in as much as cornering isnt quite as wollowy and I dont find it particularly harsh. Fit and finish is good, as is the interior materials, all in all I do like it.

Portzy.

 

[wemorgan]

Beetnik, what's your budget?

 

[blondebier]

We've got one. (W168 A160 cdi) - Cheap as chips to run. It's a great little car.

 

[kwakdonut]

Wifey has a 57 reg A180CDi with the CVT autobox. We had a minor niggle with the gearbox which was sorted under warranty and is, apparently, very unusual.

Overall, build quality is pretty good. No the boot isn't that big but you can drop the floor of it to improve this and with the back seats down it's a pretty reasonable load lugger!

Comfortably takes five - apparently (again) has as much leg room as an S Class. Certainly we have had no problems when fully loaded.

Expect 40mpg-ish around town - over 50mpg on a motorway run.

£10k should get you one around a 56reg and I would try and get it with extras like Parktronic, Air con and the comfort/light/storage packs. Don't think COMAND was too common on these but as it appears it will be used as a town car, I can't imagine that is too important. Get a dark colour too (dark blue/black) - look really nice in these colours

Overall, we like it a lot! Although I will be in the market for something bigger again soon, so wifey can have it back!

 

[Beetnik]

Beetnik, what's your budget?

I'm quite open on this one! It's very much a 2nd car that needs to take 5 people plus luggage on occassions as there are only the two of us at home now. Mrs B walks to work and we use the SLK as our daily driver. The newer it is the longer it will have to last but as it's only going to do 4/5k miles a year carrying shopping or a couple of friends and walking gear (or out on loan to one of our student offspring) I don't see the point in going for over-specced, over new or over powered (insurance for kids). So advice re getting the facelift model, avoid sports suspension are useful. But in truth, it will be sat on the drive most of the time.

 

[kwakdonut]

In that case - maybe a petrol model but definately a 169 (the later model).

Am sure a trawl of Auto Trader will turn up some nice ones.

 

[wemorgan]

W169 came out in 2005 and seem to start at £7-8k.

I've driven and been in the back of a W168 and have mixed feels about it. In standard wheel-base form the rear passengers had limited leg room. The floor was too high, which meant my kneels were in my face. I'm 6'2, so taller than average, but no giant. But the W168 is a very flexible (removable seats) and efficient car. From other threads I think there are concerns of the running costs of these cars, since engine bay access is limited and the automatic gearbox is said to have reliability issues.

If I was after a small/medium family automatic car I'd also consider:
VW Golf with DSG
Seat Altea DSG
Smart ForFour
Toyota Corolla
Ford Focus C-Max

 

[kwakdonut]

W169 came out in 2005 and seem to start at £7-8k.

I've driven and been in the back of a W168 and have mixed feels about it. In standard wheel-base form the rear passengers had limited leg room. The floor was too high, which meant my kneels were in my face. I'm 6'2, so taller than average, but no giant. But the W168 is a very flexible (removable seats) and efficient car. From other threads I think there are concerns of the running costs of these cars, since engine bay access is limited and the automatic gearbox is said to have reliability issues.

If I was after a small/medium family automatic car I'd also consider:
VW Golf with DSG
Seat Altea DSG
Smart ForFour
Toyota Corolla
Ford Focus C-Max

The W169 DOES NOT have auto gearbox problems (although the 168 has apparently!) - ours was very rare and the CVT box fitted is a well proven item. - think you will find these are fitted in certain Fords.....
As I said before, the legroom in the 169 is the same as an S Class - MB have fixed the back seats now but they do fold completely flat, as does the front passenger seat.

I agree with the other choices bar the Smart.....yuk......just don't liken them!

The DSG boxes have their fair share of problems from what I hear....

 

[Mudster]

I have one, its my second. I got an October 2008 (new shape) 170 petrol this time round having found the 150 petrol to be just ever so slightly under gunned on occasion when three up plus bags etc.

There's plenty of room front and back but I can confirm, just like others, that the boot is not cavernous. It drives well even though I have the sports suspension, which came as a "pack", as did my previous one but this one does drive better in as much as cornering isnt quite as wollowy and I dont find it particularly harsh. Fit and finish is good, as is the interior materials, all in all I do like it.

Portzy.

I agree with Portzy, Mrs M's car is a 150 Auto and it's absolutely perfect for an MS sufferer to potter around in but I find it slightly wheezy when driving around, it just needs that little bit more to feel like you're not flogging it death.

A170 would be my choice but as a city car you can't beat the A150 and the room in it is simply astonishing.

 

[NewMB]

My wife had an A180 Cdi (2007 model). A bit like a tractor engine wise (noisy diesel), but other than that, great.

Very good around town, reasonable running costs, low insurance, great versatility with the volume of cargo space available.

 

[kwakdonut]

Noisy? Not that we've noticed!

Had a few diesels now and the A is no worse than any other....

 

[NewMB]

Noisy? Not that we've noticed!

Had a few diesels now and the A is no worse than any other....

It really was noisy I think. Also the A class rental cars that I often have in Germany.

Compared to others...... compare it to wife's new S40 or say even B class 180 Cdi then you know.

 

[hawk20]

I'm quite open on this one! It's very much a 2nd car that needs to take 5 people plus luggage on occassions as there are only the two of us at home now. Mrs B walks to work and we use the SLK as our daily driver. The newer it is the longer it will have to last but as it's only going to do 4/5k miles a year carrying shopping or a couple of friends and walking gear (or out on loan to one of our student offspring) I don't see the point in going for over-specced, over new or over powered (insurance for kids). So advice re getting the facelift model, avoid sports suspension are useful. But in truth, it will be sat on the drive most of the time.

Just to be clear: it is not a facelift. The 169 series came out in 2005 and is a complete new model. There has been a minor facelift to this new model -last autumn.

 

[BenzedUP]

Mk5 VW Golf is a better option!

 

[hawk20]

Mk5 VW Golf is a better option!

Depends what you want. The A class is safest in class (NCAP), offers the higher driving position that many like, and has far more legroom front and rear.