A45S over M340i?

[X27]

Hi all,

I’m currently looking at purchasing my next daily driver. I’ve come from an RS3 and an F10 M5 so figured the next lateral step would be a Mercedes. I’ve checked out an E53 Saloon however for some reason the GFMV or Baloon on PCP agreements for this car are shocking, and most deals are bad because of this.

I’m looking at an A45S, without the aero kit as I can’t bring myself to get a spoiler on top. It’s a toss up at the moment between that and an M340i. They’re both similar in price, albeit the M340i on the used market is about 8-9k cheaper.

I haven’t test driven either, and I know one is a saloon and one is a hatchback, and I also know this a Mercedes forum however I’d like to get honest opinions from owners of the A45S on what they think of it as a daily compared to the M340i.

A good mix of speed and comfort is a priority, and the GFMV is by far the best on the A45S strangely, which again I can’t figure out how finance companies workout.

 

[nas2021]

The AMG cars have really bad GFV from when I was looking. A45s is smaller than a M340i so it would depend if you want a hatchback vs Saloon. I have never driven the BMW but the A45s is a really nice car to drive but your MPG won't be the best.

Have you looked at the E43 or C43 as an alternative? The E43 isn't a true AMG but its more practical and cheaper to maintain and you shouldn't take a huge hit on the GFV.

If the GFV is an issue a personal loan may be better and rates will be lower than pcp and you can sell it whenever without worrying about GFV or mileage restrictions.

Sorry i'm not an owner of an A45s but hope that helps to look at other options if the GFV is a deciding factor in your decision.

 

[clk320x]

the A45s is a really nice car to drive but your MPG won't be the best

Surely no one buys an AMG for fuel consumption though

 

[nas2021]

They don't but some people don't realise the cost of maintaining it though. Nothing beats the sound of an AMG

 

[SmartAmg]

The E43 isn't a true AMG

Why isn't the E43 a true
AMG ?

 

[X27]

The AMG cars have really bad GFV from when I was looking. A45s is smaller than a M340i so it would depend if you want a hatchback vs Saloon. I have never driven the BMW but the A45s is a really nice car to drive but your MPG won't be the best.

Have you looked at the E43 or C43 as an alternative? The E43 isn't a true AMG but its more practical and cheaper to maintain and you shouldn't take a huge hit on the GFV.

If the GFV is an issue a personal loan may be better and rates will be lower than pcp and you can sell it whenever without worrying about GFV or mileage restrictions.

Sorry i'm not an owner of an A45s but hope that helps to look at other options if the GFV is a deciding factor in your decision.

Cheers for the reply,

For some reason it’s just AMG cars. Particularly the E53 though, no one can explain to me why the GFV is so bad on that. I have looked at the E43 but there’s not a lot on the market at the moment. Not sure if that’s because people are holding onto them or a lot werent sold?

The GFV is only important because it directly effects the monthly payments on a PCP deal. For example, the E53 i looked at was 5k cheaper than the A45S, same deposit, same APR and agreement parameters but the monthly payment worked out a whole £100 more!

The M340i is similar in price and finance figures to the A45S but they’re obviously different cars. I have owned both type of cars so I know what they’re like to live with but just don’t know much about those particular cars.

 

[nas2021]

Why isn't the E43 a true
AMG ?

It's a lovely car don't get me wrong and I wouldn't say no to owning one and even considered it before buying my current e400d.

Just my personal view of that a true AMG should be loud and stand out with the flared wheel arches and bulky bodykit etc (this could just be the kid in me).

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

There's a lot of Apple vs Banana going on here.

As you acknowledge this is comparing a saloon to a hatchback. Like comparing a BMW M2 to a Mercedes C53

The fundamental question is what are your requirements from a daily driver? If you're trying to put family or "stuff" in it, the answer's obvious. But if it's for Dinkies, or purely for Dad, the answer's different.

 

[MikeInWimbledon]

.

 

[nas2021]

Cheers for the reply,

For some reason it’s just AMG cars. Particularly the E53 though, no one can explain to me why the GFV is so bad on that. I have looked at the E43 but there’s not a lot on the market at the moment. Not sure if that’s because people are holding onto them or a lot werent sold?

The GFV is only important because it directly effects the monthly payments on a PCP deal. For example, the E53 i looked at was 5k cheaper than the A45S, same deposit, same APR and agreement parameters but the monthly payment worked out a whole £100 more!

The M340i is similar in price and finance figures to the A45S but they’re obviously different cars. I have owned both type of cars so I know what they’re like to live with but just don’t know much about those particular cars.

Take both for a test drive and get a feel for them. Ultimately the monthly payment seems important and used car prices are quite high at the moment which is a factor.

What finance companies did you get a quote from if you don't mind me asking as I found some companies like MB give a lower GFV in comparison to say Alphera Financial who seem to give a higher GFV.

Magnitude Finance (not advertising them but have used them in the past) have an online calculator where you can put in the reg and it gives you a breakdown of the payment and GFV.

 

[X27]

Mike: You’re right. Both do tick the “daily driver” criteria for me, somewhat comfortable? 5 doors, seats for kids, great speed, albeit the BMW is of course, a lot bigger. They both achieve roughly the same MPG, maybe the AMG a bit less, not a deal breaker, tax is the same regardless with additional charges on vehicles over 40k and insurance is around the same, regardless of the engine size difference strangely. It very much just comes down to personal preference, but it’s good to get owners opinions on the car who do the same /similar to what I intend to do with it.

Nas: The used car market is insane at the moment, and quite simply the only reason I’m looking at a new car. The PX on my current car is what I bought it for 2 years and 15k miles later which is just bonkers. I use the Magnitude calculator a lot but have had quotes from Charles & Dean and Hitachi finance respectively. Charles & Dean gave me the best quote at 6.2% APR.

One thing I did notice is the baloon after a 4 year PCP deal on the A45 came to 23k on a 46k A45S, but the M340i’s baloon came to just £15k with the purchase price actually being less at 41k.
In turn that meant the monthly payments were higher on the M340i, albeit marginal by about £20-30.

I do love a fast hatch, coming from a new RS3 from factory 3 years ago but a part of me thought I was paying a lot of money monthly to have it sat there and..let’s be honest..not really use it’s full potential often without risking the licence being cut in half. Will the A45S be the same…or does it compromise with better comfort and a more premium feeling to the RS3? That’s my question which I expect an owner could likely provide insight on.

 

[SmartAmg]

A45s no brainer.
P.S. with Aero kit.

 

[sgregory124]

I do love a fast hatch, coming from a new RS3 from factory 3 years ago but a part of me thought I was paying a lot of money monthly to have it sat there and..let’s be honest..not really use it’s full potential often without risking the licence being cut in half. Will the A45S be the same…or does it compromise with better comfort and a more premium feeling to the RS3? That’s my question which I expect an owner could likely provide insight on.

I'm led to believe the A45S is absolutely silly fast on-road, so kind of hard to believe it will be anything 'less' than the RS3 in that respect - and still stupidly easy to lose your license in at the drop of a hat?

 

[dbm]

Will the A45S be the same…or does it compromise with better comfort and a more premium feeling to the RS3?

My previous car was a 16-plate RS3 Sportback, and I now have a CLA45S. The CLA thrashes the RS3 in every respect apart from the engine note. Faster, more agile, more comfortable on UK roads, more special interior and more fuel efficient!

 

[Fastcar155]

Hi , if on the description on the V5 the wording says AMG it's an AMG.

( Mistakes to happen )

 

[X27]

sgregory: I do believe that. I’m sure the A45S is much more of an animal than the RS3, but I’d be interested to see if it fuses comfort and practicality better than the RS3.

dbm: That’s good to know! The sort of thing I was after, a direct comparison. Interesting to see the CLA is more comfortable than the RS3 and more fuel efficient? I guess the CLA is basically the same as the A45S with a different shaped body. I don’t see a lot of A45S’s on the UK roads…I wander why that is? Perhaps it’s still too expensive for everyone or waiting for PCP deals to end in 3-4 years time? In comparison i see a lot of A35’s about!!

 

[dbm]

I guess the CLA is basically the same as the A45S with a different shaped body. I don’t see a lot of A45S’s on the UK roads…I wander why that is?

The A45S and CLA45S are indeed pretty much the same apart from the body shape. Side by side reviews of the cars point out tiny differences down to track, wheel size and boot versus hatch shells.

There are definitely few A45S on the roads, and even fewer CLA45S - they’re both super rare cars.

Both are amazing cars in the breadth of their ability.

 

[Vilus]

My thought is that both are awesome cars. However the A45s is a super hot hatch, and the M340i is an executive saloon. I will shortly be swapping my BMW 2019 G20 330i for a G20 M340i when it turns 3 years old. I should have waited six months for the M340i to arrive back in 2019. I looked at Mercedes and just didn't like the C class or E class. The A class or CLA even in AMG form for were never even on my radar.

The G20 is the best all round car I have driven. The latest 2021 models will have the MHT (Mild Hybrid Technology) which has received mixed reviews (mainly from the inability to switch off the stop/start unless you switch to sport mode, and the softer exhaust note).
Most pre-registered M340i's are only equipped with the Technology Pack as the standard car is quite highly specified. BMW have started charging extra for enabling functions already fitted to the vehicle such as high beam assist. Items such as electric seats are available only by buying the relevant pack such as 'Executive Pack', which includes Glass Sunroof and Electric Seats, but not the boot. For Electric boot you need the 'Comfort Pack' which also includes key less entry. Check the spec of the car you are buying. Specifying Optional Extra Packs add several thousands to the list price and affect the payments with little extra added to GFV.

I do not use finance to buy my cars so GFV etc do not affect my decisions. In my case BMW make the car I prefer in my budget. If were 20 years younger my perspective would probably be different. The BMW can be more docile as a daily driver in comfort or adaptive drive mode. Press sport plus and the whole nature of the car changes which I like. I imagine the A45s is a very different car to drive on a daily basis.