older A-class advice...

[englishdas]

Thinking of getting a little 'school run' motor, as the 280 is ok for the big miles, (had a lovely 520mi round trip to canterbury yesterday, never missed a beat) but it sucks for the 6mile dash 4 times a day.

What should I look out for? And should I risk losing a seat and instead go for the quadruple c@ck-ring audi a1. Please say no, the missus likes audis but they make me feel ill.

By the way, I'm looking at £1000 motors, max, so probably 1.4, 1.6, maybe 1998 year ish.

 

[Howard]

Buy a manual , under no circumstances buy an auto unless you like problems and heartache.

 

[Scott_F]

The Audi A1 wasn't launched until 2010 and will therefore be way beyond your £1k budget.

 

[trapperjohn]

Have a look at one of these.

2001 Ford Focus 2.0i 16v Ghia estate lovely car | eBay

Or an early C180.

As Howard says for the A Class if you really must.

 

[englishdas]

Buy a manual , under no circumstances buy an auto unless you like problems and heartache.

The only ones I've looked at so far are manuals, so thumbs up.

Trapperjohn, are you saying that for the money, the A class isn't worth going for? I have seen the odd turbodiesel, in price range, but I wonder if the added turbo creates more issues than the simple little n/a engine.

 

[Howard]

Simple is good when it comes to old a classes

Look for fat piles of service history , things that have been done , because there are a lot of things that if they go wrong can be expensive on the 1st gen a class

Look at loftys site to get a feel for the car

Albert Rowe, Lofty's homepage

 

[trapperjohn]

I have driven a few and just dont like them. Bumpy crashy ride and not that comfy seatwise either. You will know about starter motors being hidden away and its almost an engine out job to swop one.

There are a couple on ebay in Yorkshire but for me I would get a 202 over an A Class any day.

1998 Mercedes-Benz A Class A140 CLASSIC 5DR LONG T&T P/X WELCOME 1.4 | eBay

1998 MERCEDES C250 CLASSIC TD AUTO SILVER | eBay

 

[trapperjohn]

I have driven a few and just dont like them. Bumpy crashy ride and not that comfy seatwise either. You will know about starter motors being hidden away and its almost an engine out job to swop one.

There are a couple on ebay in Yorkshire but for me I would get a 202 over an A Class any day.

1998 Mercedes-Benz A Class A140 CLASSIC 5DR LONG T&T P/X WELCOME 1.4 | eBay

1998 MERCEDES C250 CLASSIC TD AUTO SILVER | eBay

 

[wemorgan]

What should I look out for? And should I risk losing a seat and instead go for the quadruple c@ck-ring audi a1. Please say no, the missus likes audis but they make me feel ill.

If you're after a first generation A-class that its Audi competitor is the A2, I think the A1 will be too new and expensive. A working non Cat C/D A2 can't be had for £1k from what I've seen.

 

[englishdas]

I have driven a few and just dont like them. Bumpy crashy ride and not that comfy seatwise either. You will know about starter motors being hidden away and its almost an engine out job to swop one.

There are a couple on ebay in Yorkshire but for me I would get a 202 over an A Class any day.

1998 Mercedes-Benz A Class A140 CLASSIC 5DR LONG T&T P/X WELCOME 1.4 | eBay

1998 MERCEDES C250 CLASSIC TD AUTO SILVER | eBay

That c class looks nice.

 

[rhud]

I am an A Class supporter (am on my 2nd W169 - the post-2004 version) but even I would caution against the earlier version. True - some people have had years of relatively trouble-free service out of them,but there seem to be more with regular and expensive trouble. The W168 does hail from the heart of MB's 'dark period' when cost-cutting ruled. Reluctantly, Honda Jazz might be a better bet.

 

[wemorgan]

£1500 Audi A2

Audi A2 Owners' Club