A35/ A250 alternatives - Page 1 - Car Buying

Black_S3

Original Poster

2,797 posts

214 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

What would you guys reccomend for a alternatives similar to either a Merc A250/A35.... Maybe leaning more towards the A250 as it'll be the OH's car and the A35 is possibly a bit excessive although for the difference in the price between them and the reason I'm chipping in the A35 makes more sense to me. Essentially shes looking at an A180 for between 10-13k and I'm happy to top it up to 20k if it gives the option of her car becoming a useable option for longer journeys when we're not needing to take mine.

What else is out there thats a similar size 5 door hatch - 200-300ishbhp, petrol, AWD prefered..... Budget range is wide between 10k and 20k and happy to go 2018 and up to 60k miles.

Lozw86

903 posts

158 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

BMW M135i or M140i
Audi S3
Golf GTI or R

Black_S3

Original Poster

2,797 posts

214 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

Lozw86 said:

BMW M135i or M140i
Audi S3
Golf GTI or R

Cheers

BMW M135s and M140s seem a bit more over 20k from looking unless im missing something?

S3s are out for a few reasons - sore topic that theres a 25 year old 8L one parked up here that she wants me to get rid of and thats not happening lol

Any other options out there that are like non 'M' 'S' 'GTI' etc but like the model down? I'm so out of touch with it these days but it seems to be like 100bhp options then straight to 300bhp with very little in between.

Edited by Black_S3 on Sunday 24th May 19:39

Jamescrs

6,126 posts

91 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

Not AWD but you could look at Mini Cooper S JCW.

silentbrown

10,690 posts

142 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

Hyundai i30N?

Black_S3

Original Poster

2,797 posts

214 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

Jamescrs said:

Not AWD but you could look at Mini Cooper S JCW.

thanks - shes already said no to these...

silentbrown said:

Hyundai i30N?

thanks - will take a look.... its stuff like this i never knew existed...

Mr Tidy

30,398 posts

153 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

Good luck whatever you go for.

I'm probably showing my age when my first thought of an alternative to an A35 would be a Morris Minor. getmecoat

Black_S3

Original Poster

2,797 posts

214 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

Mr Tidy said:

Good luck whatever you go for.

I'm probably showing my age when my first thought of an alternative to an A35 would be a Morris Minor. getmecoat

As am I showing my age by having to google what you meant there! Sorry to spoil the excitment but its nothing as intresting as the cars you were thinking of....

biggbn

31,330 posts

246 months

[report]

[news]

Sunday 24th May

The All4 300hp Minis, always get confused by their name, Clubman, Countryman?

Belle427

11,610 posts

259 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

Im a bit confused so you already have an A35 ?

scenario8

7,764 posts

205 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

I think what they mean by “I’m chipping in the A35” is “I’m adding the Mercedes A35 model as a suggestion for potential purchase as well as the A250 despite knowing it is a much more powerful model” rather than “I intend to sell the A35 we currently own as part of the overall scheme”.

It confused me at first reading, too.

Chipping in - adding as a suggestion YES
Chipping in - selling up NO

TimmyMallett

3,168 posts

138 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

biggbn said:

The All4 300hp Minis, always get confused by their name, Clubman, Countryman?

I think that's the jcw clubman. A bit hens teeth when I looked but when you realise mini made a pretty pokey (302bhp) 4wd with a decent boot i was a bit clap

https://www.pistonheads.com/buy/listing/20447943?s...

U less you're really set on an a class, please go try it. My wife had one and it was thr most horrible plastic hard interior and felt like it was in something a lot 'cheaper'. And then when we took it for its first service, Mercedes wanted 500 quid for what was, ostensibly, an oil and filter change.

BAD Mercedes. Naughty.

Edited by TimmyMallett on Monday 25th May 08:51

ZX10R NIN

30,297 posts

151 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

Black_S3 said:

What would you guys reccomend for a alternatives similar to either a Merc A250/A35.... Maybe leaning more towards the A250 as it'll be the OH's car and the A35 is possibly a bit excessive although for the difference in the price between them and the reason I'm chipping in the A35 makes more sense to me. Essentially shes looking at an A180 for between 10-13k and I'm happy to top it up to 20k if it gives the option of her car becoming a useable option for longer journeys when we're not needing to take mine.

What else is out there thats a similar size 5 door hatch - 200-300ishbhp, petrol, AWD prefered..... Budget range is wide between 10k and 20k and happy to go 2018 and up to 60k miles.

paul_c123

2,160 posts

19 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

Sure, go look at the others. But personally I'd be buying a nice Mercedes A35 in your situation.

Glosphil

4,828 posts

260 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

Leon Cupra. Or is it now Cupra Leon?

biggbn

31,330 posts

246 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

ZX10R NIN said:

Black_S3 said:

What would you guys reccomend for a alternatives similar to either a Merc A250/A35.... Maybe leaning more towards the A250 as it'll be the OH's car and the A35 is possibly a bit excessive although for the difference in the price between them and the reason I'm chipping in the A35 makes more sense to me. Essentially shes looking at an A180 for between 10-13k and I'm happy to top it up to 20k if it gives the option of her car becoming a useable option for longer journeys when we're not needing to take mine.

What else is out there thats a similar size 5 door hatch - 200-300ishbhp, petrol, AWD prefered..... Budget range is wide between 10k and 20k and happy to go 2018 and up to 60k miles.

Those Infiniti look great value. I really like the coupe you get with the same engine or a big V6. Lovely looking cars

maz8062

3,834 posts

241 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

The trick with these cars is not to bother with the cooking models; choose the "sporting" line instead. So AMG line for Mercedes, M for BMW, etc. In the real world, an A35 will be fast, but so will an A180, A200, once you put them in sport mode.

I've driven a few of these hatches - I'm not a fan of the One series, the A series Mercs - the Audis are better put together, and the Golfs are like a pair of old slippers. My favourite, however, is the Mini.

If your Mrs wants an A200, let her, it won't make much difference compared to an A35 other than to one's ego.

Belle427

11,610 posts

259 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

Our A200 pops along nicely and in sport mode does impress me a lot for its modest power output. The mild hybrid bit must help a lot.

Black_S3

Original Poster

2,797 posts

214 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks very much for this ( and thanks to all the other posts). I think the Q30 looks like the ideal solution, it also fits the 'shape' of type of car she likes... Will show her them and see what she thinks - am really hopefull that she likes them, shes not set on an A series but has said no to Minis, Audis (which ive interpreted as anything VAG) and a few others... The breif is as simple as 'small, 5 doors, doesnt like long bonnets or any boxy shaped cars - colour prefered is green - not spending more than 13k' (maybe what confused a couple of people is that we're both largely financially idependant of eachother despite having been together years - chipping in meant me throwing an additional 7kish into her budget to get her something that ticks boxes that she doesnt care about).

I hadnt explained that we live in a town that gets hit by incredibly heavy snow even by rural Scottish standards hence the push from me wanting her in something with AWD which in turn leads to the top spec models - rather than my ego as someone alluded to! 300bhp is unneccessary for her (and probably a worry in itself) but the current prices/residuals was leading towards the A35 making more sense than the A250 - hence the reason for the post. The diesel models like the A200 are out as her short journeys and her low mileage would destroy them and the A180 doesnt come in AWD. She also doesnt feel comfortable driving anything bigger than similar sized cars so having something that we could share the driving on longer drives would definitley suit both of us better.

Here's hoping she likes the Q30s!

biggbn

31,330 posts

246 months

[report]

[news]

Monday 25th May

Black_S3 said:

ZX10R NIN said:

Thanks very much for this ( and thanks to all the other posts). I think the Q30 looks like the ideal solution, it also fits the 'shape' of type of car she likes... Will show her them and see what she thinks - am really hopefull that she likes them, shes not set on an A series but has said no to Minis, Audis (which ive interpreted as anything VAG) and a few others... The breif is as simple as 'small, 5 doors, doesnt like long bonnets or any boxy shaped cars - colour prefered is green - not spending more than 13k' (maybe what confused a couple of people is that we're both largely financially idependant of eachother despite having been together years - chipping in meant me throwing an additional 7kish into her budget to get her something that ticks boxes that she doesnt care about).

I hadnt explained that we live in a town that gets hit by incredibly heavy snow even by rural Scottish standards hence the push from me wanting her in something with AWD which in turn leads to the top spec models - rather than my ego as someone alluded to! 300bhp is unneccessary for her (and probably a worry in itself) but the current prices/residuals was leading towards the A35 making more sense than the A250 - hence the reason for the post. The diesel models like the A200 are out as her short journeys and her low mileage would destroy them and the A180 doesnt come in AWD. She also doesnt feel comfortable driving anything bigger than similar sized cars so having something that we could share the driving on longer drives would definitley suit both of us better.

Here's hoping she likes the Q30s!

Also the QX30 Infiniti which is a raised 'suv' looking version of the Q30...