A Class Mercedes?
Discussion
Hi there.
We are thinking about buying an A Class for Mrs CPAS (and selling the Disco 300TDi) but are completely new to th MB world. It is a 2000 W plate Avantgarde A140, which goes away from our normal ethos of 2 litres plus! It is only going to be used for the school run and pottering around town so the small engine appeals on the grounds of tax and insurance. Are there any problems we should look at on an A class of this age? The steering did feel a bit vague on the open road but I don't know if the tyre pressure was right or if this is a trate of the A class? Otherwise all seeme OK. Any help would be particularly welcome. Also what price should be about right with 60k miles? Also, when does the timing belt need changing (or is it a chain?)
Thank you all.
We are thinking about buying an A Class for Mrs CPAS (and selling the Disco 300TDi) but are completely new to th MB world. It is a 2000 W plate Avantgarde A140, which goes away from our normal ethos of 2 litres plus! It is only going to be used for the school run and pottering around town so the small engine appeals on the grounds of tax and insurance. Are there any problems we should look at on an A class of this age? The steering did feel a bit vague on the open road but I don't know if the tyre pressure was right or if this is a trate of the A class? Otherwise all seeme OK. Any help would be particularly welcome. Also what price should be about right with 60k miles? Also, when does the timing belt need changing (or is it a chain?)
Thank you all.
Edited by cpas on Saturday 1st December 21:46
We had an early A class, A190 A/Garde W reg, briefly, before it went back to Mercedes, to be replaced by another, an A140 52 plate. Which we sold, quickly. A Toyota followed, and hung around for quite a while.
Faults in maybe three months-
1. Steering seized leaving the dealer - bearings gone in column.
2. Roof (louvred sunroof) leaked onto my forehead on cornering- solution - replace £1500 sunroof (common fault).
3. Went into lethal limp-home mode a few times, never traced. Third time was the last straw - car went back along with lots of shouting. Another owner I know had the same thing, car defaulting to milkfloat power. His was traced to the rear lights being 'corroded' causing the ECU to panic.
4. Rear suspension very creaky - didn't have the car long enough to sort that out.
The service dept struggle - no fault of their own, just they are snowed under, and the cars are so electrically complex faultfinding seems difficult.
eg "if it does it again, call us, don't restart it or try to move it, we'll pick it up and do a diagnostic on it"
Mmm, fast lane of the M62 it is then.
I spent ages in queues at the service desk. Big queues. Angry queues. Queues of people on first name terms with the staff. We went from that to going into a Toyota dealer, and finding there's a fine layer of dust on the deserted service counter, tumbleweed drifting gently across from the parts dept...
If you must
buy an A class, get a cast-iron warranty, buy the newest example you can within your budget, and find a good MB specialist who can cope with it.
Note I have an 18 year old SL, and we have a Smart car (our second), all have been faultless, so I'm not knocking Mercedes in general, just the early A class. Hopeless.
Faults in maybe three months-
1. Steering seized leaving the dealer - bearings gone in column.
2. Roof (louvred sunroof) leaked onto my forehead on cornering- solution - replace £1500 sunroof (common fault).
3. Went into lethal limp-home mode a few times, never traced. Third time was the last straw - car went back along with lots of shouting. Another owner I know had the same thing, car defaulting to milkfloat power. His was traced to the rear lights being 'corroded' causing the ECU to panic.
4. Rear suspension very creaky - didn't have the car long enough to sort that out.
The service dept struggle - no fault of their own, just they are snowed under, and the cars are so electrically complex faultfinding seems difficult.
eg "if it does it again, call us, don't restart it or try to move it, we'll pick it up and do a diagnostic on it"
Mmm, fast lane of the M62 it is then.
I spent ages in queues at the service desk. Big queues. Angry queues. Queues of people on first name terms with the staff. We went from that to going into a Toyota dealer, and finding there's a fine layer of dust on the deserted service counter, tumbleweed drifting gently across from the parts dept...
If you must
buy an A class, get a cast-iron warranty, buy the newest example you can within your budget, and find a good MB specialist who can cope with it.Note I have an 18 year old SL, and we have a Smart car (our second), all have been faultless, so I'm not knocking Mercedes in general, just the early A class. Hopeless.
Steering columns are a problem, the joint half way up is prone to giving up. Rear suspension arms weren't up to the job and need replacing at £110ish a side, all problem cars should have been done by now. Starter motors are getting more common place, and if you do it properly it's engine out. If you don't mind skinning your knuckles you can just drop the back and squeeze in. Keys are the thick end of £150 and take 5 days to come, so insist on two.
The biggie is the air mass sensor, it's part of the engine control unit. Over £500 and a weeks wait and a few hours labour to code. They do go more than they should to be honest.
The W168 A Class was never a great car, the new (W169) shape seems to be a lot more sorted.
I'd be tempted to look else where TBH
The biggie is the air mass sensor, it's part of the engine control unit. Over £500 and a weeks wait and a few hours labour to code. They do go more than they should to be honest.
The W168 A Class was never a great car, the new (W169) shape seems to be a lot more sorted.
I'd be tempted to look else where TBH
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