Mercedes A35 or A45 AMG
Discussion
Hi everyone, this is a tricky question. I am interested in one of the above to use as an everyday car with a bit of character, well made and interesting to look at too.
I have a sports car and I started by testing a A200 as a run about and all great until you put your foot down to overtake and nothing happens.
So I spent a lot of time researching the two cars above and although the A45 was praised it was almost always driven on a track. Those days for me are few and far between now but I do enjoy driving. My past cars, Saab 900 Turbo last of the old ones (individiual and well build, Audi S3 ( comfortable but a bit boring, the VW Golf would have been better but the mark 5 was a bit ugly), Mini Cooper S ( a go kart and fun at low speeds too) Mercedes 320 (not built like the old ones), Volvo C70 ( now my friends decided I was getting old, Subaru Impreza WRX Prodrive (amazing to drive, unbelievable road holding, fantastic gearbox, very reliable but expensive to run and although the chasis was like a piece on granite, it’s bodywork and interior were a bit flimsy). I now have an Aston Martin Vantage ( which is beautiful and timeless, with British niggles). no doubt a Porche 911 is a better car but the Aston timeless presence and a beautiful sound.
I have my dads 28 year old Mercedes C180 as my runabout (when they were well built but it is very underpowered). My dad looked after it like a baby and I simply would find it impossible to part with. however, I would like a fun everyday car, life is short and I have had several close calls
So back to the question of A35 or A45. Does anyone have experience of them. I’d be very interested in opinions from owners or those that have driven them. There is a significant price difference.
Thank you for listening to my rant if you have got this far.
I have a sports car and I started by testing a A200 as a run about and all great until you put your foot down to overtake and nothing happens.
So I spent a lot of time researching the two cars above and although the A45 was praised it was almost always driven on a track. Those days for me are few and far between now but I do enjoy driving. My past cars, Saab 900 Turbo last of the old ones (individiual and well build, Audi S3 ( comfortable but a bit boring, the VW Golf would have been better but the mark 5 was a bit ugly), Mini Cooper S ( a go kart and fun at low speeds too) Mercedes 320 (not built like the old ones), Volvo C70 ( now my friends decided I was getting old, Subaru Impreza WRX Prodrive (amazing to drive, unbelievable road holding, fantastic gearbox, very reliable but expensive to run and although the chasis was like a piece on granite, it’s bodywork and interior were a bit flimsy). I now have an Aston Martin Vantage ( which is beautiful and timeless, with British niggles). no doubt a Porche 911 is a better car but the Aston timeless presence and a beautiful sound.
I have my dads 28 year old Mercedes C180 as my runabout (when they were well built but it is very underpowered). My dad looked after it like a baby and I simply would find it impossible to part with. however, I would like a fun everyday car, life is short and I have had several close calls
So back to the question of A35 or A45. Does anyone have experience of them. I’d be very interested in opinions from owners or those that have driven them. There is a significant price difference.
Thank you for listening to my rant if you have got this far.
Hello, having driven quite a few of each they are surprisingly different. Overall an A35 is somewhere between a Golf GTi and R, whereas the A45 is somewhere above a Golf R in most ways.
A35 - more comfortable for daily use but still great fun to drive. Snappy gearshifts, pops on overrun, seemingly never ending grip. Plenty fast enough for road driving but I'd expect it may feel a little under powered on track. I've even seen people get 30-35mpg from them and servicing is a little cheaper than the 45. A friend has one and he commutes 20 miles each way on A roads and absolutely loves it. More days than not he chooses the scenic route home.
A45 - First off, I take it you mean the current shape A45 and not the previous generation... The 45 is a fair bit more hardcore than 35, It's the most hardcore hot hatch before the track focused ones like the Megane trophy R. The way the 4 wheel drive system pulls you around a corner is like nothing I've ever felt before! SERIOUSLY fast, both on track and on the road. However, it is still an A class, it can still be enjoyed on the road, it is still daily-able, just a little bumpier on rough roads. The AMG Performance seats are firm for longer journeys but amazingly supportive, they heat up really quick as well.
Both sound similar, the 45 being slightly more vocal. Face lift cars are now synthesised sound tho...
Finally, there has been some fantastic PCP deals on new ones recently, worth taking a look! Have you thought about what spec you would be looking for?
Happy to answer any other questions!
A35 - more comfortable for daily use but still great fun to drive. Snappy gearshifts, pops on overrun, seemingly never ending grip. Plenty fast enough for road driving but I'd expect it may feel a little under powered on track. I've even seen people get 30-35mpg from them and servicing is a little cheaper than the 45. A friend has one and he commutes 20 miles each way on A roads and absolutely loves it. More days than not he chooses the scenic route home.
A45 - First off, I take it you mean the current shape A45 and not the previous generation... The 45 is a fair bit more hardcore than 35, It's the most hardcore hot hatch before the track focused ones like the Megane trophy R. The way the 4 wheel drive system pulls you around a corner is like nothing I've ever felt before! SERIOUSLY fast, both on track and on the road. However, it is still an A class, it can still be enjoyed on the road, it is still daily-able, just a little bumpier on rough roads. The AMG Performance seats are firm for longer journeys but amazingly supportive, they heat up really quick as well.
Both sound similar, the 45 being slightly more vocal. Face lift cars are now synthesised sound tho...
Finally, there has been some fantastic PCP deals on new ones recently, worth taking a look! Have you thought about what spec you would be looking for?
Happy to answer any other questions!
The above response pretty much nails it from point of view and experience as well.
I'd say if you have the means to do so the A45s is the better option, its more special and will hold its value better in the long term. Reliability wise my experience is the A45s is very robust, whereas you will find some people that have had big repairs for cylinder heads and engines in the A35's.
Both are great cars either way, the latest facelift cars have upgraded telematics systems but more ADAS equipment, the telematics in the prefaces are still good from my point of view so not a deal breaker for me but worth considering if it matters to you
I'd say if you have the means to do so the A45s is the better option, its more special and will hold its value better in the long term. Reliability wise my experience is the A45s is very robust, whereas you will find some people that have had big repairs for cylinder heads and engines in the A35's.
Both are great cars either way, the latest facelift cars have upgraded telematics systems but more ADAS equipment, the telematics in the prefaces are still good from my point of view so not a deal breaker for me but worth considering if it matters to you
I have owned an A45S for last 6 months and I am not disappointed! If you haven’t already, definitely test drive both.
I test drove the A35 before the A45 and the A45 feels far more car for the money! I use the A45 is great for a commute but get it on a proper road it is so engaging.
Be good to have another join the A45 club!
I test drove the A35 before the A45 and the A45 feels far more car for the money! I use the A45 is great for a commute but get it on a proper road it is so engaging.
Be good to have another join the A45 club!
BenWhiting13 said:
I have owned an A45S for last 6 months and I am not disappointed! If you haven’t already, definitely test drive both.
I test drove the A35 before the A45 and the A45 feels far more car for the money! I use the A45 is great for a commute but get it on a proper road it is so engaging.
Be good to have another join the A45 club!
Top lurking, Sir!I test drove the A35 before the A45 and the A45 feels far more car for the money! I use the A45 is great for a commute but get it on a proper road it is so engaging.
Be good to have another join the A45 club!
Without wishing to hijack the thread, I’ve noticed recently that there’s not a great deal of difference in price between a good example of the previous gen A45 and the later gen A35. I know the previous gen A45 isn’t as well regarded as the A45s and is, of course older tech, but if you had, say, c£20k to spend, what would you go for?
Heathwood said:
Without wishing to hijack the thread, I’ve noticed recently that there’s not a great deal of difference in price between a good example of the previous gen A45 and the later gen A35. I know the previous gen A45 isn’t as well regarded as the A45s and is, of course older tech, but if you had, say, c£20k to spend, what would you go for?
Very good question! The old 45 is much louder and dramatic than the new 35, it also feels slightly more special. The new 35 is a lot better as a daily driver though.
Old 45 has slightly better interior quality, the new 35 has a lot more tech and feels more modern. I think it fully depends on what you fancy / look for in a car.
Both are pretty reliable, A45 can have gearbox issues (ours was fixed under warranty), A35 can have cylinder head issues (again warranty). The issue with both is previous owners. The are commonly bought by boy (and girl) racers who rag them senselessly. The A45 is especially highly tuned so does need warmed up and serviced properly. I have also seen issues with both having aftermarket tunes added.
The old and new are extremely different. If you are genuinely shopping between the two you have to go see and try both. Make sure you buy a well looked after one from a seller who clearly knows what they are talking about... nothing new in that advice though!
Edited by BEARDYB0Y on Sunday 5th January 21:50
So I stumbled on this thread and thought I’d have a look given I’m picking up a A45s on Friday. Good to hear the positive comments above.
As someone has mentioned the pcp deals being offered are astounding, I was Originally looking at used however, Mercedes are currently offering £6000 contribution (also got an additional £500 from dealer) with 2 years free servicing and around 4%ish APR - that equated to £10k down and £501 per month with a £29k balloon after 4 years or hand back, 10k miles per year allowance.
Equivalent used cars were more expensive monthly with similar deposit due to the APR%.
I’ll post some feedback once I’ve got a few miles on it as it will be replacing my current daily - does anyone know if it’s like the previous run in on the previous A45, as with that car I’m sure it didn’t release full power until it had covered over 1000 miles?
TB
As someone has mentioned the pcp deals being offered are astounding, I was Originally looking at used however, Mercedes are currently offering £6000 contribution (also got an additional £500 from dealer) with 2 years free servicing and around 4%ish APR - that equated to £10k down and £501 per month with a £29k balloon after 4 years or hand back, 10k miles per year allowance.
Equivalent used cars were more expensive monthly with similar deposit due to the APR%.
I’ll post some feedback once I’ve got a few miles on it as it will be replacing my current daily - does anyone know if it’s like the previous run in on the previous A45, as with that car I’m sure it didn’t release full power until it had covered over 1000 miles?
TB
Trollbuster said:
So I stumbled on this thread and thought I’d have a look given I’m picking up a A45s on Friday. Good to hear the positive comments above.
As someone has mentioned the pcp deals being offered are astounding, I was Originally looking at used however, Mercedes are currently offering £6000 contribution (also got an additional £500 from dealer) with 2 years free servicing and around 4%ish APR - that equated to £10k down and £501 per month with a £29k balloon after 4 years or hand back, 10k miles per year allowance.
Equivalent used cars were more expensive monthly with similar deposit due to the APR%.
I’ll post some feedback once I’ve got a few miles on it as it will be replacing my current daily - does anyone know if it’s like the previous run in on the previous A45, as with that car I’m sure it didn’t release full power until it had covered over 1000 miles?
TB
Congratulations!! Im sure you will love it!As someone has mentioned the pcp deals being offered are astounding, I was Originally looking at used however, Mercedes are currently offering £6000 contribution (also got an additional £500 from dealer) with 2 years free servicing and around 4%ish APR - that equated to £10k down and £501 per month with a £29k balloon after 4 years or hand back, 10k miles per year allowance.
Equivalent used cars were more expensive monthly with similar deposit due to the APR%.
I’ll post some feedback once I’ve got a few miles on it as it will be replacing my current daily - does anyone know if it’s like the previous run in on the previous A45, as with that car I’m sure it didn’t release full power until it had covered over 1000 miles?
TB
What spec did you go for?
Run in period is the same as other AMGs, including the older ones. There should be a sticker in the top drivers side of the windscreen that details the run in process. No full throttle or hard downshifts for the first 1k miles, then gradual increase in RPM from there. Unlike the previous one though, there isnt a run in service after 1k miles.
Any questions let me know! Either pre or post collection day.
Thanks for the info 
A45s plus, night black with the titanium grey/black interior.
I think that this along with the rest of the stock cars on the deal are pretty much zero cost option cars however, outside of any paint cost option or the active cruise control it seems to be pretty well specced as standard.
A45s plus, night black with the titanium grey/black interior.
I think that this along with the rest of the stock cars on the deal are pretty much zero cost option cars however, outside of any paint cost option or the active cruise control it seems to be pretty well specced as standard.
Trollbuster said:
Thanks for the info
A45s plus, night black with the titanium grey/black interior.
I think that this along with the rest of the stock cars on the deal are pretty much zero cost option cars however, outside of any paint cost option or the active cruise control it seems to be pretty well specced as standard.
No worries!A45s plus, night black with the titanium grey/black interior.
I think that this along with the rest of the stock cars on the deal are pretty much zero cost option cars however, outside of any paint cost option or the active cruise control it seems to be pretty well specced as standard.
Good choice, they always work well in that spec. The 45s Plus comes with all the premium plus options anyway so there isnt much to add. As you say, paint, interior and the drivers assistant pack are the only options.
Roll on Friday!
Rick Segui said:
I have a sports car and I started by testing a A200 as a run about and all great until you put your foot down to overtake and nothing happens.
I now have an Aston Martin Vantage ( which is beautiful and timeless, with British niggles). no doubt a Porche 911 is a better car but the Aston timeless presence and a beautiful sound.
So back to the question of A35 or A45. Does anyone have experience of them. I’d be very interested in opinions from owners or those that have driven them. There is a significant price difference.
I now have an Aston Martin Vantage ( which is beautiful and timeless, with British niggles). no doubt a Porche 911 is a better car but the Aston timeless presence and a beautiful sound.
So back to the question of A35 or A45. Does anyone have experience of them. I’d be very interested in opinions from owners or those that have driven them. There is a significant price difference.
The Mercedes-Benz model names continue to confuse me.
A200 - 1.3 litre engine (possibly made by Renault).
E200 - 2.0 litre engine.
The 2.0 litre seems to be used in numerous models now (including the A35 and A45), with various different power outputs.
I share your enthusiasm for the Aston Martin Vantage. V8 power, naturally aspirated, minimal cats, manual gearbox, no exhaust particulate filters, no electric steering, no electric handbrake and only has ABS and ESP driver aids. An end of era car to enjoy, which can never be repeated.
To answer your question, the A45 sounds fun.
MustangGT said:
Legacywr said:
How much would the total cost be if you kept the car?
I would think approximately:£10,000 plus
48 x £500 plus
£29,000
= £63,000
Does the the 'balloon' figure, indicate the anticipated/estimated trade value in January 2029?
54% depreciation in 4 years. Not bad at all.
Last year I bought a 2 year old E200, 4,000 miles (clearly not used as a taxi) at £33,000.
40% depreciation in just 2 years (guessing at a £4,000 trade to retail dealer margin).
Possibly a reasonable deal for me though, especially as I later discovered, that petrol versions are almost impossible to obtain.
Edited by Dewi 2 on Thursday 30th January 17:34
The £29k mentioned above is about right and as a pcp deal, if you have stayed within the mileage allowance you can either hand the car back at no extra cost, refinance or settle and keep.
If you have gone over the 40000 miles and want to hand back there will be an excess mileage charge @18p per mile which is effectively all you would be liable given the car is in good condition, save for fair wear and tear.
ETA: I suppose it’s how you justify your man maths - due to the discounts being offered it is in effect an interest free 4 year loan with 2 free services, but in essence your paying the depreciation over 4 years with the safeguard that if the car is only worth say £25k at end of term you can hand it back and walk away unscathed.
If you have gone over the 40000 miles and want to hand back there will be an excess mileage charge @18p per mile which is effectively all you would be liable given the car is in good condition, save for fair wear and tear.
ETA: I suppose it’s how you justify your man maths - due to the discounts being offered it is in effect an interest free 4 year loan with 2 free services, but in essence your paying the depreciation over 4 years with the safeguard that if the car is only worth say £25k at end of term you can hand it back and walk away unscathed.
Edited by Trollbuster on Thursday 30th January 18:34
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