A45 build quality rears its head!
Discussion
This is where people forget that this is a 20k car with a big engine and extras taking it over 40k.
It's built just the same as the 20k car.
There are similar complaints in the VW camp where 30k golf R drivers are complaining about quality. The golf is a 16k car with extras taking it over 30k. It's built just the same as the 16k car.
It's built just the same as the 20k car.
There are similar complaints in the VW camp where 30k golf R drivers are complaining about quality. The golf is a 16k car with extras taking it over 30k. It's built just the same as the 16k car.
Either a sound adjustment of the current fittings or the car goes back. Simple as.
I'm happy that the car is most probably safe to drive in most situations. However, winter is upon us and the south is often wetter than it is dry. I have a 5 month old son and there is a niggle that even though the chances are slim of it happening again and causing damage it's still a chance where it wouldn't be with another car. I'm paying over the odds for an inferior car it would seem also so this build quality issue only adds to the growing resentment.
It's an undeniably cracking car, but not for the money given the build quality. And the fact that bits are just tied on is verging on being laughed at by MB for falling for the sales pitch! 'lets see how many mugs we can sell this bodge job to!'
I'm happy that the car is most probably safe to drive in most situations. However, winter is upon us and the south is often wetter than it is dry. I have a 5 month old son and there is a niggle that even though the chances are slim of it happening again and causing damage it's still a chance where it wouldn't be with another car. I'm paying over the odds for an inferior car it would seem also so this build quality issue only adds to the growing resentment.
It's an undeniably cracking car, but not for the money given the build quality. And the fact that bits are just tied on is verging on being laughed at by MB for falling for the sales pitch! 'lets see how many mugs we can sell this bodge job to!'
ManiacGT said:
This is where people forget that this is a 20k car with a big engine and extras taking it over 40k.
It's built just the same as the 20k car.
There are similar complaints in the VW camp where 30k golf R drivers are complaining about quality. The golf is a 16k car with extras taking it over 30k. It's built just the same as the 16k car.
I get your point and it is fair to a degree. What if it had been a £150k+ S63 then? Could you say the same given it's the same as the basic S class?It's built just the same as the 20k car.
There are similar complaints in the VW camp where 30k golf R drivers are complaining about quality. The golf is a 16k car with extras taking it over 30k. It's built just the same as the 16k car.
ecain63 said:
Grandfondo said:
The guy I know that has had the problems with interior trim rattling was offered his money back minus £4k after less than 1 month and several days back at dealers for bodging/fixing!
That's not exactly a result! MB win there really.He is sucking it up and keeping it even though it sounds like a skeleton having a w
k in a biscuit tin. 
Cable ties should not be used to attach brake ducts or any part to a car whether it be 10k or 50k. They are used to attach cables and hoses etc which are not stressed. Strange how nobody picked up on the felt undertray and thought it was much more relevant to be sarcastic to the op. I hope it wasn't really felt! If that's the case it won't last much through 1" of water never mind 10"
I forget which forum it was, but I remember reading about a rear bumper issue with a 997 and a big hoo hah because part of the fitting was Velcro. There was a response on the forum from an Aston Martin owner who also claimed to have Velcro fittings on certain bodywork parts of his AMV8.
I guess all manufacturers use things that we might not expect, but discreetly where it doesn't really matter.
I had a last gen Audi S6 V10. Extremely well built car, but the engine under tray fell off and was made of a cheapo plasticky fibre thing. I must admit to not being overly bothered about what it was made of. I was more bothered about it being on the road!!
I am thinking of trading my CLS for a GLA45 and I am going into it expecting to be a bit disappointed with the build quality. Maybe I'll be surprised as my expectations are low. My CLS is average build quality with areas which are built to a price point and it's nowhere near as well built as the 2010 ML I had before it which felt like it would never ever break.
I guess all manufacturers use things that we might not expect, but discreetly where it doesn't really matter.
I had a last gen Audi S6 V10. Extremely well built car, but the engine under tray fell off and was made of a cheapo plasticky fibre thing. I must admit to not being overly bothered about what it was made of. I was more bothered about it being on the road!!
I am thinking of trading my CLS for a GLA45 and I am going into it expecting to be a bit disappointed with the build quality. Maybe I'll be surprised as my expectations are low. My CLS is average build quality with areas which are built to a price point and it's nowhere near as well built as the 2010 ML I had before it which felt like it would never ever break.
Cable ties should not be used to attach brake ducts or any part to a car whether it be 10k or 50k. They are used to attach cables and hoses etc which are not stressed. Strange how nobody picked up on the felt undertray and thought it was much more relevant to be sarcastic to the op. I hope it wasn't really felt! If that's the case it won't last much through 1" of water never mind 10"
cho said:
Cable ties should not be used to attach brake ducts or any part to a car whether it be 10k or 50k. They are used to attach cables and hoses etc which are not stressed. Strange how nobody picked up on the felt undertray and thought it was much more relevant to be sarcastic to the op. I hope it wasn't really felt! If that's the case it won't last much through 1" of water never mind 10"
It may or may not be felt exactly but it's the nearest material i can think of that resembles what is under the car. The fact that the material itself has ripped is proof that it is not fit for the job.ecain63 said:
The question i need to ask the customer service rep is: would they be happy owning a car worth near £50k that had items cable ties to it? And then, would they be 100% happy having their children ride in the car in bad weather on a fast road? I think the honest answer will determine the solution.
You could actually ask them "won't somebody think of the children?"ecain63 said:
Lost soul said:
Well booting it through 10" of water because of a tantrum is going to result in this kind of damage
How do you get 'booting it' from my post?ecain63 said:
As i left the car park i had to negotiate a flooded area before the main carriageway that was about 10" deep in my estimation. I
ploughed through it, possibly slightly quicker than normal due to my mood
It would seem because they did not kiss your arse you flounced off like a big girl ploughed through it, possibly slightly quicker than normal due to my mood
Lost soul said:
It would seem because they did not kiss your arse you flounced off like a big girl
It wouldn't be the first time...ecain63 said:
Thanks to the guys and gals I met this morning. Pleasant conversation and good company! Thanks to Topcats for offering to have me stay as a guest seeing as I'd been outcast from the 'clique' halfway through the meet. 220 mile round trip to get pushed asside? Laters!
From here: http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...Cheap shot there! Wow.
Why invite a customer to a Performance Tour, with an allocated time slot if you're not going to stick to it or even bother to speak to the customer. Fact is they were only interested in the toffs from sandbanks and not the 33yr old in the A45.
The C63 meet was an invitation also as id contributed considerably to the forum when I had the C63. When it came to chatting and photographing the cars I was told to move my car out of the car park. All thr other owners got interviews and I got moved asside. Even the M3 got a slice of the cake. The lady from Topcats was the one who pointed out that I had been ousted from the group and offered to host me at the venue. Very nice of her too.
Maybe im looking into it too much but the above highlights how some (maybe most) AMG owners feel the need to fit the image and avoid the guys who are just genuine enthusiasts. At least in person anyway. Sounds like a bloody Aston Martin club!
Why invite a customer to a Performance Tour, with an allocated time slot if you're not going to stick to it or even bother to speak to the customer. Fact is they were only interested in the toffs from sandbanks and not the 33yr old in the A45.
The C63 meet was an invitation also as id contributed considerably to the forum when I had the C63. When it came to chatting and photographing the cars I was told to move my car out of the car park. All thr other owners got interviews and I got moved asside. Even the M3 got a slice of the cake. The lady from Topcats was the one who pointed out that I had been ousted from the group and offered to host me at the venue. Very nice of her too.
Maybe im looking into it too much but the above highlights how some (maybe most) AMG owners feel the need to fit the image and avoid the guys who are just genuine enthusiasts. At least in person anyway. Sounds like a bloody Aston Martin club!
Lost soul said:
Any way , back on topic , its not just merc , I went through a deep puddle on night my Audi a5 and it managed to unclip the plastic undertray , simple fix and no real damage done , but 10 " of standing water is best avoided
Agreed. I normally would but weather, mood, time restraints, lack of other available route meant I had to negotiate it somehow. 10" isn't that much. Only half way up the wheel.ecain63 said:
10" isn't that much. Only half way up the wheel.
So what is the maximum quoted wading depth of an A45 then? I'll save you the bother of looking it up: "If you must drive on stretches of road on which water has collected, please bear in mind that:
- in the case of standing water, the water level may be no higher than the lower edge of the vehicle body
- you should drive no faster than walking pace"
That's from the A-class Owners' Manual. From your own description, you drove through deeper water at a faster rate than recommended.
Absolutely nothing wrong with using cable ties to attach things. This is a picture of a communications satellite. All the little blue bits...cable ties. They survive being strapped on top of 500 tons of rocket and blasted into space.
As far as I can see, the main message from this thread is don't drive your car through a flood when you are p***ed off.
As far as I can see, the main message from this thread is don't drive your car through a flood when you are p***ed off.
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