A-Class Merc. Good grief

[fatboy b]

So I was away on business, and had the misfortune to get "upgraded" to a Merc A180 diesel at Budget car rental.

First impression was wft is that stuck-on screen doing on the dashboard? I thought it was a Budget sat-nav extra until I turned the ignition on and it lit up with a Merc logo. Oh dear!

Next was the parking brake. Who at Merc thought it was a good idea to do the opposite of every other car maker? Push the button on the bottom right hand side of the dash to set it, and pull it to take if off. Stunning piece of thought. Then to select reverse. Yep you guessed it, you have to pull the gear lever up and then left and back! Just so unnatural.

So we get on the road. It's a 14 plate with 6500 miles on it. The engine was woeful, and rattled as much as the cheap interior plastics, not good on both accounts. First hill start. I'm 6'2", so the seat is right back. The parking brake switch positioning is just bad. Reaching forward a long way and down while letting the clutch out. Again, unnatural.

It had start-stop. Unlike any other manual car I've driven with it, you have to put it in neutral with the clutch out and brake on for it to turn the engine off. Other cars just do it in gear clutch in and brake pressed. Not a massive concern as I'm not a start-stop liker, so it's normally off any how.

So in summary. Arse about face in many respects. Cheap st interior. Nasty engine.

I wish I kept the Focus I booked, and I was glad to return it.

Edited by fatboy b on Saturday 28th June 15:26

[Conscript]

fatboy b said:

It had start-stop. Unlike any other manual car I've driven with it, you have to put it in neutral with the clutch out and brake on for it to turn the engine off. Other cars just do it in gear clutch in and brake pressed. Not a massive concern as I'm not a start-stop liker, do it's normally off any how.

Really? I haven't driven many, admittedly, but I'm pretty sure that in every car that I have driven that has start-stop was like this - you have to be neutral before the engine will cut. Then when you dip the clutch to select a gear, the engine restarts.

Surely if the car allows the engine to cut whilst your sitting in gear with your foot on the clutch and brake, the only way the engine will restart is if you come off the brake - which might risk you rolling back.

[Monkeylegend]

I agree with you re the sat nav in the new A and B class, looks like a Halfords stuck on extra. The new C class has it as well I think, not sure why they couldn't integrate it into the dashboard, it would at least look like it was meant to be there.

[Dog Star]

I had one of these for a week when my SLK was having a problem last year - the one I had was an A220CDi AMG sport, and I must say that apart from that terrible cheap looking screen it really grew on me; it drove very well and handled great. i liked the interior (especially the 2001 style seats with ambient lighting).

But that screen for me would be a deal-breaker; it was the first thing I remarked on when the service guy brought the car round for me - "what the hell is that - it looks like something from Ripspeed".

[fatboy b]

Conscript said:

fatboy b said:

It had start-stop. Unlike any other manual car I've driven with it, you have to put it in neutral with the clutch out and brake on for it to turn the engine off. Other cars just do it in gear clutch in and brake pressed. Not a massive concern as I'm not a start-stop liker, do it's normally off any how.

Really? I haven't driven many, admittedly, but I'm pretty sure that in every car that I have driven that has start-stop was like this - you have to be neutral before the engine will cut. Then when you dip the clutch to select a gear, the engine restarts.

Surely if the car allows the engine to cut whilst your sitting in gear with your foot on the clutch and brake, the only way the engine will restart is if you come off the brake - which might risk you rolling back.

You got me thinkimg now. It didn't seem normal procedure, but as I said, I normally turn it off.

Also forget to mention the climate control area. Hard to read, and too low.

Edited by fatboy b on Saturday 28th June 15:53

[va1o]

That will be the Renault 1.5 diesel unit from what you're saying. Mercedes don't use their own engine in the manual A180 CDI. Most of the other annoyances you mention(parking brake, aftermarket looking nav screen, reverse gear selection) are equally applicable to all Mercedes products. The new A-Class isn't a bad car in isolation but isn't as good an all round package as its main rivals (Golf, A3 and 1-series).

[Sheepshanks]

Monkeylegend said:

The new C class has it as well I think,

It does. Apparently women like it, as it reminds them of their iPads. Maybe that's what MB intended?

I had a B Class courtesy car recently and I was astonished by how awful it was. Stop/start worked well, to be honest, but I thought electric hand-brakes released automatically, but this one didn't.

The interior generally looked and felt crap, but the worst thing about the car was the ride, it was just horrendous.

[fatboy b]

Sheepshanks said:

Monkeylegend said:

The new C class has it as well I think,

It does. Apparently women like it, as it reminds them of their iPads. Maybe that's what MB intended?

I had a B Class courtesy car recently and I was astonished by how awful it was. Stop/start worked well, to be honest, but I thought electric hand-brakes released automatically, but this one didn't.

The interior generally looked and felt crap, but the worst thing about the car was the ride, it was just horrendous.

I had the same thought about the handbrake releasing by itself once you try and pull away but no. My Jag does, and a previous A5 did.

[va1o]

You have to remember that FWD hatchbacks isn't what Mercedes specialise in and level your expectations based on that. They are still relatively new to the game and as a manufacturer what they do best is big RWD saloons.

[jonnM]

That sat-nav screen is fking awful!

[fatboy b]

jonnM said:

That sat-nav screen is fking awful!

[Rawwr]

Although my Fiesta doesn't have an electronic handbrake, it does have Hill Hold Assist (or something) which keeps the brakes applied for three seconds after you take your foot off the brake pedal if senses you're on an incline. It's surprisingly quite handy and works well. Sounds like the A-Class might need this.

[Seb27]

You aren't using the handbrake correctly. You only push the button on when you are leaving and getting out the car, and then pull it to release when you set off once you get in again for a new journey.

When you drive, stop the car, and give the brake pedal a little 'stab' once you have stopped. This holds the car, you see the word 'hold' on the dash board. When you pull away, touch the accelerator and it automatically releases. This way you keep your hands on the wheel and there is no chance of rolling backwards. Its a really useful feature but not one you would know about if not shown before hand.

[Sheepshanks]

fatboy b said:

I had the same thought about the handbrake releasing by itself once you try and pull away but no. My Jag does, and a previous A5 did.

The service advisor told me I'd have to release it manually and I assumed he'd got that wrong. I tried, and turned out he hadn't!

Seb27 said:

You aren't using the handbrake correctly. You only push the button on when you are leaving and getting out the car, and then pull it to release when you set off once you get in again for a new journey.

When you drive, stop the car, and give the brake pedal a little 'stab' once you have stopped. This holds the car, you see the word 'hold' on the dash board. When you pull away, touch the accelerator and it automatically releases. This way you keep your hands on the wheel and there is no chance of rolling backwards. Its a really useful feature but not one you would know about if not shown before hand.

Tried that on the B Class I drove and it didn't work. I know about the feature but had never driven a car with it, so it is possible I was doing something wrong (it's just an extra firm press of the brake pedal though, isn't it?).

Edited by Sheepshanks on Saturday 28th June 16:44

[fatboy b]

Sheepshanks said:

fatboy b said:

I had the same thought about the handbrake releasing by itself once you try and pull away but no. My Jag does, and a previous A5 did.

The service advisor told me I'd have to release it manually and I assumed he'd got that wrong. I tried, and turned out he hadn't!

Seb27 said:

You aren't using the handbrake correctly. You only push the button on when you are leaving and getting out the car, and then pull it to release when you set off once you get in again for a new journey.

When you drive, stop the car, and give the brake pedal a little 'stab' once you have stopped. This holds the car, you see the word 'hold' on the dash board. When you pull away, touch the accelerator and it automatically releases. This way you keep your hands on the wheel and there is no chance of rolling backwards. Its a really useful feature but not one you would know about if not shown before hand.

Tried that on the B Class I drove and it didn't work. I know about the feature but had never driven a car with it, so it is possible I was doing something wrong (it's just an extra firm press of the brake pedal though, isn't it?).

Edited by Sheepshanks on Saturday 28th June 16:44

Sounds a tad hit and miss to me.

Another thing I forgot to mention was the switch for the rear wiper. You have to reach around the steering wheel, and turn a integral switch in the indicator stalk. Laughable.

[confused_buyer]

va1o said:

They are still relatively new to the game and as a manufacturer what they do best is big RWD saloons.

They started in 1998 so 16 years later they should be beginning to get the hang of it!

[zeduffman]

The bezel on that screen O_o

[darreni]

I don't know why car makers have all changed to the electronic handbrake, I hate 'em with a passion.
Nothing wrong at all with the handbrake lever IMHO.

[Seb27]

Ref hold function;

It is just a push of the brake once you have stopped, once you get the hang of it is easy and will get it every time, just make sure you dont release the pressure on the pedal. It is on all new Mercs and one of the best features in my opinion, especially useful on a manual. Without it it would be very awkward

[greygoose]

darreni said:

I don't know why car makers have all changed to the electronic handbrake, I hate 'em with a passion.
Nothing wrong at all with the handbrake lever IMHO.

We have some new Renaults at work with them and they are pretty awful, though they do release if you start moving forwards or backwards with the accelerator which sounds better than the Mercedes system.