RE: Mercedes-AMG A35: Driven

[nickfrog]

Yes surprisingly light when a M140i is also 1500kgs although that's with a I6 3.0.

[Deep Thought]

Nickbrapp said:

Deep Thought said:

The base car with AMG Style Pack and Premium Package and metallic paint (which seems to cover most things) its coming in at around £39,900. Assuming that the usual 10% or so discount will be avail once the initial furore dies down then that brings the car back to around £36K.

That makes it expensive for an R or S3 rival, but maybe relatively cheap as an A45 alternative and the "opportunity" to get in to an AMG car?

Ticking a few options to get a s3 to the same spec with a pan roof etc, you soon get into the 40k market so I would wager it’s a good rival spec for spec. There’s golf Rs out there for sale for £41k too

Good point well made

[BlackPrince]

Andy20vt said:

There's always that one dick who has to mention motorbikes on a thread about cars!

Irony being that the guy that did doesn't even ride or own a bike now (at least from his garage)

[Buster73]

Barga said:

Having had a few BMWs over the years even on winters they are useless in the snow.

Had two BMW’s over the last eight years, never got stuck in snow once and that’s with standard tyres with automatic transmission.

When it got really bad I used to put two bags of sand in the boot , real sand not the other type.

The only time I couldn’t get away without a push was I parked on very wet grass which turned to mud by the time I got back to the car.

[cerb4.5lee]

Buster73 said:

Had two BMW’s over the last eight years, never got stuck in snow once and that’s with standard tyres with automatic transmission.

When it got really bad I used to put two bags of sand in the boot , real sand not the other type.

The only time I couldn’t get away without a push was I parked on very wet grass which turned to mud by the time I got back to the car.

I found the 330d auto to be a complete nightmare in the snow and I couldn't get it off the drive. Had a Mondeo V6 at the same time and I managed to get that off without too much drama. Everytime it snowed the 330d always gave me a headache!

I recall my Z4M was better though with its LSD and having more control with a manual gearbox. So I'm not saying that all Bmw's are terrible in those conditions.

[R400TVR]

Boring.

[Ares]

R400TVR said:

Boring.

Man with Rover 75 CDTI calls 300bhp Hot Hatch boring

[untakenname]

Vocht said:

I for one think the interior is fantastic. It's the first car that's managed to integrate large screens well into the flow of the dash rather than plonk one up top. Very smart and modern imo!

It is literally plonked ontop, Mercedes have always aged really badly interior wise compared with other German brands.

[R400TVR]

Ares said:

Man with Rover 75 CDTI calls 300bhp Hot Hatch boring

That's the work motorway car. Also got a 300hp Impreza Gravel Express.

[Harrison-91xcg]

I would be interested in this if it were front wheel drive with a diff with the intention of taking on the golf gti, cupra, type r, i30n, ST and Renault sport megane. Despite being fwd a good portion above are faster on circuit than their more powerful 4wd cousins.

Without the usp the a35 is really just a dulled down a45.

[J4CKO]

The affordable lease deals have started appearing for these,

http://www.freedomcontracts.com/Mercedes-A35-A35-4...

https://www.synergyautomotive.co.uk/mercedes-benz/...

Expect to see quite a few around fairly soon.

[Deep Thought]

J4CKO said:

The affordable lease deals have started appearing for these,

http://www.freedomcontracts.com/Mercedes-A35-A35-4...

https://www.synergyautomotive.co.uk/mercedes-benz/...

Expect to see quite a few around fairly soon.

Hmm... £409 ish a month and £439 a month over 2 years once you factor in the deposit and VAT.

Nothing spectacular yet.

[L555BAT]

Just having a play with the configurator now.

Existence of spec levels should be good for lease deals, as you can increase the spec without adding individual options which you often have to pay for in full. They are confusingly referred to as "packages" in the configurator, just like the other option packages.

They don't offer much flexibility though. Want the auto-dimming rear view mirror? That'll be £1395 for the Executive spec.

[Deep Thought]

L555BAT said:

Just having a play with the configurator now.

Existence of spec levels should be good for lease deals, as you can increase the spec without adding individual options which you often have to pay for in full. They are confusingly referred to as "packages" in the configurator, just like the other option packages.

They don't offer much flexibility though. Want the auto-dimming rear view mirror? That'll be £1395 for the Executive spec.

MINI now do that. I paid something like £120 for my centre arm rest. They've now incorporated it in the latest specs in to a "pack" along with a load of things i dont want to be forced in to buying for £900.

[J4CKO]

Deep Thought said:

J4CKO said:

The affordable lease deals have started appearing for these,

http://www.freedomcontracts.com/Mercedes-A35-A35-4...

https://www.synergyautomotive.co.uk/mercedes-benz/...

Expect to see quite a few around fairly soon.

Hmm... £409 ish a month and £439 a month over 2 years once you factor in the deposit and VAT.

Nothing spectacular yet.

Yeah, the deposit is quite high, but cant remember seeing anything anywhere near comparable for the A45, it just popped up on FB so thought would put it on here, what were the best Golf R etc deals coming in at in the last few years ?

[Deep Thought]

J4CKO said:

Yeah, the deposit is quite high, but cant remember seeing anything anywhere near comparable for the A45, it just popped up on FB so thought would put it on here, what were the best Golf R etc deals coming in at in the last few years ?

Actually just been checking and its probably not that far away from the most recent Golf R deals.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...

Back in November :-

• Smart leasing solutions.
• 6+35
• 11k miles per year.
• Mk7.5 5 door Hatchback DSG
• Lapiz Bllue
• £359 p/m

That translates to £408 a month

There was one in October :-

• Best I can find is 319/month, on 3+23. Which I think is pretty reasonable and am tempted to pull the trigger.

That translates to £345 ish.

[ZX10R NIN]

cerb4.5lee said:

I found the 330d auto to be a complete nightmare in the snow and I couldn't get it off the drive. Had a Mondeo V6 at the same time and I managed to get that off without too much drama. Everytime it snowed the 330d always gave me a headache!

I recall my Z4M was better though with its LSD and having more control with a manual gearbox. So I'm not saying that all Bmw's are terrible in those conditions.

The trick with standard BMW's/Mercedes in the snow is to turn the ESP/Traction off & then you can actually get around quite easily.

[cerb4.5lee]

ZX10R NIN said:

The trick with standard BMW's/Mercedes in the snow is to turn the ESP/Traction off & then you can actually get around quite easily.

I will admit that for a few years I didn't realise that the system was a two stage set up. Once I'd turned it all off it did behave better...but the 330d was still the worse car I've had in the snow. Plenty of funny memories of getting stuck in it though!

[L555BAT]

Deep Thought said:

MINI now do that. I paid something like £120 for my centre arm rest. They've now incorporated it in the latest specs in to a "pack" along with a load of things i dont want to be forced in to buying for £900.

Reading a bit more about this trend, it seems partly driven by WLTP as they have to test all the different options for effect on consumption/emissions. Of course it's being spun, as everything, as "simplification" and "it's what consumers want".

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news...
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news...

[Deep Thought]

L555BAT said:

Deep Thought said:

MINI now do that. I paid something like £120 for my centre arm rest. They've now incorporated it in the latest specs in to a "pack" along with a load of things i dont want to be forced in to buying for £900.

Reading a bit more about this trend, it seems partly driven by WLTP as they have to test all the different options for effect on consumption/emissions. Of course it's being spun, as everything, as "simplification" and "it's what consumers want".

https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news...
https://www.fleetnews.co.uk/news/manufacturer-news...

Indeed. MINI allegedly did it because of WLTP and because customers wanted a simpler buying model. No. We didnt.