RE: Mercedes-Benz A45 AMG: Spotted
Discussion
Otispunkmeyer said:
This looks so much better without the wing and the other more aggressively styled aero bits they tack on. This almost looks like any other A180d... except when you put your foot down something actually happens!
I like the aero kits, helps identify that the car is a bit more special. I have had 2 so far non facelift and 2 years with facelift
The facelift is different animal
The gearbox is better I went for no Aero but red with black wheels
As LSD and exhaust
I am very happy go on runs and performs very well just changed to Pilot sports and the grip is amazing
Never been bored with it and it makes me smile so I am happy
The facelift is different animal
The gearbox is better I went for no Aero but red with black wheels
As LSD and exhaust
I am very happy go on runs and performs very well just changed to Pilot sports and the grip is amazing
Never been bored with it and it makes me smile so I am happy
petrolhead4 said:
Some people have lots of cars (at least 3), which when taken into consideration 15K milage over 48 months isn't that suspicious. Others take the train to work and their car is for evenings, weekends and road trips. Other people just love to look after their car, look at some FiST owners out there.
Whats a fist owner?
) 
J4CKO said:
Seems a lot of money but they are comparatively rare and were very expensive new.
Are these a theft risk like the VAG stuff ?
The issue you would have with any performance car is if it would be visible overnight, I live in Leeds but close enough to Bradford to know the risks and my security around the house and garage is pretty good. I only ever parked an s3 in front garden for 1 week (whilst the garage was being built back in 2001) to become a potential victim (a scrote tried to lift the keys of the dresser with a fishing rod) I’ve owned plenty of decent cars to realise I shouldn’t leave them on display.Are these a theft risk like the VAG stuff ?
J4CKO said:
Seems a lot of money but they are comparatively rare and were very expensive new.
Are these a theft risk like the VAG stuff ?
They're rare? They seem relatively common (about the same as Golf R's) around Bradford along with all that implies about their image and how they're driven.Are these a theft risk like the VAG stuff ?
Oz83 said:
big_rob_sydney said:
Like the idea of these (and the rs3) as a successor to the rally rep segment. They're too expensive though to truly follow in their footsteps, as the rally reps were also the "working mans" supercar, whereas these are at a price point well above those previous cars.
If I remember correctly, the original Impreza turbo was something like £20k? And while we can all play the inflation game, these particular cars are around double the price, whereas the salary of a working man has not doubled, surely?
I understand what you are saying but these cars really aren't like for like when compared to the old rally reps. I mean, they had interiors made from margerine tubs, a cd player if you were lucky, and had the mpg of a HGV.If I remember correctly, the original Impreza turbo was something like £20k? And while we can all play the inflation game, these particular cars are around double the price, whereas the salary of a working man has not doubled, surely?
And when you consider performance, an Impreza Turbo 2000 had around 210bhp if I remember correctly. You had to pay a lot more than £20k for a WRX STi for 280bhp and they were usually imported. To get a car with similar power you would have been looking at an EVO FQ360. I just checked and they were £33k back in 2006 (that's equivalent to £46k now).
I'm a massive fan of the Impeza and Evos of old, but I think we are truly spolied by the new breed of hot hatches.
Edited by Oz83 on Saturday 5th January 11:41
Gribs said:
J4CKO said:
Seems a lot of money but they are comparatively rare and were very expensive new.
Are these a theft risk like the VAG stuff ?
They're rare? They seem relatively common (about the same as Golf R's) around Bradford along with all that implies about their image and how they're driven.Are these a theft risk like the VAG stuff ?
I dont live in Bradford so couldn't comment, but int his bit of Cheshire I either dont notice them much or there arent as many as Golf R's by a long way, its not a numerous model round here.
I would say there are 4 or 5 times more Golf R's than A45's, the A45 was never done on the good value leases.
tril said:
CS Garth said:
My dirty little secret is I really like the GLA45.
When they come down to 15k in 2-3 years I’m going to be all over one like a tramp on chips
The GLA45 is without a doubt the better buy. The A45 is so stiff it's almost undrivable on UK roads. GLA gives you a more usable and practical package and I think it looks better.When they come down to 15k in 2-3 years I’m going to be all over one like a tramp on chips
However regardless of which one you buy, you can't escape the bad interior, gearbox and characterless engine. RS3 is a much better car.
I’d like to have a go in one of these, I remember searching launch control videos back when they come out and I was astonished, only downfall for me isn’t the engine note, it’s the interior, they look very dated now and something about the interior just doesn’t sit right with me, the steering wheel is too big as well.
The one thing I can’t get my head around is how well they hold their value, never seen anything like it in terms of mass produced hatchbacks. I bought my 65 plate 430d in Dec 2016 for 29,400 with 10k miles on it, all the kit you need, how’s this 2015 A45 27,500!
You could probably get a 1 year old M140i shadow edition for that price, probably less, and that’s where I’d be putting my money. I wouldn’t say it’s the better car though as they’re hardly comparable but it’s much better value.
At the time before I got my 4 series, I had no idea what car to get and if I should lease, PCP or buy cash and bank loan, I tried a lot of cars but I never tried the A45, I was afraid I’d fall in love with the speed and end up being tied into a PCP just to have it. I’m glad I didn’t as, as I said, it looks old now and I would have wanted to change where as I’m very happy with my BMW, could have gotten an M135i but the MPG after the test drive put me off, (17!!).
The one thing I can’t get my head around is how well they hold their value, never seen anything like it in terms of mass produced hatchbacks. I bought my 65 plate 430d in Dec 2016 for 29,400 with 10k miles on it, all the kit you need, how’s this 2015 A45 27,500!
You could probably get a 1 year old M140i shadow edition for that price, probably less, and that’s where I’d be putting my money. I wouldn’t say it’s the better car though as they’re hardly comparable but it’s much better value.
At the time before I got my 4 series, I had no idea what car to get and if I should lease, PCP or buy cash and bank loan, I tried a lot of cars but I never tried the A45, I was afraid I’d fall in love with the speed and end up being tied into a PCP just to have it. I’m glad I didn’t as, as I said, it looks old now and I would have wanted to change where as I’m very happy with my BMW, could have gotten an M135i but the MPG after the test drive put me off, (17!!).
st4 said:
petrolhead4 said:
I know from experience how brutal these cars are, but the old A45 just doesn't do it for me. It still kind of looks like a B class where an elephant has sat on it's roof, and the massive difference between the front and rear overhangs just make it look a little odd from the side profile.
No transverse mount car will have the elegent proportions of a car with a long ways engine. Short front overhang can only come from a long ways engine. Kawasicki said:
I get what you are saying, and broadly agree...there are exceptions though, for instance the original mini and the r50 reboot by bmw both had tiny front overhangs...much shorter than most longitudinal engined red cars.
The new Mini is quite unusual - as is the Volvo S90 (new) for having quite a large gap between the front wheel and the door. Most transverse mount/fwd cars you can tell simply by looking at how close the front wheel is to the door. Small gap, front drive/transverse big gap rwd/longitudinal. Oddly SUVs buck this styling trend with the toureg/cayenne having quite small gaps but the correct position and direction of engine mounting.
PorkRind said:
Oz83 said:
big_rob_sydney said:
Like the idea of these (and the rs3) as a successor to the rally rep segment. They're too expensive though to truly follow in their footsteps, as the rally reps were also the "working mans" supercar, whereas these are at a price point well above those previous cars.
If I remember correctly, the original Impreza turbo was something like £20k? And while we can all play the inflation game, these particular cars are around double the price, whereas the salary of a working man has not doubled, surely?
I understand what you are saying but these cars really aren't like for like when compared to the old rally reps. I mean, they had interiors made from margerine tubs, a cd player if you were lucky, and had the mpg of a HGV.If I remember correctly, the original Impreza turbo was something like £20k? And while we can all play the inflation game, these particular cars are around double the price, whereas the salary of a working man has not doubled, surely?
And when you consider performance, an Impreza Turbo 2000 had around 210bhp if I remember correctly. You had to pay a lot more than £20k for a WRX STi for 280bhp and they were usually imported. To get a car with similar power you would have been looking at an EVO FQ360. I just checked and they were £33k back in 2006 (that's equivalent to £46k now).
I'm a massive fan of the Impeza and Evos of old, but I think we are truly spolied by the new breed of hot hatches.
Edited by Oz83 on Saturday 5th January 11:41
I think my point regarding inflation was to look in an apples vs apples sense, but today you can buy some great second hand cars like a Litchfield Type 20 or 25, with 400+ bhp and tuned suspension and brakes, for < £20k. And while you still wont get an interior to write home about, you will get a driving experience appreciated by a driver, as opposed to one appreciated by an accountant.
If that's too niche, then a Type Ra or Type Ra-R with a remap is a pretty amazing car for about £20k.
I personally dont put a lot of value into the interior of cars, because in my view, a sports car is for driving. I do have a Lexus LS, which is a totally different car, and had all the bells and whistles, along with so many airbags for safety, etc, that it makes a great car for wafting in. Just different horses for courses. But that does bring me back to the enjoyment I personally get from driving; it doesn't come from the admittedly nicer interior of these newer cars, but rather the mechanical feel of grip and handling that the DCCD AWD system serves up, and the balance you get from a boxer engine low down in the engine bay.
Burwood said:
What’s will all if them having such low miles. I’d be checking that very closely. Too expensive if you as me, for an old car
We sold ours recently back to a Mercedes dealer and the first thing they did was read the ECU as apparently there is some dongle you can attach to the car - presumably via the OBD port - that slows down the incrementing of the odometer. The previous two cars they had been offered had had this fitted.BUT on the other side of that, ours only averaged 27MPG so its not a car that is likely to be doing big miles anyway.
Also, my advice would be to spend the bit extra and buy from a Mercedes main dealer. Ours is being resold by them with a 2 year AMG Mercedes approved used warranty - not sure if thats standard across all franchised dealers.
I spoke to another dealer when we were getting valuations for ours - he had a Jan 16 reg A45 with 26K miles that had just had a new gearbox fitted by Mercedes, so definitely IMHO worth having the reassurance of an approved used warranty.
Deep Thought said:
We sold ours recently back to a Mercedes dealer and the first thing they did was read the ECU as apparently there is some dongle you can attach to the car - presumably via the OBD port - that slows down the incrementing of the odometer. The previous two cars they had been offered had had this fitted.
BUT on the other side of that, ours only averaged 27MPG so its not a car that is likely to be doing big miles anyway.
Also, my advice would be to spend the bit extra and buy from a Mercedes main dealer. Ours is being resold by them with a 2 year AMG Mercedes approved used warranty - not sure if thats standard across all franchised dealers.
I spoke to another dealer when we were getting valuations for ours - he had a Jan 16 reg A45 with 26K miles that had just had a new gearbox fitted by Mercedes, so definitely IMHO worth having the reassurance of an approved used warranty.
What did you replace it with?BUT on the other side of that, ours only averaged 27MPG so its not a car that is likely to be doing big miles anyway.
Also, my advice would be to spend the bit extra and buy from a Mercedes main dealer. Ours is being resold by them with a 2 year AMG Mercedes approved used warranty - not sure if thats standard across all franchised dealers.
I spoke to another dealer when we were getting valuations for ours - he had a Jan 16 reg A45 with 26K miles that had just had a new gearbox fitted by Mercedes, so definitely IMHO worth having the reassurance of an approved used warranty.
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