My Mercedes CLA

[p4cks]

Recently replaced my Leon shed (which I loved) with one of these. Always liked the shape and this was a bargain so it arrived last week. It's my first Mercedes (having owned 35+ cars in the past).

It's the AMG spec so it's got the body kit and some bits and bobs in the interior. Engine wise it's the 1.6 petrol and could possibly be the slowest car I've ever driven, but christ it's a smooth engine. Needs 4 new tyres so managed to get Bridgestones for £350 fitted and balanced from National. Other costs have been 5 hours of my time with a clay bar getting all of the tree sap from it, resulting in me getting tendonitis!

Anyway here's a photo of the German slug which will accompany my French nut job and British sporty thing

[Sensibleboy]

It might be slow and as you stated, it's smooth. Significantly smoother than the raspy 1.3 engine that the fitted to the latest A Class.

[Alex_225]

Even if it's a bit slow, if it's smooth and comfortable that suits it.

Bad news on the tendonitis, I find claying a car a job I just don't enjoy doing. Maybe go for a clay mitt next time, speed the job up a bit. Looks nice and clean though at least.

[p4cks]

Alex_225 said:

Even if it's a bit slow, if it's smooth and comfortable that suits it.

Bad news on the tendonitis, I find claying a car a job I just don't enjoy doing. Maybe go for a clay mitt next time, speed the job up a bit. Looks nice and clean though at least.

Yeah, slow and smooth is how a Mercedes should be driven I suppose.

And I've certainly learned my lesson on the clay barring... my wrist is still fked ha

[The Bearded Tit]

A clay towel does take a lot of the carpal tunnel syndrome out of doing the job. Worth a look. Always liked the look of the CLA

[Alex_225]

p4cks said:

Alex_225 said:

Even if it's a bit slow, if it's smooth and comfortable that suits it.

Bad news on the tendonitis, I find claying a car a job I just don't enjoy doing. Maybe go for a clay mitt next time, speed the job up a bit. Looks nice and clean though at least.

Yeah, slow and smooth is how a Mercedes should be driven I suppose.

And I've certainly learned my lesson on the clay barring... my wrist is still fked ha

Yeah completely agree. We had a GLC300 as a courtesy car and it wasn't overly quick but it was just too jittery and eager. In an annoying way not relaxing how you'd want a family SUV to be. My S Class has a mapped diesel engine, the bit chunk of torque suits it more than outright power.

The other thing I was told with claying is to use soapy water instead of detailer. Half a bucket of strong soapy water, use a wash mitt to spread the water and it makes it so much easier. Never trying to rush to spread the quick detailer around.

[p4cks]

Recent expenditure is £15 for a new locking wheel nut as it wasn't supplied with one, so that comes this week and then can get my tyres fitted.

Also had to buy a new aux battery for the start/stop system which isn't working... £42.99 delivered (my go to, ECP, wanted double that!)

The car is still very slow, and very smooth and relaxing. Tempted to shift the Evora on and just had a two car garage

[JS1902]

I found the throttle response on that particular engine in an A Class to be very poor.

[p4cks]

Poor? it’s non-existant

[p4cks]

I've learned to appreciate the lethargic performance but I couldn't appreciate the rattling screen. Searching the web tells me it's a relatively common problem so I bought some felt and set about combating it.

£1.79 well spent







Hopefully no more rattles

[Andy665]

Pretty shocking that a vehicle from a "premium" brand needs such rudimentary rattle fixing

[Cupramax]

It was probably rattling in protest at the thickness of that border around the screen

[p4cks]

Aye the screen is largely useless and I seldom use it. I wish it were like the A3 I had where you could press a button and have it vanish into the dashboard

[p4cks]

No other recent updates other than the start/stop had never worked since I bought it. Changed the aux battery but to no avail then saw on YT that someone diagnosed theirs as having a duff main battery, so a visit to Tanya batteries and £109 later I fitted my new battery and I now have start stop

The battery was £260 at ECP so Tanya was a godsend!

[p4cks]

Had a small scratch on the dashboard plastic and the metal dashbard just above the glove box so watched a few videos where people successfully repaired their interior plastics with a heat gun, so I had a crack. I also used a magic eraser on the aluminium which worked fantastically too

Before:



During:


The result:


Despite it being difficult to actually see on the photos, it looks really good now, despite me burning the glove box so I've been on eBay this morning to order a new one for forty quid. Nowt's ever easy ha!

Doh!


Anyone thinking of doing something similar; take your time and hold the heat gun further away from the plastic.

[p4cks]

Finished correcting my fk up.

New glovebox was £40 from eBay and 10 minutes to fit:

Out with the old



In with the new