Mercedes marketing does it again

"Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo" (thetomselleck)
08/30/2015 at 14:40 • Filed to: GLA

These hatchbacks, excuse me, SPORT UTILITY VEHICLES, are selling like absolute hotcakes in my area. For the record, MB website even says it’s an SUV. Have a look:

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This thing, which are obscenely stubby and wide in person, apparently starts at $31,000. STARTS at $31,000! I went balls to the wall on options, and got one priced out as $61,193 . Apparently Mercedes charges $37 for a license plate frame. Most of the ones I see obviously don’t have the $2500 matte paint job or anything. And this is just an example of the extreme. I really like MB’s builder, though. Very fun and amusing.

DISCUSSION (25)

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 14:44

If this is an SUV, my car is an SUV. I wonder how many thousands it just went up in value due to that.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 14:44

They’re actually fairly nice cars, and as much as we enthusiast bitch about these tall hatchback/wagon/crossover things, they are exactly what most buyers want. I will admit that this particular one is ugly due to a too-long nose.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 14:52

This would be the perfect car for my parents.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem
08/30/2015 at 14:55

Right? It’s like the perfect car for the 45+ couple that liked how the Focus ST drove but whose HOA didn’t allow Fords in the driveways.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 14:56

This..

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 14:56

I sat in one over at MB of Bellevue recently. all I can say is that it; along with the CLA are total piles of ass.

Those cars are not worthy of the three pointed star.

Dominance of land sea and air? more like dominance of the $199/mo lease market

hsv > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 15:00

Crossovers are a marketing ploy. Top Gear (on this very rare occasion) nailed it - they sell you a lifestyle, not a car. Renault would love you to think that the Captur is an all-fun, active lifestyle car, but it’s a jacked up Clio with barely anymore room and a few interesting compartment spaces inside. Are they a gimmick? Yes. Does that make them all bad cars? No, some are really, really good cars. Are they a fad? Absolutely not - the crossover/SUV craze may be booming, but it will shape the future of the automotive world like no other segment has done since the Mini made small city cars a hit.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power
08/30/2015 at 15:02

Actually that was a source of this post: my buddy lives in a not terribly desirable apartment complex. Not bad, mind you, but it’s kind of in the armpit of the greater Seattle area. Rent is affordable, etc. He has two new neighbors, who reserved two parking spots to park their brand new base models GLA250 and CLA250. These are people who want to be seen driving a Benz but can’t prioritize anything else so they spend more on car payments and parking spaces than they do rent. It was amusing to me because you’ll see GLAs and CLAs in Sammamish and Bellevue, but really, any putz with an income can imitate this perceived status at the cost of a decent place to live or a downpayment on an actual house, mind you.

Autofixation > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 15:07

I’m not going to lie, I want a GLA45 AMG....

PetarVN, GLI Guy, now with stupid power > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 15:08

hehehe, it’s kinda sad that benz will sell you such base models. mind you, a girl at my school has a CLA250, and it’s a decent car, but for the money of a fully loaded GLI, WRX, Foci ST, and a whole assortment of fun, cool cars, it’s not a good pick.

Personally, if I we’re buying a benz, it’d be an E-class, or at least a top-trim C-class/AMG

all I really want is a big body benz....

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jR4eVT…

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Autofixation
08/30/2015 at 15:12

Starts at $48,300!

Steve in Manhattan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 16:29

If you stripped all the badging off it and had me look at it from 10 yards, I think I say the following: 1) Audi; 2) Volvo; 3) BMW; 4) Mercedes. It could even be midget Evoque. Briefly - B and C pillars seem to create a big blind spot. High beltline does not help visibility.

And DZ? I used Porsche’s configurator once to spec up by dream Boxster. Got it over 200 grand.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Steve in Manhattan
08/30/2015 at 16:31

I think someone on here said they spec’d a Macan up to $175k (Turbo starts at $74k).

Steve in Manhattan > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 16:35

That would not surprise me. Porsche offers special and custom interiors, fantastic sound systems, cermic brakes (10 grand or so) and many other ways to up that sticker. I wonder - if you custom order a car do they knock something off? They sure don’t need that sale - they’re doing fine.

hike > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 17:14

I’ve priced one out to my liking, and honestly, if I already had weekend car and wanted something fun for every day, I’d seriously consider it. But yes, the 250 is total junk.

shop-teacher > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 17:21

Marketing is a hell of a thing.

Ike > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 17:32

Is that from the MB pamphlet?

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Ike
08/30/2015 at 17:48

The GLA250: because your neighbors have standards.

E92M3 > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 18:03

We just got done watching Jurassic World, and I have to admit the GLE looks pretty good. Too bad it costs twice what the GLA does.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > E92M3
08/30/2015 at 18:11

The product placement in that film was somehow more obnoxious than the final scene of Captain America and the fleet of RDXs.

Autofixation > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 21:16

Closest thing Mercedes has for replacing my Impreza Outback Sport.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Autofixation
08/30/2015 at 21:19

2015 Outback starts at $25,000! Although it is actually just... freaking gigantic now. Have you considered an Impreza hatch?

Autofixation > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 21:25

I just know that I sat in a GLA45 at the Boston international auto show and it felt amazing. I’ve never seen a vehicle that was so confused at to what it was. Hot hatch? CUV? Mini wagon?

I am not even close to being able to afford one of these, but if I could, I would like to have one just to confuse the hell out of people. That, and the roads are not smooth at all where I live, so I just figure I could bomb over them however I want with one of these.

In general, I’m a sucker for small, AWD, hot hatches with a little bit of ground clearance.

Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo > Autofixation
08/30/2015 at 21:40

I respect your tastes. And I can see the allure... I don’t know if you’ve ever rode in a base impreza but it has a little bit of the unsanded-edges plastic-fantastic feel. Not as bad as the Tacoma I drive. Not even close really...

Autofixation > Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
08/30/2015 at 22:47

I drive a 2000 Impreza Outback Sport with 238k, so I know all about less than ideal interiors. Wait, my ‘00 model has rather smooth plastic with very little damage ahead of the front seats, so maybe I don’t.

Behind the front seats, that’s another matter. I treat it like a pickup truck...