"E90M3" (e90m3)
04/04/2019 at 09:38 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping with E90M3
1
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"E90M3" (e90m3)
04/04/2019 at 09:38 • Filed to: unnecessary car shopping with E90M3 | 1
| 34 |
!!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! It looks like the Mercedes dealer near me decided to select even more options, because the !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
The reason for my visit to the dealer website was to see if they had a 2013-2014 C300 for me to go drive, since !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! While they were lacking a C300, I did stumble across this A-Class. I’ve been interested in the A-Class since I heard it was coming here because !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! While that car might be forbidden fruit, !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! :
It might have a litany of options selected, but that doesn’t change the fact that it’s a FWD car with under 200 hp for $45k.
You know what you can get for that same money? !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!!
Who would buy this A-class when you can get a C-Class for just a bit more? It really makes no sense to me. If you want a Mercedes badge, why get the baby Benz when an actually good one is just a grand or two more? It’s utterly asinin e.
Before you think I’ve completely and totally lost my mind, the same dealer has an !!!error: Indecipherable SUB-paragraph formatting!!! that I might go drive this weekend, since I’ve never driven an S54 powered vehicle.
Nibby
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:44 |
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hard pass... rather spend a little more and get a C class instead of the CLA or A
Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:44 |
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You can get a well-optioned bigger and more useful FWD ES350 for the same or less with 100 more HP and only 2 miles worse per gallon...
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E90M3
> Nibby
04/04/2019 at 09:45 |
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That’s exactly what I was thinking, what’s the point of the A-Class if it’s just a tiny bit cheaper than a C-Class? I thought it was supposed to be a budget Benz.
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E90M3
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/04/2019 at 09:46 |
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Exactly , the A-Class price doesn’t seem to fit what the car is supposed to be.
KingT- 60% of the time, it works every time
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:48 |
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Just wait till the new CL A configurator comes online. It’s going to be a doozy. At least it gets more power(221HP) with AWD
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Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:49 |
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The A-class exists to look more affordable compared to other Mercedes, nothing more it seems. I don’t think it’s a real threat to the A3/S3/RS3. The 1- series is going FWD soon (right?) so maybe this is just an answer to a question no one asked.
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Nibby
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:49 |
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“budget”
404 - User No Longer Available
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:49 |
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The real question: what’s the lease rate between those A and C, and the residuals?
THOSE are what buyers look at for this kind of market.
bob and john
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:54 |
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the base model is.
however, no one buys the base model. So its really only for shmucks
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E90M3
> bob and john
04/04/2019 at 09:56 |
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This is the real world, good luck finding a base model anywhere.
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E90M3
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/04/2019 at 09:57 |
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Yeah, the 1 is going to FWD, but I almost doubt we’ll get it here.
AMGtech - now with more recalls!
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:58 |
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Yeah, it's dumb. C350 is an option too. Same engine as C300.
fintail
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 09:58 |
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Small car with some toys or basic slightly larger car for the same money, depends on if you want toys or size. Drive wheels won’t matter to 99.999% of buyers anyway. I won’t say it is a bargain, but it doesn’t surprise me.
I’d say the 44K CLA on their site is as good a deal. Great site too, I like how there’s no build sheet or actual options list, and how the car doesn’t appear to have been cleaned.
My nearest dealer has 2 at the same price:
Their cheapest C is barely pricier:
LOREM IPSUM
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 10:10 |
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Back in 1987 you could have gotten a 560SEL, the top of the line S Class, for roughly the same price. Forgetting inflation of course, because most of our salaries likely aren’t that much different than ‘87 anyway.
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fintail
> LOREM IPSUM
04/04/2019 at 10:24 |
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I once had an 89 300SE (bottom of the line 126 in NA), original MSRP was 53K, I had the window sticker. A 560 series car would be closer to 70K, still jarring as you can load up a C300 these days past 60K. The comparison I like most is with the W140, which for a 500SEL variant in 1992, stickered at around 85K. Today you can get a nice S560 for 115K - not a huge amount of inflation relative to content.
It can be worse. In 1987, in my neighborhood, you could easily pick up houses for under 100K that trade in the 1.5MM range today.
While salaries, well, I guess everyone just isn’t pulling those bootstraps hard enough. The growing socio-economic chasm and wealth consolidation are nothing to fear, nope, only can make good.
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LOREM IPSUM
> fintail
04/04/2019 at 10:28 |
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We t alking USD or CAD?
Tripper
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 10:29 |
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No doubt that you’ll enjoy that M roadster! A friend has one, it was brand new when I drove it but it was one of the tightest cars I have ever driven. Not a shake or a rattle to be seen/heard.
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fintail
> LOREM IPSUM
04/04/2019 at 10:31 |
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USD of course :)
Funny thing, with the hilarious recent exchange rates, many MBs are spec for spec a bit cheaper in Canada than Murka, even after tax.
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LOREM IPSUM
> fintail
04/04/2019 at 10:38 |
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Guess my recollection of pricing was a bit off. Dad had a 420, his boss the 560. Most discernable difference to m e at the time was the reclining rear seats in the 560, but corporate hierarchy dictated that my dad could not have an equal or better car than his boss, so no reclining for me.
Dad bought a 930. His boss bought an F40.
What a time to be alive.
Ash78, voting early and often
> Dr. Zoidberg - RIP Oppo
04/04/2019 at 10:38 |
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Yes, the A-class today is exactly what the C-class was 15 years ago. A way to claim a sub-$30k price point to attract younger folks. I’m just freaking shocked this isn’t the CLA’s space. Very confusing.
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Ash78, voting early and often
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 10:39 |
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I haven’t heard the A-Class mentioned in a decade, so I clicked on your thread to see how Merc had finally come around to the idea of bringing us a hatchback again.
FUUUUUUUU
Why must the US market Sedan All The Things?
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E90M3
> Ash78, voting early and often
04/04/2019 at 10:41 |
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No idea, I would be a lot more inclined to get one if it was a hatch.
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Ash78, voting early and often
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 10:47 |
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I felt the same way about the 1-series BMW — that was an iconic European lux/hot hatch for years, then they launched it in the US as basically a squished 3. I really wanted the functionality of a GTI, but with RWD and an I6 engine.
At the time, I thought the US 1-series
was
ridiculous
to cannibalize 3-series
sales like that, but if you look at the CUV segments today, it’s 10x worse.
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fintail
> LOREM IPSUM
04/04/2019 at 10:49 |
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That was a golden age for MB, even as the 126 became an aged platform, it remained at the top of the heap. There weren’t a ton of non-engine differences between those cars, yeah. Largest difference may be those seats, wood trim type, rear suspension, maybe town and country horn etc.
With P-cars being a trend lately among monied men of a certain age, the 930 might have a better long term ROI, that era was a Ferrari bubble if I recall right.
MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 10:59 |
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S ounds like you should stop by the local Kia dealer and check out a Stinger!
ZHP Sparky, the 5th
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 12:12 |
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Eh, neither of those are enthusiast oriented cars. And for the average joe they won’t care if it’s RWD or FWD (or even know for that matter) – and the new A Class comes very nicely loaded with all of Merc’s new tech. So expect the A Class will actually win out for quite a few folks, at least until the C is refreshed with the same goodies – at which point I would expect it to go for a pretty high premium compared to the A.
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E90M3
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/04/2019 at 16:03 |
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E90M3
> ZHP Sparky, the 5th
04/04/2019 at 16:03 |
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Probably fair.
Jordan
> E90M3
04/04/2019 at 16:52 |
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Wouldn't bother with an A Class. Unlike the C Class, which feels like a smaller S Class, the A Class feels like a premium Corolla. And lower-spec versions still have a torsion beam rear suspension, like an old Chevy Cavalier.
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> E90M3
04/05/2019 at 10:00 |
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Solid review. Sounds like the dealer didn’t overly harass by trying to trap you with your trade in key and a 4 square finance sheet.
It’s a lot of car for the money is the key with it.
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E90M3
> MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
04/05/2019 at 10:15 |
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It is a lot of car for the money, but I don’t think I could bring myself to spend that much on a Kia.
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MontegoMan562 is a Capri RS Owner
> E90M3
04/05/2019 at 10:29 |
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It sure is. My thinking on them has been to wait a few years to let depreciation do it’s thing and while depreciation is at work we can also watch the quality/reliability of that 3.3 TT V6 and the awd/rwd drivetrain. All of it was new for the Stinger. They’re putting it all in the new K900 so they obviously believe in it, but we get to see how it lasts and save money.
gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
> E90M3
04/05/2019 at 23:06 |
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my best friend was in love with the cla and came to the same conclusion after they started hitting lots. he finally said fuck it and got accord with every option for 2/3 the cost with more power
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E90M3
> gmporschenut also a fan of hondas
04/06/2019 at 08:52 |
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I think it all depends on whether or not you’re willing to spend the money, I’ve really got no problem with the A-Class, but why would you buy one when you can get a better Mercedes for the same amount?