"xtheunknown" (chrisamaru)
01/28/2014 at 08:58 • Filed to: None
2
23|
"xtheunknown" (chrisamaru)
01/28/2014 at 08:58 • Filed to: None | 2
| 23 |
This is my 2014 Mercedes CLA250:
It's a beautiful car and drives great. It's got 208HP and 258 Ft-Lbs of torque. In my opinion, plenty of power. Some say it is underpowered, but here in the US, how much power do you need? It has a top speed of 143 mph. Higher than any posted speed limit.
I find it's torque is more than adequate in the get up and go department. I press the accelerator and it goes. Really fast. So fast that sometimes I find myself going faster than advisable. Mind you, I don't live in Montana or North Texas where there are roads that are flat and straight and you don't see a car for miles. I live in the Boston area. Off of a ring road interstate that doesn't go straight for more than a quarter of a mile at a time. There are police everywhere and you speed at your own risk as I found out merging from one interstate to another getting a ticket for going 71 in a 45.
As an auto enthusiast, I am always thinking about the next car. No matter how much I like a car, I am always thinking about what's next. I like this car so much, that I would probably get another one at lease end. Perhaps a different color or different options or maybe a CLA45 AMG! Here's my problem. With 355HP and 358 Lb-Ft of torque, am I crazy to buy a car that will almost certainly get me in trouble? Big trouble. I'm interested to hear peoples answer to the question, "Is there ever too much power in a car?"
Tom McParland
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:08 |
|
I think the CLA is perfectly powered for most folks...while the CLA 45 would be bonkers fun I can see where you are coming from. I know when I had my LGT wagon, it always seemed like I could get into trouble. That thing could reach illegal speeds real fast. But I also came from a '04 Mini Cooper so that was a big power jump. I had to get rid of the Subie because of trans problems and picked up a '10 Mazda 3, while the car is punchy enough for most I really miss the power from the LGT. So I guess it really comes down to what you are used to. If you picked up something with 300+ hp the first couple of months will feel weird, but then you settle into it.
gometz
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:09 |
|
I am going to say kind of? From what perspective? If you only use it to commute and don't ever treat yourself (and the car) to a twisty road, yes there is such a thing as too much power.
Nerd-Vol
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:11 |
|
May I ask, what car were you last driving that makes your new one with, 208hp and 258 Ft-lbs of torque, feel like a rocket?
The key also for dealing with a fast car is simple: Self control. Essentially you know when to hold em and you know when to go all in. If I went around using all my car's potential I would be placed under the jail. Just gotta know when and where to use it.
Regardless, congrats on the purchase and drive safely!
Textured Soy Protein
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:12 |
|
In my own personal experience, having a faster car tends to make me want to drive faster. But that's not just on the interstate. It's everywhere.
I drive a lot faster when I'm in my 320 hp, 3400 lb BMW 135is than when I'm in my 235 hp, 4400 lb Jeep Grand Cherokee. I've mostly been driving the Jeep during the winter, and a few weeks ago I took the 135is to get washed. I was like "oh yeah, I remember now, this is what a fast car feels like" and then I turned into Ricky Bobby.
That said, I live in Madison, WI—a place where way too many people drive way too slow. Like the right lane on the highway will be a bunch of people doing 5 under the limit when there's no traffic preventing them from going faster. So it's easy to get frustrated with drivers here even in the big slow Jeep.
Storz
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:14 |
|
It is not so much the 208hp that I don't like about the CLA, its the fwd configuration.
Jeff-God-of-Biscuits
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:15 |
|
I think a lot of it is going to depend upon personal responsibility. If you can remember that you have that much power underfoot and treat it respectfully, then you'll do just fine. If the first thing you do when you get into a car is see how far the pedal goes down and how much noise it can make, then you might want to stay where you are.
BugEyedBimmer - back in the Saddle Dakota Leather
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:15 |
|
"As an auto enthusiast, I am always thinking about the next car. No matter how much I like a car, I am always thinking about what's next."
I'm glad I'm not the only one. As much as I love my Si, my head pretty much stays on swivel looking at what's next.
yamahog
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:27 |
|
A similar dilemma and a similar problem with law enforcement drove my awesomely generous father to give his Yamaha to me and his Mustang GT to my sister. He just ordered a new FZ-09 though, so apparently he was only taking a break with mama speed.
Also, invest in a radar detector!
|
xtheunknown
> Nerd-Vol
01/28/2014 at 09:53 |
|
A 2013 Cadillac ATS 2.5L. Same horsepower, way less torque.
Casper
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 09:56 |
|
Sorry, I really wanted to offer something constructive, but I was laughing so hard about a 208HP/3400lb car being "Really fast". That one made my morning. Buy whichever you want, neither car will be too fast.
The only thing that could get you into trouble is the part behind the wheel.
|
xtheunknown
> gometz
01/28/2014 at 09:58 |
|
It is my daily driver, but I do enjoy getting it out on the twisties. Case in point. I went to visit my friend who lives in upstate NY. Half way is Brattleboro, VT. I took the back roads and enjoyed it very much. Hilly and curves. The car did great there. What I wonder is whether 355HP would have made it better even though the speed limit was no higher than 55MPH.
|
xtheunknown
> Storz
01/28/2014 at 09:58 |
|
Have you driven it? I don't mind the FWD. Coming from a RWD ATS, it's not bad. Much better in the snow.
davedave1111
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:02 |
|
Slow car fast or fast car slow? Personally I'm wholly in the slow car fast camp when we're talking about public roads.
And by the way, anyone who says your car is underpowered is either an idiot or a troll. Either way, they can be safely ignored. The 120bhp 1.6 turbo is perfectly adequate, even reasonably rapid. Double that is plenty and enough power.
|
xtheunknown
> Casper
01/28/2014 at 10:02 |
|
It only weighs 3200 lbs. I guess this is why I wrote this post. I think the car is plenty fast for where I live and you laugh at it. To each his own, I guess.
|
Casper
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:09 |
|
Sorry, transposed those numbers. The average estimated weight of the CLA 250s is around 3400 lbs (3300-3450 depending on trim and to get under 3400 you have to skip almost every option and opt for feature deletes and dead panels). It's only a 6.6-6.7 0-60. It's not really an opinion, that's just an average performance metric for cars today (and it's 1/4 is actually below average at 15 seconds). For reference, an FR-S/BRZ is several tenths faster to 60 and about 8 tenths quicker at the end of the 1/4... and nearly everyone feels they are under powered.
Don't worry about the power issue, you could double it and be fine with that car.
|
Storz
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:22 |
|
I have not yet, just speaking from experience with other "high" hp fwd cars. I def need to though, I would love to be surprised.
efme
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:22 |
|
I think I have too much powa under the hood. waste of gas too.
|
Storz
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:27 |
|
What is this "too much power" concept you speak of? ;)
If you can leave two black stripes from the exit of one corner to the braking zone of the next, you have enough horsepower. - Mark Donohue
|
Nerd-Vol
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:37 |
|
Okay. It really is impressive what some torque will do.
May I ask if there was any really pressing reason you got out of the Caddy so soon? I really like the ATS and want one in the future. Did you have problems with it?
Rico
> xtheunknown
01/28/2014 at 10:43 |
|
Sometimes I wish I lived in some of the fly over states that people on Oppo live, here in the city there's not even room to hoon, unless you want to get arrested or sued into oblivion. It's like when I see a CLS63 here in NYC and I know it's never been red lined a day of it's life, there just isn't enough room.
|
xtheunknown
> Nerd-Vol
01/28/2014 at 11:24 |
|
Nope, no problems except for the deer that jumped in front of me and kicked out the Caddy logo, though I suppose that's not Cadillac's fault. I got a payout for my wrecked Harley and since I couldn't ride a bike I decided to get a new car. I wouldn't recommend the 2.5L. Just spring for the 2.0T or 3.6. You'll be much happier.
|
xtheunknown
> Storz
01/28/2014 at 11:25 |
|
There isn't a lot of torque steer. It's not bad for a torquey FWD car.
Gizmo - The Only Good Gremlin, but don't feed me after Midnight
> efme
01/28/2014 at 23:36 |
|
Yes you do