A-Class (W176) [Official] Mercedes-Benz A-Class (W176)

[Brosif]

Question for anyone else stuck at work on xmas eve who feels like a chat

for those who pimped for the option - What are your impressions of the COMMAND option? I'm particularly interested in reports of the sound out of the the HK system.

Also, and related, how is the controller wheel/knob thing to use? I am familiar with and quite like modern versions of the BMW iDrive system so i am hoping it is as good as that for navigating around menus etc.

BTW Good luck on your delivery gun16!

 

[gun16]

Which Mercedes Benz? Mercedes Benz Brisbane?

If so... this is going to be so freakin frustrating, mainly because I would prefer it to be done for 2014 not rushed through on last day of the month.

Okay spoke to the assistant manager at MBB. Sounds like they will get 25 cars on Monday. Turning them around in that time period seems unlikely to me, but they are going to give it a red hot go without letting quality slip.

I will now just wait for the call rather than race back from holidays on the 31st.

 

[gun16]

Question for anyone else stuck at work on xmas eve who feels like a chat

for those who pimped for the option - What are your impressions of the COMMAND option? I'm particularly interested in reports of the sound out of the the HK system.

Also, and related, how is the controller wheel/knob thing to use? I am familiar with and quite like modern versions of the BMW iDrive system so i am hoping it is as good as that for navigating around menus etc.

BTW Good luck on your delivery gun16!

I am at work also so looking for things to do that aren't work related also lol

I have been using the control knob in a c200 for the best part of a month now and it works really well

 

[Brosif]

Okay spoke to the assistant manager at MBB. Sounds like they will get 25 cars on Monday.

Thats 25 cars of all types I'm guessing. Not just 25 A-classes right?

 

[g0dskitchen]

Also, and related, how is the controller wheel/knob thing to use? I am familiar with and quite like modern versions of the BMW iDrive system so i am hoping it is as good as that for navigating around menus etc.

I don't use the controller much, I l always speak to it... so much easier, you don't need to take your eyes off the road... sound system is ok, not much different from bose. you just need to turn up bass,,, I left mine on 6

 

[alebonau]

ps I got a drive in a friends' A45 on the weekend. wow what a fun machine ! the best part is the exhaust note, which is very prominent. and is true AMG in the burble and all sorts going on in sport mode. its more discrete in comfort mode but still there hehe. has the AMG exclusive pack as standard interior. which brings the AMG front seats and perforated leather seats in the back, better aircon. it has AMG lettering instead of mercedes benz on the runner boards as you enter. curiously missing the stainless rear runner boards the a250 has. interior wise looks quite identical to the a250 apart from the front seats and centre console shift lever for DNR. some other goodies like the AMG displays. Going for a drive the steering is a lot more direct with the a250 and suspension more connected again but yet I never felt it hard or harsh at any time. Never once too did it feel like even coming close to loosing traction. AMG done a magnificent job on the steering and suspension I reckon. Effortless acceleration and its not the kind of car where your insulated from all that performance. you really feel and hear it, its all there to enjoy. overall the A250 is very much like AMG very light by comparison. Worth every cent I reckon the a45 over the a250

very interestingly we popped over to another friends place afterwards and got a ride in his bmw 135i. now that in contrast is a very much more wolf in sheeps clothing kind of car. you really looking at it wouldn't know the performance that luis within, it looks not greatly different to the 125i. the front does look a lot nicer though and the rear more purposeful with its twin exhausts. nice standard rubber in the michelin pilot super sports. interior wise looks no different than the 125i and hasn't got a hint of its sportiness vs the overtly sporty interiors of the A250/a45. more standard bmw with some touches of elegance in the woodgrain inserts and white leather interior. Bit more cramped in the rear where I was sitting and less head room than the A class. though bmw does have a slightly bigger/deeper boot.



getting a ride in the back, on the road plenty of go with this thing. though exhaust noise doesn't intrude or as overtly sporty as the a45. a bit more sludgy under acceleration, but otherwise handled both power and speed and changes in direction very well, the suspension and ride not like the hard M series have experienced at times. and overall a car that seems to suit ageless pretty well as a car thats a bit of fun and yet works pretty well as a daily drive.



very interesting cars both of them. either perfect for their owners I think. gees I would be stuck if trying to pick between either of them though !

ps friend promised me a drive in the 135i next time around he's going past, looking forward to that one !

 

[bendoon]

Gun16..I am in sydney.

 

[gun16]

Thats 25 cars of all types I'm guessing. Not just 25 A-classes right?

Yes all models, I didn't bore him for specifics though lol

 

[Iain]

Question for anyone else stuck at work on xmas eve who feels like a chat

for those who pimped for the option - What are your impressions of the COMMAND option? I'm particularly interested in reports of the sound out of the the HK system.

Also, and related, how is the controller wheel/knob thing to use? I am familiar with and quite like modern versions of the BMW iDrive system so i am hoping it is as good as that for navigating around menus etc.

BTW Good luck on your delivery gun16!

I find the HK sound system to be brilliant. I'm not interested in the ability to play DVD's. Why would you sit in your car and watch a movie?? I still think the standard speaker system would be pretty good though being a Merc aimed at young(ish) people.
I love the wheel/controller thingy. I had my doubts coming from a touch screen in the Golf but it is SO much safer than trying to touch a screen whilst focusing on the road ahead. Wheel is second nature after a while and the display and software is very straight forward to use, particularly after couple of weeks and you can see that Merc have spent a long time making it very simple and user friendly. Having said that I find the linguatronics in the COMAND pack absolutely brilliant and use that most of the time.
I tried the new Audi system in the A3 and really struggled to figure it out but only played around with it for about half an hour. The A3 has reduced the number of buttons on the dash to the point that it looks REALLY plain. NO design and boring like all VW and Audi designs are becoming. The materials are magnificent quality but where is the design? I found the menu system MUCH easier to navigate through in the Merc screen as well. Audi have tried to make the icons etc look great and they move in a bloody circle whereas the Merc just has them at the top and bottom. The Audi wheel is also set too far back and doesn't fall easily to hand like the Merc's does. Shorter people would have the seat further forward and therefore the Audi mouse would be even harder to get to. The Merc has simple and very Germanic clever design. It just works.
Getting back in the 250 brought an immediate smile to my face. I love the choice of buttons, mouse thingy and voice commands as well. Classy but adventurous design.
Haven't tried the Beemer iDrive although it certainly sounds better than the total disaster of 10 years or so ago when it came out in the 7 series.
I'm very glad I don't have a touch screen anymore. It really was dangerous and very difficult to use whilst driving. I suppose Audi need to differentiate themselves from VW to justify the price.

 

[Newmerc]

Which Mercedes Benz? Mercedes Benz Brisbane?

If so... this is going to be so freakin frustrating, mainly because I would prefer it to be done for 2014 not rushed through on last day of the month.

The dealer is MB at Macgregor. Never receive any feed back. No reason for the delay.
And I agree. I don't want them to rush it.
Anyway, only a week - 10 days to go????

 

[kaktusdigital]

ps I got a drive in a friends' A45 on the weekend. wow what a fun machine !

Thank you for that comparison! How did you find the A45's transmission compared to the A250? In terms of responsiveness did you find the A45 much more punchy in low revs or was it still quite sedate as is the A250?

and Merry Christmas all!

 

[MTBRider]

Falling snowflakes and Christmas design around your avatar. How good is this site. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year everyone.

 

[alebonau]

Thank you for that comparison! How did you find the A45's transmission compared to the A250? In terms of responsiveness did you find the A45 much more punchy in low revs or was it still quite sedate as is the A250?

and Merry Christmas all!

hi kaktus, I wouldn't describe the a45 in anyway as sedate. but nothing different that I noticed with the transmission sorry to comment

 

[gun16]

The dealer is MB at Macgregor. Never receive any feed back. No reason for the delay.
And I agree. I don't want them to rush it.
Anyway, only a week - 10 days to go????

Ahh okay cool.

My car was paid for today by the leasing company, so going to be cut if I don't get it on Tuesday now since it will be coming out of my pay from tuesday.

 

[kaktusdigital]

Ahh okay cool.

My car was paid for today by the leasing company, so going to be cut if I don't get it on Tuesday now since it will be coming out of my pay from tuesday.

Sending you good vibes mate... hopefully all goes well!

 

[damedi]

Does anyone have 'Euro classic' plates (white) - NSW fitted (called 'Euro' standard in VIC)? These are 520mm wide for both front and back plates.

Do they interfere with any parking sensor etc at the front?

Looking to order plates and have recollections of reading somewhere that they caused issues/dealers were insisting on the smaller slimline plate for the front.

 

[db.]

Does anyone have 'Euro classic' plates (white) - NSW fitted (called 'Euro' standard in VIC)? These are 520mm wide for both front and back plates.

Do they interfere with any parking sensor etc at the front?

Looking to order plates and have recollections of reading somewhere that they caused issues/dealers were insisting on the smaller slimline plate for the front.

I have Qld Euro Plates - 520 x 112 mm and they're inside plate covers front and back - there is no issues with the parking sensors

 

[damedi]

Thanks db.!!

 

[gun16]

12.30pm tomorrow I get the car

Pretty excited

 

[JTMerc]

Does anyone have 'Euro classic' plates (white) - NSW fitted (called 'Euro' standard in VIC)? These are 520mm wide for both front and back plates.

Do they interfere with any parking sensor etc at the front?

Looking to order plates and have recollections of reading somewhere that they caused issues/dealers were insisting on the smaller slimline plate for the front.

I'm in Victoria and my dealer wouldn't put them on because of an official MB edict not to as they interfere with the parking sensors. I have seen A Classes in Melbourne with full size Euro plates, though. I am going to write to MB and ask them for more information.