German Car Zone

cawimmer430 · 11-15-2007, 10:51 AM

In the defense of the current of A and B-Class, they're not rubbish. The first generation A-Class was a terrible car in terms of build quality and interior materials and engine refinement for instance, not the case with the current A or B-Class.

Many people just can't accept the fact that a "luxury brand" like Mercedes makes subcompacts. If you live in Europe, you might actually see the appeal. Fuel is expensive here, efficiency is a priority. Parking is hard to find, especially in the big cities: small cars come in handy in this case. These are all reasons why the A or B-Class exist. And let's not forget that they're a great way of attracting younger buyers.

I'm fine with the current A-Class. The car I don't really like is the B-Class. I thought the A-Class was just fine. Quite spacious and practical with zippy engines. Why make the B-Class: especially since it will steal sales from the A and C-Class.

The horrible W168 A-Class turned out to be "decent car" in the end, and it made the A-Class a "cult car" in Europe. Cult cars sell: look at the modern MINI, VW Beetle, Fiat 500 etc. This is a great way of selling cars, making money and satisfying a consumer need (the need to have a Benz, a safe car etc.). Besides, the current W169 A-Class is well built, reliable, fun to drive, zippy, spacious and fairly comfortable (a 6/10 in my book). It's a great car and owners think so too.

If I was MB, I'd can the B-Class. Seems pointless next to the A and C-Class.

coolraoul · 11-15-2007, 12:27 PM

The A/B-Class are good cars.
Excellent finition, good-looking, spacious, so not a basd car.

But too noisy, not comfortable enough.
And they have a big big problem for me, it is the driving position. The sandwich structure, so motors partly in front and partly under the car, with a double-floor, means that you sit very high. But the roof is not very high, so the driving position is strange: the seat is low, the floor is high. the roof is too low...
It means that the driving position is awful for me. you just aren't good. your legs are too high. not comfortable. so you try to high the seat, and you almost touch the roof...so you don't see anything because the windscreen is not high enough, you have the eye on the sunscreens... you low it, your legs are too high, you don't feel comfortable...

The passengers have the same problem...

This is the only car where I always am trying to find a driving position.

Too bad.

cawimmer430 · 11-16-2007, 04:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolraoul

This is the only car where I always am trying to find a driving position.

I'm 6'4" and I have absolutely no problems finding a comfortable seating position in an A or B-Class. I also don't bump my head with the roof (despite my Afro!

).

You can adjust the seats height-wise (lower or raise them). Try that next time you drive one.

My biggest problem with both the A or B-Class is the driving view upfront: you cannot see the tip of the hood, especially in the A-Class. This makes parking the car problematic, especially if you don't have Parktronic.

martinbo · 11-16-2007, 06:39 AM

The biggest problem I have with both the A and B Class is that they're really not nice to drive. Yucky brakes, neutered handling, bad bump absorption, mediocre engines, numb steering, excessive front tyre wear and so on. Sure, they're spacious but then so is a Multipla.

The A can stay. But the B...

coolraoul · 11-16-2007, 06:43 AM

I know Carwimmer, I know, even my old Golf has height-adjustable seats...

But the floor is too high compared to the seat. so your legs are too high/your seat is too low. It is not a comfortable position, due to the sandwich concept. If you height the seat, it is hardly better, but you seat too high and have the eyes on the sunscreen ( and not blender)...without being more comfortable.

This problem was terrific with the W 168, now a bit better with the W 169. But I can't find a good position. Big problem for me. Unrelaxed sitting position.

I won't say anything about the comfort (the uncomfort should I say, the car moves a lot on the bumps of the road, even on short bumps it moves. In fact it never stops the move a bit on the road... The W168 jumped on the road, the W169 is much better, But no real comfort). And the motors are really noisy... But the biggest problem is that driving position, for me.

martinbo · 11-16-2007, 07:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolraoul

But the floor is too high compared to the seat. so your legs are too high/your seat is too low. It is not a comfortable position, due to the sandwich concept. If you height the seat, it is hardly better, but you seat too high and have the eyes on the blenders...without being more comfortable.

Yeah, me too. I also hate having the eyes on the blenders. Especially when one's blending strawberries and the other's blending apples. Get's me all juiced up.

coolraoul · 11-16-2007, 09:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinbo

Yeah, me too. I also hate having the eyes on the blenders. Especially when one's blending strawberries and the other's blending apples. Get's me all juiced up.

I was sure that "blender" was the word for "sunscreen" (a derivate of blind, thought I) and was to lazy to verify...

My bad.
So read sunscreen instead of blender...

martinbo · 11-16-2007, 10:26 AM

^

No worries man... it's all good!

cawimmer430 · 11-16-2007, 03:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by martinbo

The biggest problem I have with both the A and B Class is that they're really not nice to drive. Yucky brakes, neutered handling, bad bump absorption, mediocre engines, numb steering, excessive front tyre wear and so on. Sure, they're spacious but then so is a Multipla.

The A can stay. But the B...

All the negative things you mentioned in your post apply more to the B-Class, not the A-Class. The A-Class is much sportier than the B-Class with a sharp steering response and harder suspension. The B-Class feels like a grandpa car hands down.

Also, none of the engines in the A or B-Class are mediocre. I've driven every single A and B-Class (except the A200 Turbo) with every transmission combination and the engines were perfectly fine. Refined and zippy, perfect for this class and perfect for a Mercedes engine. The old W168 A-Class was unrefined in all aspects, not so the new A-Class and to and the B-Class. The B-Class is just not sporty and has terrible handling and yes, the brakes on the B-Class (except the B200 Turbo) were a bit weak in my experience.

Like I said, love the A, hate the B...

cawimmer430 · 11-16-2007, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by coolraoul

I know Carwimmer, I know, even my old Golf has height-adjustable seats...

But the floor is too high compared to the seat. so your legs are too high/your seat is too low. It is not a comfortable position, due to the sandwich concept. If you height the seat, it is hardly better, but you seat too high and have the eyes on the sunscreen ( and not blender)...without being more comfortable.

This problem was terrific with the W 168, now a bit better with the W 169. But I can't find a good position. Big problem for me. Unrelaxed sitting position.

I won't say anything about the comfort (the uncomfort should I say, the car moves a lot on the bumps of the road, even on short bumps it moves. In fact it never stops the move a bit on the road... The W168 jumped on the road, the W169 is much better, But no real comfort). And the motors are really noisy... But the biggest problem is that driving position, for me.

I don't know how to explain it, but I have no problems with the leg space or seating position.

The comfort of the A-Class isn't that good (B-Class is much better since the suspension is so soft), but it drives sportier because of the harder suspension. On a scale of 10, I'll give it a 6 so it's acceptable overall.

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