# Mercedes Benz A-Class



## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

In preparing to move I've been monitoring the (cheap) used car market to see what's available where. One thing that has struck me is the very large number of Mercedes Benz A-Class vehicles offered at what appears to be fairly low prices. We don't have those in the USA so I can't get a line on quality, equipage, etc. Reviews are unenthusiastic but not negative. 

Any idea why there are so many offered and why they are so comparatively inexpensive? 

:flypig:


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## baldilocks (Mar 7, 2010)

PauloPievese said:


> In preparing to move I've been monitoring the (cheap) used car market to see what's available where. One thing that has struck me is the very large number of Mercedes Benz A-Class vehicles offered at what appears to be fairly low prices. We don't have those in the USA so I can't get a line on quality, equipage, etc. Reviews are unenthusiastic but not negative.
> 
> Any idea why there are so many offered and why they are so comparatively inexpensive?
> 
> :flypig:


I thought it sounded familiar - this was the car that "fell over" 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mercedes-Benz_A-Class

MB recalled all the affected models that had been sold. Changed the design but, well sh*t sticks. People buy a Mercedes and expect a quality machine. My m-i-l had a large one that had formerly been an ambassador's car and it was class. When the in-laws moved to FL, they bought a 190 and it was absolute rubbish - all the plastic crystallised and fell apart - it couldn't cope with the continual high temperatures and the sun.


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

Mercedes makes everything from the lower end stuff all the way up to stuff that likely breaks a 100K. 

My guess the reason you're seeing so many A classes is they're coming off leases. The same way you might be seeing a lot of BMW 320D. Company rep cars that tend to be kept for two years and then replaced. The car is kept basically until the first service is due. The cars are I think bought VAT/IVA free. All this means the totally cost for the company is the depreciation (not a huge amount since the car was bought tax free) ,fuel and insurance.


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

*Cheap*

We obviously have a different idea of "cheap". I'm thinking 10 years old, 150.000km, and under E5.000. Clearly not off lease, any plastic which were going to crystallize would have done so, and its attraction to elk wold have diminished over time. I see lots of these advertised from E1500-3500, cheaper than Puntos.
:flypig:


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

150km in 10 years is serious mileage by European standards. Especially for what is basically a city car. The low mileage insurance discount I think is at 6K km a year.

Most likely the cars have some sort of problem. It may be a small problem but parts for a Mercedes are going to be much more expensive than a Fiat. Worst case would be a car with a faulty automatic transmission. 

I bet you could do the two year maintenance on a Fiat for €200 or so. Oil and all the various filters. A Mercedes?


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

*Paul makes a fiat*

This is mostly a curiosity question about what appeared to be an anomaly in the data. However I have yet to be entirely unconvinced about the MB.

I asked a woman I met how old you had to be before you were required to wear one of those vests with all the pockets. She said "75" and that at that age you were also required to drive a Panda. I'm in the market for both. (Seriously, where do you get the vests with all the pockets? I've never seen one in the shops.)

Fiats have historically been pieces of crap but (a) everybody's crap is much better these days and (b) if my crap crapped out anywhere in Italy if it were a Fiat I'm likely to find someone who could repair it.

Good point about the mileage (kilometerage?) particularly given Italian driving habits and the number of hills pulled with tiny engines. However diesels can rack up the kilometers and that's what I'm shooting for. 

:flypig:


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## NickZ (Jun 26, 2009)

The vests with all the pockets I'm guessing a fishing shop. Should be pretty easy to find in the US -)


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## GeordieBorn (Jul 15, 2016)

Our local ferramenta sells the vest...


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## Bevdeforges (Nov 16, 2007)

The other place to find the vests with all the pockets would be at a ham radio fair or expo. They're really popular there - and actually, here in Europe, the vendor who turns out to all the ham shows here is from Italy.
Cheers,
Bev


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

The vest thing was more or less a joke however I find it odd that anything so ubiquitous has such a low commercial profile.


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## PauloPievese (Nov 2, 2012)

If 6000km/yr is considered low, I'll modify my search to 10 years 100000km.


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