1998 Mercedes-Benz A-Class Avantgarde review from UK and Ireland
"Without doubt the very worst car I have had in 50 years of motoring"
What things have gone wrong with the car?
Upon collection of the new £18,500 car there were 26 faults and the dealer (no longer a mercedes dealer) did not appear capable of sorting them out. So I was forced to use the good offices of a national newspaper motoring correspondent to obtain a means of faxing the head of Mercedes in Germany to attempt to put things right. Frankly with hindsight I should have returned the car as unsuitable!Since then I have suffered a catalog of electrical faults and the sun roof rattles badly, and the alarm has a mind of its own. It goes off without warning and you have to stop the car to reset it before resuming your journey. Now to add insult to injury the ECU unit has gone wrong and you have to submit copies of passport, driving license and registration document before Germany will send the £300 unit to their own dealer.
General comments?
Apart from these problems and the poor service from three different Mercedes dealerships, the car performs well on French auto routes, but is very difficult to park. and bits continue to drop off the under-tray.
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| Would you buy another car from this manufacturer? | No |
| First year of ownership | 1998 |
| Most recent year of ownership | 2003 |
| Engine and transmission | 1.6 petrol Semi-Automatic |
| Performance marks | 7/10 |
| Reliability marks | 0/10 |
| Comfort marks | 4/10 |
| Dealer Service marks | 1/10 |
| Running Costs (higher is cheaper) | 2/10 |
| Distance when acquired | 6 miles |
| Most recent distance | 50090 miles |
| Previous car | Ferrari F355 |
| Date of Entry | 18th December, 2003 |