Topic: First Drive: 2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA 250 and CLA 45 AMG

[Northernridge]

with the pricing this good.... MB will most likely move the new C up market... these past years, MB has been giving the C away with discounts and rate cuts... a friend of mine got a C63 at around invoice

re: maintainance... not sure if MB offers free oil change like other german makers...coz most of these car are leased and the maintainance on them are very spotty...as in "leased car dont care" mentality

Free?!     

And the C is not going up market…it's hardly good enough to sit where it is.

[dirtyjeffer]

i don't mind the looks of this, and think that MB is smart at bringing a car that is not much more than the "class" below it...however, ever since seeing the A45 AMG many many months ago (online), it would be the one i would get...i prefer the style, size and utility the A45 AMG has over the CLA AMG.

also, regarding the $300 oil changes, is that "just" an oil change or are other things done as well?...i know my parents VW oil changes are $105, but they do include synthetic and only need to be done once a year, so while the oil change itself is more money, the overall cost is about the same (because it doesn't need to be done every 4-6 months).

[Northernridge]

i don't mind the looks of this, and think that MB is smart at bringing a car that is not much more than the "class" below it...however, ever since seeing the A45 AMG many many months ago (online), it would be the one i would get...i prefer the style, size and utility the A45 AMG has over the CLA AMG.

also, regarding the $300 oil changes, is that "just" an oil change or are other things done as well?...i know my parents VW oil changes are $105, but they do include synthetic and only need to be done once a year, so while the oil change itself is more money, the overall cost is about the same (because it doesn't need to be done every 4-6 months).

Just an oil change. At least the schedule works out to once every 18 months or so. I could show you the bill…The the Berlin taxi was around $350 with tax for an oil change and exactly nothing else…visual inspection maybe but that's not even a thing.

[mixmanmash]

i don't mind the looks of this, and think that MB is smart at bringing a car that is not much more than the "class" below it...however, ever since seeing the A45 AMG many many months ago (online), it would be the one i would get...i prefer the style, size and utility the A45 AMG has over the CLA AMG.

also, regarding the $300 oil changes, is that "just" an oil change or are other things done as well?...i know my parents VW oil changes are $105, but they do include synthetic and only need to be done once a year, so while the oil change itself is more money, the overall cost is about the same (because it doesn't need to be done every 4-6 months).

Just an oil change. At least the schedule works out to once every 18 months or so. I could show you the bill…The the Berlin taxi was around $350 with tax for an oil change and exactly nothing else…visual inspection maybe but that's not even a thing.

Apparently, they do a detailed inspection and tighten various "things."  Still, considering you only have to go in once every 18 months, it's not bad.  Remember, 8L of synthetic oil @ approximately $12 a bottle is $96.  That's about 1/3 of the bill.

Since both of my dad's MBs are off warranty, he started going to an independent MB shop.  They are very good and substantially cheaper than the dealer.

[dirtyjeffer]

yea, once every 18 months would likely be 4-5 oil changes for a "normal car", and they usually run $50 for standard oil...so $200-$250 likely wouldn't be "unheard of" for a regular car, so pushing to $300 including a visual inspection of things isn't that bad...while most don't think the visual inspections are "a thing", i disagree...in many cases, things like brake services and possibly catching something before it fails is how some items may be discovered...one may argue that a visual inspection every 18 months isn't as good as one every 4-6 months, and i would agree, it is still important...i have opted for the brake service on my cars over the years which runs $99, where they remove, clean and lubricate the caliper assemblies...i haven't had to replace any major brake components in the last 15 years...i know plenty of coworkers who have to replace calipers, etc on 2010 model cars because the calipers are seized...that isn't cheap.

[johngenx]

Is MB still putting the oil filter on the top?  I used to do an oil change on any of our MBs at home in about 15min using a LiquidVac.  Cheap upfront investment to save big bucks in the long run.

As for inspections, I would be fine with them if they actually did them.  I bet 99% of dealers charge for it and don't look.  A long time ago I caught them in their lies.

[Northernridge]

Is MB still putting the oil filter on the top?  I used to do an oil change on any of our MBs at home in about 15min using a LiquidVac.  Cheap upfront investment to save big bucks in the long run.

As for inspections, I would be fine with them if they actually did them.  I bet 99% of dealers charge for it and don't look.  A long time ago I caught them in their lies.

E350 filter is on top and easily accessible (it's at the front). I've seen on mb.forums quite a few guys do their own oil changes using the LiquidVac and claim it's the easiest oil change they've ever done.

[tpl]

B class filter is just behind the engine and up high enough to do easily.    Servicing is 20-25000 kms or yearly   6 litres of Mobil 1 and I think they only kick one tire.

[Hammy]

Good question. Mercedes dealership service departments do not have two rates…everyone pays $145/hour or more.

Welcome to the $300 oil change.

I wonder if people who paid ~$30K for their car will be happy about the $300 oil change when their buddy with a Ford/Kia...whatever, is paying $60-70 bucks.

I pay about $300 a year for my 3 Kia Service Checks so if I only go in once a year for the MB Service Check its not all that bad.

My Forester XT's oil change is $68, tax-in.

I'll +1 on the AWD front; and these engines are all far over-engineered...they'll last forever.
Still, I wonder how the fuel economy will look when you're pushing 26.5psi into that 4-pot...........

[Northernridge]

High praise for the CLA45 AMG by MotorAuthority http://www.motorauthority.com/news/1088305_2014-mercedes-benz-cla45-amg-best-car-to-buy-2014-nominee

Head-to-head on track against the legitimate sports cars on this year's Motor Authority Best Car To Buy list (the Porsche Cayman, Chevy Corvette Stingray, and Jaguar F-Type), the CLA45 AMG is a tick or two off the absolute pace--but it's every bit as fun to hurl around, and still quick in its own right. Head-to-head on the road against the larger luxury sedans on the list (Mercedes-Benz S Class, Porsche Panamera, Audi RS 7, Cadillac CTS), the CLA45 AMG isn't quite as well-equipped or finished inside--but it's somewhere between one-half and one-third the price of most of them, and it still offers all-day cruising comfort.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMG2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA45 AMGWe've had the fortune of spending more time in the CLA45 AMG than any other car on this list (and we've spent quite a lot of time in all of them), including about a dozen hours on the German autobahn, mostly in the rain, and close to 100 laps at the Streets of Willow in California. In both situations, the CLA45 AMG never ceased to give us smiles and satisfaction. Even when much more expensive, higher-horsepower hardware was available to drive, we kept coming back to the CLA45, whether it was to toss into a four-wheel drift at the track or to cover three hours of high-speed highway cruising.

[evil_twin]

Saw a white CLA 250 in the flesh over the weekend.  Thought I would like it, but not a big fan of the design.  Looks odd from most angles and kinda "fish like".

Beating a dead horse, but I'd love to see the A45 AMG brought here instead....

[Noto]

So my boss was flown out to Vegas last week, all expenses paid, by AMG to test drive all of them (hey, paid off for them, he ordered a CLS AMG at the end of it).  He now drives an E350 cabriolet and his wife a GL 350 Bluetec.

He tried the CLA 250 and 45AMG.  He came back with nothing but bad marks for it.  I was disappointed.  His biggest complaint was the handling - he felt that it was unstable, power delivery was disappointing, and it felt cheap.

Sure, his tastes are typically much better, but he said he tried to like it for his kid and just couldn't like it.

[Vanstar]

i don't mind the looks of this, and think that MB is smart at bringing a car that is not much more than the "class" below it...however, ever since seeing the A45 AMG many many months ago (online), it would be the one i would get...i prefer the style, size and utility the A45 AMG has over the CLA AMG.

also, regarding the $300 oil changes, is that "just" an oil change or are other things done as well?...i know my parents VW oil changes are $105, but they do include synthetic and only need to be done once a year, so while the oil change itself is more money, the overall cost is about the same (because it doesn't need to be done every 4-6 months).

Just an oil change. At least the schedule works out to once every 18 months or so. I could show you the bill…The the Berlin taxi was around $350 with tax for an oil change and exactly nothing else…visual inspection maybe but that's not even a thing.

Apparently, they do a detailed inspection and tighten various "things."  Still, considering you only have to go in once every 18 months, it's not bad.  Remember, 8L of synthetic oil @ approximately $12 a bottle is $96.  That's about 1/3 of the bill.

Since both of my dad's MBs are off warranty, he started going to an independent MB shop.  They are very good and substantially cheaper than the dealer.

Of course, there is no reason to go to the dealer for oil changes and pay the obligatory MB "Smile and Bend Over" game. Just find a good, reliable indie to do it for you and make sure you use an OEM filter. Keep the receipts and you'll have no problems should an engine failure occur, which is a pretty rare event these days.

My car has never been to the dealer, even when it was under warranty.

[mmret]

DIY oil changes on MB are super easy with an extractor. The oil filter is mounted up top so you don't even have to get under the car.