Mercedes-Benz W168

It has been 16 years since the debut of the Mercedes A-Klasse. Offered on the secondary market, the copies, as a rule, have already changed more than 2-3 owners and have a real mileage of about 200-300 thousand km.

Review

It has been 16 years since the debut of the Mercedes A-Klasse. Offered on the secondary market, the copies, as a rule, have already changed more than 2-3 owners and have a real mileage of about 200-300 thousand km. The well-groomed A-class of 1998-2002 can be purchased for 250-320 thousand rubles.

The A-Klasse provides easy parking, excellent visibility from the driver’s seat and provides a large amount of interior space – at least for a body of such limited dimensions. Not everyone knows that this car has a very small ground clearance, and therefore, during parking, you can easily hook the bottom of the curb or frozen pile of snow.

Changes made in 1998 to improve the stability of the car, led, in particular, to a reduction in the profile of the tires (when changing wheels, you must strictly adhere to the instructions for use!) and increase the rigidity of the suspension. As a result, the handling of Mercedes acquired sporty features, and the suspension began to absorb irregularities with average efficiency.

The W168 was redesigned in 2001. The changes were received by the headlights and the center console.

The body of the A-Klasse is well protected from corrosion, and the availability of body parts is satisfactory. Even small accidents can cause additional costs. For example, immediately behind the front bumper are the fragile elements of the engine units.

Engines

For those who decide to purchase the A-class, you can recommend reliable and economical diesel engines 160 CDI (60-75 hp) 170 CDI (90-95 hp). Despite the presence of the "common rail" system, problems with nozzles are rare here, and the clutch system with a double flywheel does not cause problems even at 200 thousand km. If you have a choice, it’s best to opt for the stronger version of the 170 CDI, as it burns as much fuel as the 160 CDI and is good for long trunk trips. Maintaining a constant speed of 130-140 km / h is not difficult. You need to think carefully before buying gasoline modifications. For engines with a displacement of 1.4 and 1.6 liters, Mercedes is too heavy and consumes a lot of fuel. In urban traffic, at least 10 liters per 100 km are consumed. The most powerful A 190 burns even more, but at least its power of 125 hp. Regardless of the type of engine chosen, opening the hood, the most you can do is check the oil level and add it. Access to the units is very difficult due to the unusual location of the engine, which is strongly inclined forward and partially pushed under the two-layer bottom. Most sellers are cunning, claiming that looking under the hood too often is not necessary, due to the fact that all engines Mercedes A-Klasse have a chain-type timing system drive. The vast majority of used instances require replacement of polyclinic drive belt of hinged units (generator, air conditioning compressor, GUR pump).

Walking

The original Mercedes wheels are used with low profile tires. On the one hand, this is one of the mandatory elements that guarantee good handling. But on the other hand, it is higher costs for the purchase of tires, as they are 1.5-2 times more expensive than conventional tires from competitors. Low-profile tires are also too vulnerable to mechanical damage on Russian roads.

The front suspension design is based on the McPherson system with minor but patented modifications to Mercedes. The rear suspension is an independent multi-link. The front suspension in maintenance is not expensive. You have to change the pendulum levers, the Silent blocks and the squirrels.

Unfortunately, the combination of a fairly rigid suspension and low-profile tires leads to faster wear of the suspension elements than in the larger models of the brand. Fortunately, most repairs are relatively cheap.

The Mercedes A-Klasse W168

1998 – suspension modification, ESP entered the basic configuration, there were diesel modifications 160 CDI and 170 CDI

2001 – restyling, appeared 17 cm version

2002 – A 210 Evolution sports modification is released

Typical malfunctions and problems

• Small electrical problems, such as the power windows stop working

• squeaky-upholstery

• Problems with normal operation of gasoline engines operated with the cheapest equipment for LPG

• Starter trouble. The issue is complicated by the location of the unit between the engine and the body. There is no chance of a quick fix of the fault. The manufacturer used two types of starters – Valeo and Bosch. Some have a built-in immobilizer. After replacing the starter by about 120,000 to 180,000 km, the engine can stop starting without the help of ASO software.

What to choose

• diesel engines with confirmed mileage up to 200 thousand km

• Extended version, providing plenty of space on the back of the sofa

• Extra-equipped Webasto instances

What to avoid

• Cars after a minor impact to the front. The scale and complexity of the repairs may come as an unpleasant surprise.

• 1.4-liter gasoline units - low power and high fuel consumption

• vehicle-based

Review

• Changes made in 1998 to improve the stability of the car, led, in particular, to a reduction in the profile of the tires (when changing wheels, you must strictly adhere to the instructions for use!) and increase the rigidity of the suspension.
• The body of the A-Klasse is well protected from corrosion, and the availability of body parts is satisfactory.

Engines

• Despite the presence of the "common rail" system, problems with nozzles are rare here, and the clutch system with a double flywheel does not cause problems even at 200 thousand km.
• You need to think carefully before buying gasoline modifications.
• Regardless of the type of engine chosen, opening the hood, the most you can do is check the oil level and add it.
• Most sellers are cunning, claiming that looking under the hood too often is not necessary, due to the fact that all engines Mercedes A-Klasse have a chain-type timing system drive.
• If there is a need to replace pulleys or repair the generator, then the dismantling of the power unit can not be avoided.
• Services specializing in the repair of Mercedes A-class, even recommend to its customers to carry out comprehensive maintenance of the generator, starter, belts, spark plugs and incandescent lamps, which will allow you to forget about possible problems for a long time, at least for the next 70-100 thousand km.

Walking

• Unfortunately, the combination of a fairly rigid suspension and low-profile tires leads to faster wear of the suspension elements than in the larger models of the brand.
• Fortunately, most repairs are relatively cheap.

Typical malfunctions and problems

• Small electrical problems, such as the power windows stop working
• Problems with the normal operation of gasoline engines operated with the cheapest equipment for operation on LPG
• There is no chance of a quick fix of the fault.

Looking at the value for money, the car seems like a pretty attractive proposition, especially for use within the city. The most preferred diesel modifications of the last years of production. Giving a little more for a well-groomed specimen, there is a chance to avoid trouble with the engine.

• Overview: The body of the A-Klasse is well protected from corrosion, and the availability of body parts is satisfactory.
• Engines: Despite the presence of the "common rail" system, problems with nozzles are rare here, and the clutch system with a double flywheel does not cause problems even at 200,000 km.
• Driving: Unfortunately, the combination of a fairly rigid suspension and low-profile tires leads to faster wear of suspension elements than in the larger models of the brand.
• History of Mercedes A-Klasse W168: 1998 - suspension modification, ESP entered the basic configuration, there were diesel modifications 160 CDI and 170 CDI 2001 - restyling, there was a 17 cm version 2002 - a sports modification A 210 Evolution
• Typical malfunctions and problems: - small electrical problems, for example, stop working electric windows - creaky upholstery on pre-restyling machines - problems with the normal operation of gasoline engines operated with the cheapest equipment for working on liquefied gas LPG - problems with the starter.
• What to choose: - diesel engines with confirmed mileage up to 200 thousand.
• What to avoid: Cars after a minor impact to the front.

Shows, bargaining and re-registration take time: buyers look, promise to think and disappear. Fair price after inspection closes the auction on the spot. If money is needed urgently, the purchase takes away waiting and repeat displays.

Leave a request with the car data. We will discuss the preliminary assessment and inspection. After checking the status and documents, we agree on the final price and terms of the transaction.