Car Chat

[Eye of the Tiger]

If this pans out, I'll never purchase another Ford product.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2018/11/13/ford-motor-credit-data-new-revenue/1967077002/

Why don't you want a Ford BBW (Big Brother is Watching) Scooter?

[MX793]

Why don't you want a Ford BBW (Big Brother is Watching) Scooter?

I'm less concerned with general rental scooter useage data.  That's no different than sales data and doesn't Trace to any individual's personal information (occupation, income, address, name, age, gender...).  More concerning is sale of consumer data from their finance division (the one that finances car sales) to be used for targeted marketing.

[MrH]

The CEO of Ford was on Freakonomics podcast recently.  Yeah, they're pitching themselves as a data company and think they deserve similar PE ratios as IBM & Microsoft.

[FoMoJo]

If this pans out, I'll never purchase another Ford product.

https://www.freep.com/story/money/cars/2018/11/13/ford-motor-credit-data-new-revenue/1967077002/

They got to get rid of Jim Hackett.  He starting to remind me of Harry Bennett.

They're making the same mistake GM did a few years ago.  Product is what's important.

[Eye of the Tiger]

I'm less concerned with general rental scooter useage data.  That's no different than sales data and doesn't Trace to any individual's personal information (occupation, income, address, name, age, gender...).  More concerning is sale of consumer data from their finance division (the one that finances car sales) to be used for targeted marketing.

I ain't scared. Ford doesn't make anything to target me with, anymore. I got the last one.

[cawimmer430]

On Tuesday my new ride will be here. 


Saw this black A200 AMG Line today at the dealership. God damn. 

[SJ_GTI]

On Tuesday my new ride will be here. 

[CaminoRacer]

finally!

[BimmerM3]

On Tuesday my new ride will be here. 

What color did you get?

[SJ_GTI]

What color did you get?

IIRC he went with a matte grey color.

[Laconian]

Ah, Mattengreiwaldersschungstrossenheisser, that's a nice color

[FoMoJo]

IIRC he went with a matte grey color.

With steel rims I think.  He didn't want to look like a boy racer.

[BimmerM3]

Ah, Mattengreiwaldersschungstrossenheisser, that's a nice color

[cawimmer430]

And it arrives just in time!

Because next week it's going to start getting really cold. They're expecting ice on the roads on Friday. My plan is to spend Wednesday taking some nice professional photos of the car and then having the 19" RIAL M10 wheels and Continental WinterContact TS860 Sport wheels fitted on Thursday. 

Don't expect any lockdown/performance videos yet because I was advised by the salesman to take it easy for the first 1500 km to allow the engine to break-in etc.

What color did you get?

Polar White. 

The images below (from MB's configurator) show you 100% how my car will look like. Some more info below.

Model: A250 (FWD) / 224-horsepower Turbocharged 2.0 4-cylinder (gasoline)
Seats: ARTICO (MB-TEX) with DINAMICA Micro-Fiber (Cloth) insets
Wheels (Summer): 19" AMG LMR Multi-Spoke (Silver)
Wheels (Winter): 19" RIAL M10 (Silver)


My selected options:

1) AMG Line (AMG body kit, AMG interior and seats and body lowered by 2 centimeters)

2) Night Package (black mirrors, darker headlights and tinted windows)

3) Business Package and Navigation Premium Package with extended MBUX interface

4) 360-Park Assist Camera

5) Adaptive Suspension

6) Mirror Package (automatic side and central mirror dimming)

7) Sportier Engine Sound Package (cost-free option  )

8) Technology Package - includes advanced LED High Performance Headlights

9) Sound System Package

10) Heatable Windshield-Washer-Fluid tank

11) Enlarged fuel tank (standard is 44 liters, enlarged is 66 liters)


I skipped the 64-color interior lighting package. Didn't feel like I needed it since I don't even change the wallpapers on my computers... 


Here's what my car will look like, outside and inside. 












And my winter wheels, RIAL M10. Got all four of them for a little over 600 Euros. The original 18" 5-Spoke AMGs these are based on cost 860 Euros - each. 

[heelntoe]

Did you manage to get them TUV approved?

[SJ_GTI]

Looks more like sky blue to me. Maybe they got your order wrong...

[BimmerM3]

Looks more like sky blue to me. Maybe they got your order wrong...

Yeah wtf? Those images are way more gray than the actual vehicle.

The actual car looks great.

[Laconian]

Ach, das Dreidimensionrenderangst!

[SJ_GTI]

That picture makes it look sort of mustard yellow. Guess we'll have to wait for the real life pics to see what color it is.

[FoMoJo]

Did you decide to go with the black star wheels?  They do look nice.

The whole building, including the floor, is grey in that image.  No wonder the car looks grey.

[CaminoRacer]

That picture makes it look sort of mustard yellow. Guess we'll have to wait for the real life pics to see what color it is.

No, that's definitely teal.

[FoMoJo]

A Class arrives in Canada...Mercedes-Benz Canada Launches A-Class Hatch With $35,990 MSRP

Love those wheels.

[MX793]

No, that's definitely teal.

I'd call it "Dusk".

[cawimmer430]

Oh it's really white. In the screenshots I posted the car appears darker because that's night mode. I felt the white car kinda got lost in that virtual world in the daylight setting. 

Mercedes' offers two types of white for the new A-Class: Polar White (my choice) and Digital White. Polar White is more matte whereas Digital White appears slightly metallic. Polar White costs 250,- Euros, Digital white 702,- Euros.

Stay tuned for some snapshots on Tuesday! Can't wait. 

Did you decide to go with the black star wheels?  They do look nice.

The whole building, including the floor, is grey in that image.  No wonder the car looks grey.

Nope, I stayed with the standard silver 19" AMG Multispoke LMR wheels. I think they work better with Polar White.

However, on say a yellow A-Class, the black 19" AMG Multispoke LMR wheels work better - they add more visual contrast. See for yourself on this quickly-configured-A160 AMG Line without Night Package and LED Headlights. 

[cawimmer430]

A Class arrives in Canada...Mercedes-Benz Canada Launches A-Class Hatch With $35,990 MSRP

Love those wheels.

Nice! The Hatchback and the Sedan were positively reviewed by The Straight Pipes, two Canadian car buffs. Mercedes' really hit a home run with the new A-Class. The same couldn't be said about the last generation, which was trendy and edgy but it just didn't impress you or stop you dead in your tracks. 

[cawimmer430]

So today I drove up to Nürnberg with the BMW. It was the last long drive I would undertake in the car. I enjoyed it. The direct steering feedback, the push feel of the RWD configuration etc. Lovely car.

About 30 km outside of Nürnberg this warning symbol light up. Damn, what now? I didn't even know what that symbol meant. The car drove fine. There was no power loss, steering felt normal etc.






I pulled off the Autobahn at the next exit, shut down the engine and checked the owner's manual. That symbol stands for numerous potential issues:

1) Board electronic failure

2) Fuel line issue

3) Brake issue

4) Cardan shaft issue

What a weird symbol to represent these non-related issues. Anyway, I abandon my initial destination and look for the closest BMW dealership. Luckily there was one about 10 km away. I pull into the dealer, hand over the keys and they immediately diagnose the problem as...

Both of my front brake pads were completely worn! We're talking completely worn. It's weird because the car braked fine, and there were no metal on metal noises etc.

I was actually aware of this issue since July when the TÜV and BMW dealership told me that my brake pads would have to be replaced before Fall. I just didn't bother with it because I was hoping they would last until the A250 arrived. The rear brake pads were fine and good for another 60,000 km according to BMW.

Here's the problem. I wasn't allowed back on the road with completely worn front brake pads. They would have called the cops on me if I had insisted on leaving without having the brake pads replaced, because it would be reckless driving on my part. I had to have them renewed.

Two front brake pads plus labor with 19% VAT? 605,- Euros. OUCH. 

Well at least I got a "free" car wash... 


Had the A-Class arrived in early November as promised I wouldn't have had this issue. 

[cawimmer430]

Did you manage to get them TUV approved?

Not yet.

The problem are not wheels - they are TÜV approved (and road legal) like everything else in Germany (even silicon for women with fake tits has to be TÜV approved here!).

The issue is that these wheels have not yet been tested on the new W177 A-Class.

I'm scheduling the tire change on Thursday, and then I have to drive over to the local TÜV and have them inspect the RIAL M10 wheels on the car so that they can make sure that everything is ok.

It shouldn't be an issue since the numbers of the 19" Rial M10s match those of the 19" AMG Multispoke LMR wheels. It's still annoying having to drive over there and getting all the paperwork etc. done.

[93JC]

About 30 km outside of Nürnberg this warning symbol light up. Damn, what now? I didn't even know what that symbol meant. The car drove fine. There was no power loss, steering felt normal etc.

<photo>

I pulled off the Autobahn at the next exit, shut down the engine and checked the owner's manual. That symbol stands for numerous potential issues:

1) Board electronic failure
2) Fuel line issue
3) Brake issue
4) Cardan shaft issue

What a weird symbol to represent these non-related issues.

The symbol is (clearly, to me...) a mechanic's lift. As in, "your car needs to go to a mechanic for inspection and repair of something".

Kind of like a check-engine light, but something that isn't as immediately serious.

Anyway, I abandon my initial destination and look for the closest BMW dealership. Luckily there was one about 10 km away. I pull into the dealer, hand over the keys and they immediately diagnose the problem as...

Both of my front brake pads were completely worn! We're talking completely worn. It's weird because the car braked fine, and there were no metal on metal noises etc.

...

Two front brake pads plus labor with 19% VAT? 605,- Euros. OUCH. 

$900 CAD for front brake pads? That is insanely expensive. I don't know why (or how) you put up with this.

[giant_mtb]

With the issues you've had, you've never seen that light?  Is there another form of check-engine light on the car?  Pretty obvious symbol to me...I mean, you've seen your car on the lift before...

[BimmerM3]

Anyway, I abandon my initial destination and look for the closest BMW dealership.

Kind of a random question, but do most people in Germany get their cars serviced at dealerships? It seems like most people in the states only take their cars to the dealership if it's still under warranty.