I've been reading a lot of the posts on here like 'do I buy an A-Class or get my nails done?' or 'how do I change a headlamp bulb?' or 'where is the battery?' etc but can't find much beyond basic common sense/owners handbook level - where are the enthusiasts hiding? Surely people have had these things apart and sussed out what really makes them tick? ...hints? ...tips? ...trade secrets? Anyone? :confused:

Its a pig of a car with a thousand and one problems, crap customer service and extortionate part prices, whats to be enthusiastic about?

It is wierd that people use this forum for advice on what to buy? Especialy when the reply is not an A Class He he

I've been reading a lot of the posts on here like 'do I buy an A-Class or get my nails done?' or 'how do I change a headlamp bulb?' or 'where is the battery?' etc but can't find much beyond basic common sense/owners handbook level - where are the enthusiasts hiding? Surely people have had these things apart and sussed out what really makes them tick? ...hints? ...tips? ...trade secrets? Anyone? :confused:

Listen you don't need to sound so patronising, Im mean you probably drive a 10 year old Datsun Sunny and hate Mercedes drivers because you feel intimidated by them...haha.
But seriously I have an 07 A Class 150 manual, and I thrash the arse off it, because its a bit slow to crank up, it averages 38-42 mpg irrespectively of how hard I do or don't drive it. I bought it second hand with 7,500 miles on and have clocked it up to over 30,000 miles. It is totally reliable, cheap group insurance and tyres all cheap around £65.00 each. I get to drive a Mercedes with a tiny amount of street-cred for pennies compared to any other new Mercedes. The residual values are high and I am going to stick 60K on it and then get rid of it. So seriously yes its a good car, utterly reliable, cheap to run, and I can drive it everywhere with my foot flat on the floor and not have worry about getting done for speeding (except when Im doing 80MPH in it)
I have owned a CLK conv, MClass 320 and 270 CDi, C Class 320 CDI, and
C180, C200, E 280 CDI and E200 and yes even compared to these its still a good car. So my advice is cut your running costs, swallow your pride and buy an A -Class, its not that bad really!!!!

Isnt it dependent to an extent on whether its the up to 2004 0r 2005 onwards series.
No real problems with my 2005/6 which gets hammered everday over the potholes of Malta.
Unfortunately lack of information spoils it from a DIY point of view. No Haynes for this year on. Cant even find an answer to a simple question which Ive asked on three Mercedes forums.
So no there are no real enthusiasts (if there were surely one would know what type of front wheel bearings it has and are they adjustable)