Mercedes GLA 250

[bearishgurl]

[quote=paramount][quote=bearishgurl] I remember this because I had been considering buying a decent (used) 4WD 4-Runner for several years and they are very scarce (for good reason). [/quote]

They’re not really scarce, although they should be in so cal since 99% of drivers in so cal will never need or even use 4wd. It’s a waste of money.[/quote]

paramount, for a period of a few months, I kept tabs on several websites (autotrader, etc) on 4WD 4-Runner ads and they were far and few between. And the ones which DID appear were sold before I called on them. I had my parameters set on 100 miles from my home (incl Temecula and the bulk of the OC). No luck. Even the 4-Runners with an excess of 200K miles on the odometer sold very quickly.

And the current year doesn’t seem to be stocked very well in the local Toyota dealers … at least in SD County. More likely, the customer who really wants a specific one will have to order it.

There is a REASON for all of this and that reason is that the current (4WD) 4-Runner owners are NOT selling.

Ask yourself WHY.

[paramount]

I looked at 4Runner’s before buying my Sequoia, and there was plenty of inventory new and used. 4wd/awd and 2wd. No issues at all.

In fact, I almost drove home in a 2015 Toyota 4Runner Limited AWD – but decided they just don’t have enough room for our needs.

They are nice though…

[skerzz]

[quote=spdrun]Why does anyone need an soft-roader EthYooVee in San-damn-Diego?[/quote]

Pot holes and mall parking lots! Not for me tho, I prefer/need a more capable vehicle when I get the opportunity to escape the city.

[Coronita]

.

[svelte]

Treehugger, I say go for it.

I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.

If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.

[ocrenter]

Prius driver getting into a Mercedes should be graduating to a MB B Class! What are you doing!!!??? j/k

[bearishgurl]

[quote=svelte]Treehugger, I say go for it.

I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.

If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.[/quote]

Well, I haven’t yet seen a GLA 250 “in person,” svelte, but I think the *new* (2013 forward) Lexus RX350 F-Sport just screams “Look at me!”

And I think the design of the not-yet-released 2016 model is just incredible … extremely bold and attention getting.

The new or newer RX F Sport might be a little impractical for me but I am just in awe of its looks. A 4-Runner or Jeep GC is probably more practical for me (tires & suspension mostly) and are also very handsome. The newer 4Runner looks a lot like the (now discontinued) FJ Cruiser, but of course it is longer. The 4Runner is in the same price range as the RX (when outfitted with options to compare equally with Lexus std equipment) but I don’t know if that will still be the case in the 2016 model year. The Jeep GC is more expensive than the Lexus in the top 2 trims, I believe, but it definitely has more bells and whistles for mtn driving, gravel roads and trails.

In any case, I won’t be in the market until the last quarter of 2016 and may end up buying used (5+ yrs old).

[svelte]

[quote=bearishgurl][quote=svelte]Treehugger, I say go for it.

I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.

If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.[/quote]

Well, I haven’t yet seen a GLA 250 “in person,” svelte, but I think the *new* (2013 forward) Lexus RX350 F-Sport just screams “Look at me!”

And I think the design of the not-yet-released 2016 model is just incredible … extremely bold and attention getting.
[/quote]

[quote=bearishgurl][quote=svelte]Treehugger, I say go for it.

I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.

If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.[/quote]

Well, I haven’t yet seen a GLA 250 “in person,” svelte, but I think the *new* (2013 forward) Lexus RX350 F-Sport just screams “Look at me!”

And I think the design of the not-yet-released 2016 model is just incredible … extremely bold and attention getting.

[/quote]

Where do I begin.

Just stop pushing the Toyota bs! It’s as if Mr Toyoda inserted a microchip in your brain that says buy nothing but his products! Step back and look objectively! They are no better and no worse than any other brand!!

When someone starts a thread about a certain product, they really aren’t asking to be steered towards your sacred cow!

And some of us – me in particular – cannot stand Toyota or Lexus. There will never, ever be one in my garage…that’s how much I hate that company.

Lastly, believe it or not, not all people buy great looking cars to get attention. We buy cars because we like them, not what other folks think, and I suspect a lot of other folks do too. One of my cars has a reputation as an old geezer car, but I don’t really give a flyin f. I enjoy it, it brings me pleasure, so I’ll continue to own and drive it and smile the whole time. Whether it gets attention or not.

[bearishgurl]

[quote=svelte][quote=bearishgurl][quote=svelte]Treehugger, I say go for it.

I’m not much on SUVs or MBs, but every time I see one of these GLA 250s I pause and look – very nice design! If we were in the market for a smaller SUV, the GLA would probably be the first thing I test drove.

If you get it, you’ll have to let us know how you like it.[/quote]

Well, I haven’t yet seen a GLA 250 “in person,” svelte, but I think the *new* (2013 forward) Lexus RX350 F-Sport just screams “Look at me!”

And I think the design of the not-yet-released 2016 model is just incredible … extremely bold and attention getting.

[/quote]

Where do I begin.

Just stop pushing the Toyota bs! It’s as if Mr Toyoda inserted a microchip in your brain that says buy nothing but his products! Step back and look objectively! They are no better and no worse than any other brand!!

When someone starts a thread about a certain product, they really aren’t asking to be steered towards your sacred cow!

And some of us – me in particular – cannot stand Toyota or Lexus. There will never, ever be one in my garage…that’s how much I hate that company.

Lastly, believe it or not, not all people buy great looking cars to get attention. We buy cars because we like them, not what other folks think, and I suspect a lot of other folks do too. One of my cars has a reputation as an old geezer car, but I don’t really give a flyin f. I enjoy it, it brings me pleasure, so I’ll continue to own and drive it and smile the whole time. Whether it gets attention or not.[/quote]

Uh, svelte …. this OP actually WAS and IS a Toyota owner …. at least twice … hence my suggestion. And you’ve posted before here that your son purchased a used Lexus for a good price and was happy with it.

Yes, I’ll admit that I’m partial to Toyota products but I’ll be the first to tell you that I ALSO don’t give a flying fig what people think of my 21-year old sedan. Except for a 1970’s era Corolla and the 1990 Hilux pickup described here (both loaded and cost much, much less at the time than do new vehicles today), every single vehicle I have purchased has been used.

And I am older and have purchased MANY used vehicles in my lifetime.

I, too smile every year at the time my ($89) registration arrives from the DMV.

Not sure if the latest model Lexuses really have a “new car premium” because my research showed me that they cost the same (or nearly the same) used for the two model years preceding the newest model.

Yes, I DO VERY MUCH like the looks of the newer RX F-Sport (esp the upcoming 2016 model) but it’s likely not a very practical vehicle for me when I finally end up buying a AWD/4WD vehicle. I want/need a vehicle that I wouldn’t be afraid to get dirty. And more rubber and higher off the ground would be much better for my purposes, methinks.

[treehugger]

I did it, sold the Prius and bought a GLA 250. I test drove pretty much all the competition! The new lexus SUV was really nice, similarly equipped a bit more money, and a bit larger, personally, I HATE the front grill and could not get over how much it disturbs me. The little lexus CT 200h hybrid is again a nice car, but style wise just not doing it for me (on the flip side one of my friends has decided she loves it and is selling her Prius and getting one), we looked at the audi 3 (not a fan), and the BMW 1 and 3, not really what I am looking for (fyi the new BMW 1 is coming out in a few weeks and sounds interesting with some really good deals on the current 1 series, but I think it looks similar to the audi 3). I even looked at the Mazda lineup they have a 3, 5, and 7, which are actually really nice but the 3 is too small and the 5 loaded ends up being nearly the same price. I really liked the Toyota highlander, but it is way too big for me and the hybrid is expensive.

Overall for looks I preferred the Mercedes GLA 250, just my preference. Gas mileage, performance, and price were also great, so for me the clear winner was the GLA.

I will say that all of the dealerships I went to were HUNGRY!!! The deals were fantastic, I got a fully loaded AWD MB for about $10,000 off MSRP and I really think that the Lexus and BMW dealerships were just as open to deals. Well except for Toyota Highlander, no deal there.

[spdrun]

I guess the post recession auto buying craze is over?

[bearishgurl]

[quote=treehugger]I did it, sold the Prius and bought a GLA 250. I test drove pretty much all the competition! The new lexus SUV was really nice, similarly equipped a bit more money, and a bit larger, personally, I HATE the front grill and could not get over how much it disturbs me. The little lexus CT 200h hybrid is again a nice car, but style wise just not doing it for me (on the flip side one of my friends has decided she loves it and is selling her Prius and getting one), we looked at the audi 3 (not a fan), and the BMW 1 and 3, not really what I am looking for (fyi the new BMW 1 is coming out in a few weeks and sounds interesting with some really good deals on the current 1 series, but I think it looks similar to the audi 3). I even looked at the Mazda lineup they have a 3, 5, and 7, which are actually really nice but the 3 is too small and the 5 loaded ends up being nearly the same price. I really liked the Toyota highlander, but it is way too big for me and the hybrid is expensive.

Overall for looks I preferred the Mercedes GLA 250, just my preference. Gas mileage, performance, and price were also great, so for me the clear winner was the GLA.

I will say that all of the dealerships I went to were HUNGRY!!! The deals were fantastic, I got a fully loaded AWD MB for about $10,000 off MSRP and I really think that the Lexus and BMW dealerships were just as open to deals. Well except for Toyota Highlander, no deal there.[/quote]

Thanks for this post, treehugger. It sounds like you did pretty well, deal-wise! Did you sell your Prius yourself or trade it in? Yes, some of the Lexuses which came out in recent years (sedan, coupe and CUV) are tiny. I have to laugh at the recent and current ES models as its trunk is half the size of its predecessor! And the NT and CT are about the size of a Prius (well, the NT CUV could be a tad larger). I think Lexus is trying to now cater to a younger demographic to expand their devotee base, hence the “F Sport” model which debuted in model year 2013. Yes, I’m SURE that the F Sport grille, in particular, evokes a love it or hate it feeling but nothing in between from people who see it for the first time, lol … The grille on the 2016 model is even more obnoxious, as are the grilles on the ’14 and newer 4-Runners (borrowing the style from the FJ Cruiser). Gosh, I LOVE those new 4-Runners, especially the “Trail” Editions. They supposedly only get 17-18 mpg in the city, though, which was the same MPG that our Hilux SR-5 4×4 got back in the day. I really enjoyed driving that truck and even drove it coast to coast a couple of times (to FL and back). I was also the principal driver pulling a large skiboat to a family-owned lake cabin in flyover country (total of 39 ft long) and it towed extremely well, even with a manual transmission!

I DID read a review for the GLA 250 over the weekend and it stated that most of the models did NOT come with NAV or a screen of any kind and that it was extra. Did you get yours with NAV/Audio, etc?

[spdrun]

You can replace a tablet a lot cheaper than a car NAV system. With tablets being mainstream, a car NAV system that will be obsolete in a year or two is as useful as nipples on a male pig.

[treehugger]

Hey BG, sold the Prius myself in a matter of days to the first guy to look at. I bought it used for a great deal and sold it for near what I paid, so can’t complain. I don’t drive much so it was nearly 5 years old with less than 44,000 miles.

My new car is LOADED (so was my prius), I have the premium, sport, and comm packages came with NAV (large screen) and even have a subwoofer (I don’t even know what that is). I will admit that so far I think the nearly 5 year old Japanese technology is much more intuitive and advanced than current day state of the art German tech. I have only had the car a few days and am still trying to figure stuff out.

Not sure yet what my personal MPG will be, but the car is rated for up to 32 with the AWD (35 without). The Prius averaged 52 and the previous 4runner averaged 18 (which was painful).

[bearishgurl]

[quote=spdrun]You can replace a tablet a lot cheaper than a car NAV system. With tablets being mainstream, a car NAV system that will be obsolete in a year or two is as useful as nipples on a male pig.[/quote]spd, you’re telling this to someone who still uses foldout paper maps that my neighbors pick up for me for free when they visit the local AAA office (I’m not a member, lol). I keep a magnifying class in my console to help me see the small things on them :=]

[Author]

Posts