New owner, breaking through doubts

toyutoyu · Aug 29, 2022

Hi all, I am a new GLA250 4MATIC owner here in NYC. I'm not sure what I could contribute here other than my own story. I am really not a car guy and know barely anything, but when I get into something, I really like to get into it, and my GLA has been kind of my entry into the automotive world.

Truth be told, the GLA was not my first choice, though it was my wife's. The test drive wasn't bad, but it was just missing something that I felt in an Audi Q5 and a BMW i4 and 4 series.

On top of that, reading all these criticisms of the GLA being in this purgatorial space where it's too big to be mobile and sporty yet too small to be a real practical SUV, and about how Mercedes Benz entry-level models are not great, I started to have lots of doubts about this purchase. From personal experience, the poor Android Auto integration and the weird touch controls make the UX rough.

But after a month with the car, it has grown on me, and I love it now. I've taken it to heart that it is an entry-level model and that I am a first-time car owner, and I'll use the opportunity to learn about cars and car ownership, from detailing to repairs and modifications to how to work with a dealership. More importantly, this opens up a world of day- and roadtrip possibilities that my wife and I can take. Taking it one step at a time, I'll enjoy the drive as much as I can until the warranty is exhausted.

Wayne · Aug 29, 2022

Welcome. I am always amazed at the number of people in NYC who learn about cars later in life.

You have a great car regardless of what you may read. To that end ... Beware of Forum Flu. These platforms tend to emphasize problems while suppressing everything that is good.

There are a couple links on hints and tricks on this Forum that will expose things you may not know about. Use your search tool.

Learn about your car. Enjoy your new found freedoms. Keep reporting back on your experiences and thoughts. You'll be forwarding a different view and new ideas compared to many people here.

toyutoyu · Aug 31, 2022

Wayne said:
Welcome. I am always amazed at the number of people in NYC who learn about cars later in life.

...

2019 gla owner said:
Unless you have any allegiance or commitment to the MB dealership for service, seeking out an independent speciality shop for MB routine service/repair can usually provide some significant cost savings utilizing knowledgeable qualified techs.

I've been watching channels on YouTube about Mercedes, like MBZ Master and Nick O'Leary. But those are more mainstream. I'm still not used to the idea that something that costs several tens of thousands of dollars loses value, still requires ongoing maintenance costs, and eventually becomes unusable, so I've been going less mainstream and reading several forums, even ordering a DISTRONIC PRO retrofit kit. I have no clue yet how I'd find an independent shop, but I still have there years of warranty and service.

Cool-lade said:
@toyutoyu I share your same skepticism and concerns. Mine stems from uncertainty of having never owned a Mercedes and hearing about long term reliability and high maintenance and repair costs. I kind of cross-shopped the comparable Lexus products (NX/UX) and even like Mazda CX-5 because of this, but the wife just loved the bling and everything else about the little GLA 250 😂…After a week of ownership and driving the car, it’s hard not to fall in love with it though. Hope this feeling holds up…Particularly when the first service comes due 🤑😂.

How many miles do you have on it? I've only just passed 300 and it's finally starting to feel like the test drive model I enjoyed. The manually officially says 1k is when it's done breaking in, and that's when it'll be safe to use Sport mode, ooooh I can't wait.

Funny that our wives picked the car out for us. I noticed that... a bunch of the YouTube videos I watched of new GLA owners were women too. And the one video I found from a guy, he "confessed" that it was kind of a feminine car, but he still liked it. Anyway, this is my first car, so can sympathize with your anxieties, but since I'm enjoying the car, I'm coming to terms with it quickly, and planning for a future higher end, more sporty model in several years.

MBDude · Aug 30, 2022

@toyutoyu I share your same skepticism and concerns. Mine stems from uncertainty of having never owned a Mercedes and hearing about long term reliability and high maintenance and repair costs. I kind of cross-shopped the comparable Lexus products (NX/UX) and even like Mazda CX-5 because of this, but the wife just loved the bling and everything else about the little GLA 250 😂…After a week of ownership and driving the car, it’s hard not to fall in love with it though. Hope this feeling holds up…Particularly when the first service comes due 🤑😂.

2019 gla owner · Aug 30, 2022

Unless you have any allegiance or commitment to the MB dealership for service, seeking out an independent speciality shop for MB routine service/repair can usually provide some significant cost savings utilizing knowledgeable qualified techs.

Wayne · Aug 31, 2022

Just FWIW ... My 2010 Porsche 997.2 C4S, now with 148K miles, has been the most reliable car (out of probably 100) that I've ever owned. And I do drive it hard. Thus I was inclined toward a German car when replacing the less than fully reliable Lexus she had. Pam wanted something small but still SUV. And better mpgs than her R400h hybrid gave her, but still sporty. I wanted Euro Delivery for the experience. And after several years with the Porsche I decided I definitely wanted German. The GLA45 was about the only car that filled the bill. At seven years, and 35K miles this car too, ours has been perfectly reliable.

Two things I'm dedicated to ...

1. Never go over 5K miles between oil changes.

2. Never go over 10K miles without changing the rear diff oil.

Beyond that ... enjoy the drive.

MBDude · Aug 31, 2022

Wayne said:
Just FWIW ... My 2010 Porsche 997.2 C4S, now with 148K miles, has been the most reliable car (out of probably 100) that I've ever owned. And I do drive it hard. Thus I was inclined toward a German car when replacing the less than fully reliable Lexus she had. Pam wanted something small but still SUV. And better mpgs than her R400h hybrid gave her, but still sporty. I wanted Euro Delivery for the experience. And after several years with the Porsche I decided I definitely wanted German. The GLA45 was about the only car that filled the bill. At seven years, and 35K miles this car too, ours has been perfectly reliable.

Two things I'm dedicated to ...

1. Never go over 5K miles between oil changes.

2. Never go over 10K miles without changing the rear diff oil.

Beyond that ... enjoy the drive.

Thanks @Wayne. Great advice. I’ve heard that about Porsche’s being most reliable German luxury. Congrats.

Wayne · Sep 2, 2022

I worked hard toward the Macan as well. But three things could not be denied ...

1. The Macan was too big, as we were looking for something small to fit better into tight parking spaces at Pam's office.

2. The Macan (in 45 equivalent spec) got half the MPGs. Efficiency was a key factor for Pam.

3. The Macan (in equivalent guise) would have been almost twice as much money.

It was hard to break through those barriers. At the same time, I have no regrets.

Wayne · Oct 14, 2022

If you do UOAs (used oil analysis) you will discover oil starts to break down and lose viscosity by 5K miles. Yes, you can go further. But should you?

You mentioned Porsche. Go the Rennlist Forum, Porsche, Technical, 997 and you will find a used oil analysis thread I started quite a while ago. Read through this if you have any doubts.

As far as the rear diff goes this is an expensive item that has had enough reported failures to make me insecure. It's an easy DIY to change this oil at frequent intervals. I did some major services on a friend's E Series that he had just bought. The oil in that diff was like burned molasses.

toyutoyu · Oct 14, 2022

Wayne said:
If you do UOAs (used oil analysis) you will discover oil starts to break down and lose viscosity by 5K miles. Yes, you can go further. But should you?

Thanks, @Wayne. My casual research found that Mercedes claims they use superior oil, and a larger amount of it, and that's why they can do 10k intervals rather than the recommended 5k of, say, Japanese cars. Also helps to offset the expensive A and B services' costs by being less frequent.

I guess my main concern is doing anything that would void the warranty is all. Other than that, I love DIY stuff.

New owner, breaking through doubts

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