GLA 45 first car?

3953 Views 8 Replies 8 Participants Last post by olmate, Feb 7, 2016

Matthew Gillen

Discussion Starter · Feb 4, 2016 (Edited)

Hey guys I will be turning 16 soon and I was thinking of buying the GLA 45 for my first car. My neighbor has the GLA 250 and I want something faster. I have been raised around the Mercedes brand and have a huge respect for its heritage. I've seen a whole bunch of review and videos on it, so I figured the next best thing was to ask some owners of the car

. What are your thoughts on the topic?

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bertie

· #2 · Feb 4, 2016

Matthew - while I admire your taste in cars I am going to strongly suggest you NOT get the GLA45 as your first car. I would also not recommend an STi or honestly any other car with more than 200hp. Driving is a complex skill that requires the development of experience and instincts. Cars like the GLA45 are very fast and can get you in trouble faster than a new driver and many older drivers) can react.

I know that is not what you were hoping to hear but I have a son who jus turned 16 and while he is an awesome driver for his age, I would not allow him to drive my GLA45 unsupervised for at least couple of years.

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Tirgoman

· #3 · Feb 5, 2016

You don't want a car that is a 'police magnet' , I'm a lot older than you, I have grandkids and the police still look at me in my GLA45AMG (waiting for me to do something wrong), but I get a pass that you won't. Get something that is a touch sporty, nice looking and can still be fun. Also, get your parents to call your insurance company and get the cost of insurance on your choice of cars. Sometimes you'll be surprised at how insurance varies on different cars. At your age insurance is going to be expensive. A CLA would be way under the radar and don't get red or a flashy color either. As was said above, you need experience under your belt.

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rvittori

· #4 · Feb 5, 2016

IMHO, An older Civic Si is a nice car for you. Sporty, not over powered. Relatively inexpensive to buy, insure, and to mod.

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SPG43

· #5 · Feb 5, 2016

Trust me, the GLA 250 is plenty fast and is still likely to get you in plenty of trouble. If you're absolutely set on a Mercedes and want to look cool you can get the Sport Package that gives you the same grill/bumpers and the bigger AMG wheels. Getting a GLA 45 as a first car is a really bad idea. You won't have a license in a year. I've already gotten two tickets on my GLA 250 that I don't think I'd even get looked at when I was driving my C class.

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SSBGLA45

· #6 · Feb 5, 2016

Matthew… how much snow and for how long of a winter in the area of Connecticut that you live? GLA250 makes for a better ride in many conditions (due to having higher ground clearance and a few of features for "off roaring") than the GLA45. Just something to consider

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olmate

· #7 · Feb 6, 2016

If thats what you want Matthew......go for it.....but if you want a big boys toy you need to act like a big boy

If you act like a 12yo you will kill yourself and others probably

I have been driving for 37 years and have only ever been booked once, the last 15 years driving high powered turbocharged cars
If you want to give the car a bit of a squirt do it on a straight bit of road with no trees, ditches or poles either side, there is no need to go over 60 to 70 mph because most of the grunt is down low anyway, DONT do any high speed cornering ITS THE BEST WAY TO KILL YOURSELF AND OTHERS, when cornering always look as far as you can around the bend DONT look just past the hood in front of you
drive as though every other vehicle on the road is a lethal weapon, whether its a car sitting at an oncoming intersection or a car coming in the opposite direction, always presume they are going to do the wrong thing

Other than that if you get one .......ENJOY

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turbolink

· #8 · Feb 6, 2016

How about a relatively conservative late model used car to start with? That would help you to gain some seasoned road experience as well as determine what characteristics you want in more advanced autos. You might even have some fun and gain experience doing reasonable customization. One step at a time will have a positive impact on your future driving persona.

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olmate

· #9 · Feb 7, 2016

ohhhh ..........Matthew.........when its wet DONT play at all

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