ngerstman

It is an interesting strategy which could risk tainting the brand image here in the US. Others for a long time have chosen to have branding for their premium vehicles, Lexus for Toyota, Infinity for Nissan and of course the American car manufacturers forever with Cadillac and Lincoln. Part of it has to do with the level of service that you get at a premium dealer. Do buyers of the down market product get the same level of service as those who buy the expensive products? Do they even want to pay the higher service costs that go into providing loaner cars, etc? That is one reason Toyota has Lexus, to provide different levels of customer service. Hopefully they can evolve the cla into something better although I'm not convinced that going mass market makes sense for the US market. Thanks. Regards. Ned.

ImInPA

If the CLA and GLA prove themselves to be good vehicles, as they have in Europe and the rest of the world, MB's image stands little chance of being tarnished. Americans need to wake up and smell the coffee. MB makes all sorts of vehicles. They are known for quality. I am not seeing why the introduction of a new model in the US that has been successful everywhere else is even an issue. Maybe it is just me, but, I have no issues with the CLA, GLA, or even the Sprinter Vans.

GregTR

There you go again with that brand image... You're clearly driving the MB for the brand image and for people like you I can see the need to defend that image because what good is the star on the front when any peeon not worty of driving one can afford one now that there is a "cheap" CLA.

VW gives you two years of free maintenance. MB does not. Is this the customer service you're referring to? My dealer provides complimentary car washes for life as long as you get your car serviced there. So if you're willing to bend over and pay $300 for an oil change you can have the privilege to wait 2 hours until someone washes and vacuums your car. I rather just pay $5 at the local self service wash and save 2 hours of my time. I can't afford that kind of luxury. Seriously, you're wearing some pretty dark and thick blinders when it comes to brands and cars and what constitutes value or luxury. (I can't believe my Ned Ryerson reference hit so close, you ARE an insurance salesman! LOL! Am I right? Am I right? Or am I right?)

GregTR

That's because you think like a rational human being not like some brand snob.

E Classy

^ PA those are brand new models, globally. and they're basically the same car. the whole purpose of the thread is to discuss the fact that the CLA is generally not considered a "quality" or "good" vehicle, as noted by CR (and C&D).

fintail

Mass market only to a certain extent, of course - I don't know if the average buyer wants to lay down ~35K (with necessary options - not hugely cheaper than a C-class) for a small-ish car, nor wants to deal with servicing, as you mention. I think Lexus CT rather than an actual cheap car. It's still going to sell to people with a little extra money, even on a lease. And from what I can tell, at my dealer anyway, a CLA buyer should be treated like any other - same facilities and loaners. I'd wager the CLA has huge profit margins like most other MB products, so dealers can still make their cut. Time will tell if new buyers want to deal with the maintenance, but I think the badge still has enough value that it will appease some - and maybe later move them into C and E, should economics (and the cars) hold together. That's probably part of the strategy, too. GLA is coming, and that will do it even moreso. MB wants to be everything for everyone - it has in Europe for some time, and has been profitable. I suspect it will work in NA, too. CR might not like it, but I doubt anyone here buys a car based on their thoughts.

It's not a car that I particularly love, but I can see the logic behind it. If we got the normal A hatch or B (which are real MBs too) with a diesel, it would be a pretty attractive package.

C280 Sport

Absolutely! It is a shame because I tried to love the 163 ML so much but the quality was just awful and they always seemed to break. My neighbor had a couple of them. (320/500 and then a 55) all of them too many issues and the interior fell apart. She finally came to her senses and picked up a 166 ML. What a SUV! However I found her husbands BMW to be a little better.

mikeyle

i dont care what their marketing department tells me, car with four doors=sedan, cars with two doors=coupe. if you want to get technical any car with a small back seat is considered a coupe, but then i wouldnt consider the cls a coupe becauses its back seat is well sized.

mikeyle

you guys all make it seem like mercedes has never gone downmarket before, remember the c coupe from the early 2000s? or even the 190e in the 80s that was pretty bare bones and sold for under 20k (i know,inflation, but still considered really cheap at the time compared to other benz models). i like the cla, but i wouldnt buy because im not a big fan of the rear.

Tjdehya

Just had to correct you here.
"VW MSRP includes the cost of maintenance. MB does not. Is this the customer service you're referring to?"

tasho3

I don't see this lower market cars effecting Mercedes's image in any form at all. If anything this is just making the company stronger.

Tjdehya

Do you want to look in the dictionary? Take a look, judging by your post you will be surprised at what you see.

"a four-seater car with a fixed roof, a sloping back, and usually two doors"

It just so happens that Mercedes was the first to put 4 doors on a coupe.

mikeyle

it really depends on where you get your definitions from, wikipedia has it as a two door car and the automotive dictionary descibes a coupe as...
An enclosed single-compartment body with two doors and varying passenger capacity depending on seat arrangements. The SAE standard J1100 defines it as having less than 33 cubic feet of interior volume . Larger coupes have rear quarter windows. Coupes have fixed permanent back panels and top, as well as a luggage compartment in the rear deck. Originally it meant a vehicle which was cutby a glass partition behind the front seats so that the driver was exposed to the air while those in the back were enclosed.

GregTR

Indeed. There is no such thing as a free lunch.

victort

saw a CLA45 AMG the other day. still as ugly as the regular CLA250s

Long3494Qut

Damn, I drop off the car, get a quick loaner and drive over to Pluckers if the service attendant tells me it's going to be longer than usual.