GLA45 as DD & long-distance steed (comfort concern)
 

I picked up a GLA45 on Monday to use as DD. The car is amazingly fun to rip across interstates with 0-60 in 4.3s with minimal roll on steep curves. I've been enjoying it a lot but I couldn't tell how stiff its suspension was during the short test-drives until 4 days in & driving about 2h per day in aggregate

While being well-grounded on the road is necessary, It's super stiff even on comfort mode. I can feel every groove, bump, crack, & uneven surfaces on the road. I'm hesitant to drive this car over 2h, as I can feel some pressureon my spine by the day's end. I bought the car for daily commuting and weekend warrioring to nearby mountains but am not sure if I can keep it since wearing out my spine cartilage sooner than necessary should be avoided

Has anyone found a way to circumvent this issue effectively?

Thanks,

Yes.... I happened to pick up a second set of rims for winter tires and noticed that the ride was far less harsh. Run flats also tend to have a very harsh ride compared to normal tires. Another option is to swap out the run-flats and go with a good street tire along with an extra compressor and can of fix-oh-no-flat..

Does your GLA45 have the electronic dampeners?

Ed

I had a 15 GLA45 for 3 years, was a great car, just got into a 2019 C43. The 15 had regular tires and the air pump and sealant under the trunk floor. My wife had a C300 with runflats and I'd say it rode harder than the 45 with stiff suspension etc. I think I had either Continentals or Pirelli's on the 15. My new C43 came with runflats and they are harsher than the 45 with non-runflats. If the hash ride bothers you I'd get a set of regular tires because the car was fantastic. I almost got another one but decided to do a change. Personally I'd get a set of Michelin PS4s and don't worry about a flat or get a small air pump at Home Depot and keep it in the trunk.

Ah, thanks for the tip. It seems like my tires are fairly worn in any case- I picked up a 2018 GLA45 from CarMax and took it to 2 indy shops to scope it out. I was thinking of getting all-year Tires & adding a seat-cushion, but that's something I'll consider.

I am not sure if it has an electronic dampener- I'm a recent convert to MB- what's the abbreviation/acronym?

Do you have a little shock looking button on the row of silver buttons? That lets you change the stiffness of the ride...

Ed

I have a bad back too and I drive my GLA45 daily. I have the 20" wheels and Recaro seats and no issues even on long trips. The longest one was a 9-hour drive with 2 15-20 min stops for fuel and food. I have a 5-year old and a 3-year old and the only complain I heard was about running out of snacks. I've heard people switching to 19" and getting slightly taller tires to get a softer ride, maybe that might help you.

Mine is a daily as well. Drove it from Miami to Detroit no comfort issues. But I'm not running run flats but Yokahoma S Drives which have been great.its a summer tire (not extreme summer like the oem contis). A little less performance but better wear and inexpensive compared to oem.

It is not a luxury car that is for sure. I could of told you all of this before you went out and bought one. Not the best for a DD if you drive long distance. Should of went with something larger and not AMG. If you have runflats I would get rid of them ASAP and go from there. Look up soft riding tires and it might make the car much better to live with and if not then a smaller rim will help.

1 go to 245 vs. 235
2 do not use run flats
3 use less air in the tire.