Older guys in a GLA45?
#51
Junior Member
Suggestion
The GLA45 is a neat concept but the amount of space behind the hatch is just too small for my needs. I have a giant furry beast that resembles a dog and I must occasionally take him places or he will curse me with guilty stares.
Before anyone suggests that there is plenty of room back there for a dog, you need to know that my dog happens to weigh in at 140lbs
When I trade the grocery-getter in it will probably be for a 335 GT or maybe a Ford Edge Sport. If I had a little dog I would be drooling over a GLA45 right now.
Before anyone suggests that there is plenty of room back there for a dog, you need to know that my dog happens to weigh in at 140lbs
When I trade the grocery-getter in it will probably be for a 335 GT or maybe a Ford Edge Sport. If I had a little dog I would be drooling over a GLA45 right now.
#52
The GLA45 is a neat concept but the amount of space behind the hatch is just too small for my needs. I have a giant furry beast that resembles a dog and I must occasionally take him places or he will curse me with guilty stares.
Before anyone suggests that there is plenty of room back there for a dog, you need to know that my dog happens to weigh in at 140lbs
When I trade the grocery-getter in it will probably be for a 335 GT or maybe a Ford Edge Sport. If I had a little dog I would be drooling over a GLA45 right now.
Before anyone suggests that there is plenty of room back there for a dog, you need to know that my dog happens to weigh in at 140lbs
When I trade the grocery-getter in it will probably be for a 335 GT or maybe a Ford Edge Sport. If I had a little dog I would be drooling over a GLA45 right now.
#54
MBWorld Fanatic!
Edge will easily work. He fits in the back of a '12 Escape right now but that is the minimum space required.
#55
Member
I'm a bit torn by this thread . . .
I'm 45. Wife's car: 2016 GL350 Bluetech, the family truckster.
Me? Jetta Sportwagen TDI that has to go back to the crusher. A fun, utilitarian wagon that can achieve 50 MPG on the highway. Mild APR tune. 6 speed manual. Sadly a cheater the US won't back off of (for another board . . .)
Been shopping around and had landed on the GLA45 - drove a 2016 and holy cow - what a blast. Beat out the Macan S for me - as it did for the Motortrend guys (and they compared it to the Macan Turbo!).
And yet . . . the wife hears the exhaust on the test drive and exclaims (between yelling at me to slow down while me and the sales guy are giggling like 20-somethings) "What are you, fast and furious or something?"
So . . . yeah, ouch, I get it. The thing reeks ricer. I totally get the OP's question - isn't this a young punk's car? I mean, red seat-belts? Really? The STI, Focus R comments indicate to me there's a big kernel of truth in this . . .
I want a fun drivers car that can haul my 2 school aged kids and/or 2 75 lb dogs and the options are, well, few. Love the Macan but it is just too much $ and less fun to drive. Audi SQ5 - meh. BMW X4 or anything - meh. 328 wagons - meh. Can't find a Volvo V60 R or Polestar around here to drive and our Volvo dealers are pretty bad.
Which brings us back to the GLA. Absolute hoot to drive and I am still amazed at the power output they are getting out of a turbo charged I-4 - just ridiculous. I think the correct answer is in this thread - if you love driving it - love driving it and forget the haters. Pretty sure that's what I'm going to do.
Unless somebody has a better idea for the 50-55K range, I'm all ears . I've come to the conclusion all I REALLY need is a back seat that can hold kids . . .
I'm 45. Wife's car: 2016 GL350 Bluetech, the family truckster.
Me? Jetta Sportwagen TDI that has to go back to the crusher. A fun, utilitarian wagon that can achieve 50 MPG on the highway. Mild APR tune. 6 speed manual. Sadly a cheater the US won't back off of (for another board . . .)
Been shopping around and had landed on the GLA45 - drove a 2016 and holy cow - what a blast. Beat out the Macan S for me - as it did for the Motortrend guys (and they compared it to the Macan Turbo!).
And yet . . . the wife hears the exhaust on the test drive and exclaims (between yelling at me to slow down while me and the sales guy are giggling like 20-somethings) "What are you, fast and furious or something?"
So . . . yeah, ouch, I get it. The thing reeks ricer. I totally get the OP's question - isn't this a young punk's car? I mean, red seat-belts? Really? The STI, Focus R comments indicate to me there's a big kernel of truth in this . . .
I want a fun drivers car that can haul my 2 school aged kids and/or 2 75 lb dogs and the options are, well, few. Love the Macan but it is just too much $ and less fun to drive. Audi SQ5 - meh. BMW X4 or anything - meh. 328 wagons - meh. Can't find a Volvo V60 R or Polestar around here to drive and our Volvo dealers are pretty bad.
Which brings us back to the GLA. Absolute hoot to drive and I am still amazed at the power output they are getting out of a turbo charged I-4 - just ridiculous. I think the correct answer is in this thread - if you love driving it - love driving it and forget the haters. Pretty sure that's what I'm going to do.
Unless somebody has a better idea for the 50-55K range, I'm all ears . I've come to the conclusion all I REALLY need is a back seat that can hold kids . . .
#56
Junior Member
You don't have to have red belts or the boy-racer exhaust, I have leather interior, black belts and standard exhaust (sport just makes noise, not power) a Renntech tune and now 426 hp. My wife has been driving it daily for the past few months while waiting for her new C43 and she has enjoyed it.
#57
Member
You don't have to have red belts or the boy-racer exhaust, I have leather interior, black belts and standard exhaust (sport just makes noise, not power) a Renntech tune and now 426 hp. My wife has been driving it daily for the past few months while waiting for her new C43 and she has enjoyed it.
The Mountain Grey metallic is the one I'd like - they are scarce but some out there. Would love to find a great dealer for out-of-state fly-in deals, if anybody knows of one.
#58
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Join Date: May 2012
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i am 54 and I have been driving the GLA45 for 2 months and I love it. My other DD E63 S have been sitting around in garage since I bought the GLA. It is really a fun car to drive.I bought it as a running around car, and I looked at most of the options mentioned in this thread, but I loved this car when I did test drive, and continue to love it.
#59
Junior Member
I just bought a GLA 45 AMG for my 46th birthday and I love it. I had a CLA 45 AMG and this is much improved and more fun to drive.
I know they say the GLA 45 is a crossover but in my opinion its a hot hatch and competes with Subaru STi's and Golf R's. I think its a grown up STI hatchback IMO.
I know they say the GLA 45 is a crossover but in my opinion its a hot hatch and competes with Subaru STi's and Golf R's. I think its a grown up STI hatchback IMO.
#60
I just turned 31 but 31 is the new 50 I hear. I just test drove this bad boy and I love it but it also vexes me a bit. I think i'm going to buy it. I don't know about that monstrous fin though.. it looks good at some angles and not so good at others. I asked the dealer if he would give me a discount if I got it with the fin on it and he didn't find that humorous.
#61
Junior Member
Check out my latest Long Term review of my GLA 45 AMG here.
Subscribe for new videos 4 times a week. You will love the car. Get it.
thank you
Glenn
Subscribe for new videos 4 times a week. You will love the car. Get it.
thank you
Glenn
#62
You don't have to have red belts or the boy-racer exhaust, I have leather interior, black belts and standard exhaust (sport just makes noise, not power) a Renntech tune and now 426 hp. My wife has been driving it daily for the past few months while waiting for her new C43 and she has enjoyed it.
Last edited by Dnasty; 03-24-2017 at 11:20 AM.
#63
Junior Member
In the 2017 models you need to order the amg driver package to get the amg performance exhaust system (the one who produces the crackles and pops).
In my 2016 you can choose to disactivate the performance exhaust system in all driving modes.
In my 2016 you can choose to disactivate the performance exhaust system in all driving modes.
#64
I am currently looking at the 2015.. are these virtually the same car as the 2016? I heard that some modification was made to the trans and higher hp but is the performance exhaust control still standard?
#65
You don't have to have red belts or the boy-racer exhaust, I have leather interior, black belts and standard exhaust (sport just makes noise, not power) a Renntech tune and now 426 hp. My wife has been driving it daily for the past few months while waiting for her new C43 and she has enjoyed it.
#66
Junior Member
to the Orig Poster - I am old.
I sold my 981 Boxster (6spd) and was looking at used 997.2's. If you know the details about these cars then I will not bore you. But for me buying a 5-8 year old car for more than i spent for this GLA was silly.
In the end for me, it was better for now to get my GLA45. I can fit my boards, snowboards, gold clubs, tennis ball machine or whatever into the car. It's like I got back my S4 Avant back with a warranty.
I miss my clutch pedal but quite happy for now.
I'll be back with the new 99x next up.
good luck.
I sold my 981 Boxster (6spd) and was looking at used 997.2's. If you know the details about these cars then I will not bore you. But for me buying a 5-8 year old car for more than i spent for this GLA was silly.
In the end for me, it was better for now to get my GLA45. I can fit my boards, snowboards, gold clubs, tennis ball machine or whatever into the car. It's like I got back my S4 Avant back with a warranty.
I miss my clutch pedal but quite happy for now.
I'll be back with the new 99x next up.
good luck.
#67
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Sep 2013
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2013 ML 550, CLK63 AMG, 2012 E350 4MATIC
I mean the porsche is a porsche, you know, it's a statement car(not many in my town)...my wife thinks that statement is "I'm a douchebag", so there was little worry about her stealing it to drive to work. It's a great driving car, maybe the best, but in just about all other areas it's a compromise.
The two best/practical cars I've ever had were my first brand new car an 89 gti, and a 97 saab 900T...both small, both hatchbacks. I guess I'm returning to my hatchback(small) roots. Eager to get rid of this pig of an E350....now I can look for an older 911 weekender.
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Bloom_Phaze (01-31-2022)
#69
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2016 GLA45 AMG
Is anyone over 50 driving these?
I keep circling back to this car. I had the first GLA45 reserved at my dealer to replace a small domestic SUV. We had owned ML's in the past and had(and still have) an E350(and an AMG63 convertible for summer).
I was generally happy with the test drive but found the car small and not very AMG sounding. With rumors of a GLE63 I decided to buy an ML550 CPO to hold me over. The ML550 is a great SUV, but it's big and heavy, and the gle63 even though a "coupe" is similar. My wife immediately seized the ML saying that the ride height and power was better for her 80mi round trip commute...which put me in her E350. The E class is a great car, but not exciting...and the wife has commanded "call the dealership and have them take the E away and bring us another SUV".
So now I'm car shopping again...but looking at what I want in a daily driver(empty nester) I don't need to haul anything anymore. AWD and I could buy a "fun" car(getting rid of the amg convertible).
So I'm actually looking at a used 911 4s or a new GLA45. The performance specs are actually similar and the GLA could carry 4 in a pinch, and actually groceries etc. It's ride height and seating position would make it better as a DD...but the 911 is a 911,a statement car, it drives like it's a part of you, it would "fit" when the wife drives it to the doctor's parking lot, more so than the burping gla. Or do I wait for vaporware again and see what a GLC63 looks like. firstworldproblems.
Any 50 somethings driving a GLA and loving it, or am I in the wrong place for a(nother) mid-life crisis car?
I keep circling back to this car. I had the first GLA45 reserved at my dealer to replace a small domestic SUV. We had owned ML's in the past and had(and still have) an E350(and an AMG63 convertible for summer).
I was generally happy with the test drive but found the car small and not very AMG sounding. With rumors of a GLE63 I decided to buy an ML550 CPO to hold me over. The ML550 is a great SUV, but it's big and heavy, and the gle63 even though a "coupe" is similar. My wife immediately seized the ML saying that the ride height and power was better for her 80mi round trip commute...which put me in her E350. The E class is a great car, but not exciting...and the wife has commanded "call the dealership and have them take the E away and bring us another SUV".
So now I'm car shopping again...but looking at what I want in a daily driver(empty nester) I don't need to haul anything anymore. AWD and I could buy a "fun" car(getting rid of the amg convertible).
So I'm actually looking at a used 911 4s or a new GLA45. The performance specs are actually similar and the GLA could carry 4 in a pinch, and actually groceries etc. It's ride height and seating position would make it better as a DD...but the 911 is a 911,a statement car, it drives like it's a part of you, it would "fit" when the wife drives it to the doctor's parking lot, more so than the burping gla. Or do I wait for vaporware again and see what a GLC63 looks like. firstworldproblems.
Any 50 somethings driving a GLA and loving it, or am I in the wrong place for a(nother) mid-life crisis car?
#70
Senior Member
Join Date: Nov 2021
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Mercedes Benz AMG GLC 63s
Yes and…yes.
Had an A45 AMG GLA and it was an awesome car, although as soon as I got it I removed all badging except the AMG as well as the childish stickers down the side - mine was an Edition 1 so…no stickers thanks!😂
Really wish I’d been able to get the new GLA A45S model that’s available now as that thing is a F’ing BEAST of a car. Very reliable, can daily that thing anywhere and has very good utility for its size. The newer version is also better than the older model in every way both interior, exterior and the drivetrain.
For a bit more sound, put in a good catback system and any other bells’n’whistles’ ykur hearts desires. TBH, I’ve owned Porsche and the GLA is a more fun car with better practicality as well as being far more reliable then the Porsche you have in mind. Yet at the end of the day it’s your choice regardless of what either I or anyone says really. I’ve had both cars and I’d take the new GLA 45s over the 911 any day of the week. The interior feels far more premium over the Porsche dated and stubborn interior.
Had an A45 AMG GLA and it was an awesome car, although as soon as I got it I removed all badging except the AMG as well as the childish stickers down the side - mine was an Edition 1 so…no stickers thanks!😂
Really wish I’d been able to get the new GLA A45S model that’s available now as that thing is a F’ing BEAST of a car. Very reliable, can daily that thing anywhere and has very good utility for its size. The newer version is also better than the older model in every way both interior, exterior and the drivetrain.
For a bit more sound, put in a good catback system and any other bells’n’whistles’ ykur hearts desires. TBH, I’ve owned Porsche and the GLA is a more fun car with better practicality as well as being far more reliable then the Porsche you have in mind. Yet at the end of the day it’s your choice regardless of what either I or anyone says really. I’ve had both cars and I’d take the new GLA 45s over the 911 any day of the week. The interior feels far more premium over the Porsche dated and stubborn interior.
Is anyone over 50 driving these?
I keep circling back to this car. I had the first GLA45 reserved at my dealer to replace a small domestic SUV. We had owned ML's in the past and had(and still have) an E350(and an AMG63 convertible for summer).
I was generally happy with the test drive but found the car small and not very AMG sounding. With rumors of a GLE63 I decided to buy an ML550 CPO to hold me over. The ML550 is a great SUV, but it's big and heavy, and the gle63 even though a "coupe" is similar. My wife immediately seized the ML saying that the ride height and power was better for her 80mi round trip commute...which put me in her E350. The E class is a great car, but not exciting...and the wife has commanded "call the dealership and have them take the E away and bring us another SUV".
So now I'm car shopping again...but looking at what I want in a daily driver(empty nester) I don't need to haul anything anymore. AWD and I could buy a "fun" car(getting rid of the amg convertible).
So I'm actually looking at a used 911 4s or a new GLA45. The performance specs are actually similar and the GLA could carry 4 in a pinch, and actually groceries etc. It's ride height and seating position would make it better as a DD...but the 911 is a 911,a statement car, it drives like it's a part of you, it would "fit" when the wife drives it to the doctor's parking lot, more so than the burping gla. Or do I wait for vaporware again and see what a GLC63 looks like. firstworldproblems.
Any 50 somethings driving a GLA and loving it, or am I in the wrong place for a(nother) mid-life crisis car?
I keep circling back to this car. I had the first GLA45 reserved at my dealer to replace a small domestic SUV. We had owned ML's in the past and had(and still have) an E350(and an AMG63 convertible for summer).
I was generally happy with the test drive but found the car small and not very AMG sounding. With rumors of a GLE63 I decided to buy an ML550 CPO to hold me over. The ML550 is a great SUV, but it's big and heavy, and the gle63 even though a "coupe" is similar. My wife immediately seized the ML saying that the ride height and power was better for her 80mi round trip commute...which put me in her E350. The E class is a great car, but not exciting...and the wife has commanded "call the dealership and have them take the E away and bring us another SUV".
So now I'm car shopping again...but looking at what I want in a daily driver(empty nester) I don't need to haul anything anymore. AWD and I could buy a "fun" car(getting rid of the amg convertible).
So I'm actually looking at a used 911 4s or a new GLA45. The performance specs are actually similar and the GLA could carry 4 in a pinch, and actually groceries etc. It's ride height and seating position would make it better as a DD...but the 911 is a 911,a statement car, it drives like it's a part of you, it would "fit" when the wife drives it to the doctor's parking lot, more so than the burping gla. Or do I wait for vaporware again and see what a GLC63 looks like. firstworldproblems.
Any 50 somethings driving a GLA and loving it, or am I in the wrong place for a(nother) mid-life crisis car?
Last edited by Bloom_Phaze; 01-31-2022 at 06:04 AM.
#71
Newbie
I'm 73 and loving it.
I had a 911 GTS, then an Audi RS5 and long before them just about everything you can imagine, from a Type 507 BMW, GT350 H and on and on. This car is just right for us now, fast, comfortable, roomy for our small group and still sporty enough. Never too old....BTW, I have Dachshunds
#72
Member
54 and loving ever minute
Previously owned 17 C43 coupe and then a 18 Macan GTS w/Cobb tune. Totally and completely love this vehicle. In this one for the long haul!
#73
#74
Member
#75
Interesting long thread. We had a GLA45 AMG in 2015. My wife wasn't thrilled, even though she picked it out as her DD. Followed by an Audi, BMW, Infiniti, Porsche, Mazda and (drum roll please) a 2021 GLA45 AMG.
On the other side, since 2015, two 911s, a Boxster S, a Miata RF, and now a Boxster GTS. I autocross and track the Porsches.
I will also autocross and track the GLA45 AMG.
Age is only a number.
On the other side, since 2015, two 911s, a Boxster S, a Miata RF, and now a Boxster GTS. I autocross and track the Porsches.
I will also autocross and track the GLA45 AMG.
Age is only a number.