Between salvage car and cult object - the rediscovery of the W168 (A-Class)
The purity - or whatever - of the AdBlue filling displeased the manufacturer of a mid-range car, who naturally did not allow me to empty the tank myself. Instead, the car's display asked me to visit an (authorized) workshop within 1000 km, otherwise the vehicle would no longer start.
For me, that was the last straw: We live in a democratic country, and yet the manufacturer determines how motorists are allowed to treat their property. What had once begun as a comfortable achievement of the division of labor ended in a costly form of immaturity - and even the Internet offers few sources of help.
I therefore decided to buy a car that was about 25 years old, from a time when the technology was mature and the trend towards electronics and cheapness still had its limits. It wouldn't be cheaper than a modern car, as I was expecting repairs and higher maintenance costs.
The choice fell on an early Mercedes-BenzW168 , better known as the A-Class. The reasons for this were the good availability of spare parts - both new and used -, the extensive documentation on repairs and, last but not least, the special vehicle concept.
In view of their age, most of these vehicles are now in the hands of "salvage drivers" who simply take their cars to the scrap yard when the next major repair is due (and thus at least provide cheap spare parts).
More often, however - and annoyingly for buyers - such cars are sold without the defects being disclosed. My search was limited to well-equipped, early examples (in order to obtain the H license plate earlier), with rarer colors and with the large sunroof.
The first purchase was a novaviolet A160 Avantgarde from September 1999 for around 2000 euros - obviously well maintained and with a long service history in the brand workshop. I retrofitted the original radio. However, as this example had an automated clutch, which hardly anyone knows about, problems soon arose that the seller was presumably aware of. Unless an expert can be found, the system will have to be dismantled; after all, this conversion is considered uncomplicated.
The second purchase was a deep sea blue A160 Avantgarde from March 1999 for around 500 euros. Its condition was appalling: the exterior was "decorated" with silver spray can paint and almost everything inside was sprayed black - right down to the seat fabric and the already dirty floor mats.
It was at least possible to polish away the "decor" on the outside, but I replaced the affected parts in the interior with replacements from the scrap yard. The hidden defect of this car was its enormous fuel consumption, which ultimately turned out to be the result of a fuel filter that had been damaged during amateurish installation and was leaking. After replacing all the filters and fluids, however, it became a reliable daily driver that has already covered several thousand kilometers. I also retrofitted the original radio and the optional AMG Styling 1 wheels.
Thanks to good information and low complexity, I was able to do a lot myself. This satisfied my need for a car for the time being, but also awakened my enthusiasm for this model.
The third purchase was a late, non-roadworthy example from 2004: the top model A210L Evolution in black, with a red interior from the Designo range customized by the manufacturer. The car had previously belonged to a professional footballer. This vehicle will be mothballed for the time being after a thorough cleaning.
The Mercedes-Benz W168 may have polarized the trade press at the time - as a "sandwich Benz" with an innovative concept, steep silhouette and uncompromising use of space. But today, with the benefit of hindsight and a little passion for mechanics, it is clear that the small A-Class offers an astonishingly robust foundation, an excellent spare parts situation and enough special features to set it apart from the automotive monotony.
If you can find an early example with a good specification, you will get a piece of Mercedes history that has more character than its reputation suggests - and with the right care, will also impress in everyday use.
