entry level luxury cars.... EDIT: I DO NOT want one. just want people's opinion.

[oidreez]

This CLA amg compares better to the srt8 both the highest models at the same price


[h3]Key Highlights[/h3]

• Hand-built AMG 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine
• 355 horsepower, 332 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds***
• New, fully-variable performance-oriented AMG 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system
• AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT (Dual-Clutch Technology) 7-speed sports transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles
• AMG speed-sensitive sports steering
• AMG sport suspension with independent front and rear axles
• AMG high-performance braking system
• AMG sports exhaust system

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da CLA real small compared to da SRT8....there's not in da same class segment (full size car vs compact sedan)


[QUOTE url="[URL]http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/163_2014_mercedes_benz_cla45_amg_first_drive/#ixzz2clgglzs0[/URL]"]
The BMW 135 and Audi S4 are named as the main competitors to the CLA45

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...des_benz_cla45_amg_first_drive/#ixzz2clgglzs0

da suspension is inferior (McPherson's vs STR8's double wishbone suspension) and da CLA is front wheel drive bias even though

its all wheel drive VS SRT8's RWD architecture.

if you want a TRUE rival to that CLA AMG its this...

[/quote]

how many people are really gonna want a car made for teens/young adults though?

 

[ninjahood]

This CLA amg compares better to the srt8 both the highest models at the same price


[h3]Key Highlights[/h3]

• Hand-built AMG 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine
• 355 horsepower, 332 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds***
• New, fully-variable performance-oriented AMG 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system
• AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT (Dual-Clutch Technology) 7-speed sports transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles
• AMG speed-sensitive sports steering
• AMG sport suspension with independent front and rear axles
• AMG high-performance braking system
• AMG sports exhaust system

da CLA real small compared to da SRT8....there's not in da same class segment (full size car vs compact sedan)

The BMW 135 and Audi S4 are named as the main competitors to the CLA45

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...des_benz_cla45_amg_first_drive/#ixzz2clgglzs0


 

da suspension is inferior (McPherson's vs STR8's double wishbone suspension) and da CLA is front wheel drive bias even though

its all wheel drive VS SRT8's RWD architecture.

if you want a TRUE rival to that CLA AMG its this...

how many people are really gonna want a car made for teens/young adults though?

umm who do you think da CLA made for?

 

[sniper]

Really the only thing I agree with ninja in this thread...

This is MB's 'resurrection' to get back into that lower/early market. They failed miserably in their last MB-US attempt, but the CLA will clean-up. I got an early look at one & it certainly looks and feels like you're in an MB. (It was a show model so I didn't get to test it.) I don't think many dealers have received residuals yet, but they will be high...

Edit: Agreeing on the market being catered to young adults comment. (Not the Evo comparison.)

 

[sniper]

So is, "standard economy luxury sedan"...


You can add as many toppings as you want, but a hotdog is still a hotdog. As for me, a 'bare bones' filet mignon with a little bit of salt

i have nothing against a 528 vs a charger thats completely different from my examples

you dont know me i dont know you but i will tell you this i am a car enthusiast and have first hand experience with all sorts of cars and have driven all sorts of makes and models
makes no sense to get a c300 or a 328 when i can get a loaded accord or camry for less that will get MORE MPG and is faster (thats all the performance that matters we dont even have to get into the power at the wheels) and in the loaded camry or accord i get more space for passengers which should be important to a lot of customers also get navigation, back up camera, heating/cooling seats and a better sound system etc...

and it just comes down again to oh its a toyota and thats a benz but a c300 isnt a benz imo you dont get any luxury or performance thats standard to mercedes


whatever though im done with this arguement if you guys ganna cop 07 328is and c300s thats fine by me but i encourage you guys to at least consider the 335 or c350 if you want a serious experience of the BMW/Benz prestige


someone earlier in the thread is right arguing about this is like a straight man trying to change a gay man theres no point if someone chooses to kiss other men sure its hard for a straight person to comprehend but no amount of logic or opinion will change how they feel

i say mods should just lock this up

This comment is on the money. I have driven the caes as well. Entry level luxury with no options is like going to a high end steakhouse and ordering a hamburger. You can say you like that high end restaurant better, but you could have went to Outback(Honda/toyota) and got a Filet or NY Strip.

I don't go to Outback for steak though. Last time I ate there was when I was 8 & the last time I went in one was probably 4-yrs ago to use the restroom. So if you want to use your analogy, I'd rather eat filet mignon at Peter Luger's, Bern's, etc.(BMW/Mercedes/etc.) than at Outback (Honda/Toyota)...

(Do either Luger's or Bern's even make hamburgers? If so, I'd probably still take that over steak at Outback...)

[Will wait for "Bentley/Lamborghini/etc. is Peter Luger's"]

Ohh, wow! You've driven them? You must know them really well then!

Like I said, this thread is/was overwhelming filled with those trying to justify themselves as being below average-to-average consumers...

 

[fresh out dabox]

how many people are really gonna want a car made for teens/young adults though?

this

 

[tokes99]

ninja still can't grasp what I'm trying to say.. he posted all the bigger engine, bigger rims, car stereo and says it's more so it's a better deal... SOME PEOPLE JUST DON'T CARE ABOUT THAT STUFF.. not everyone cares about 470hp, 20" rims, brembo brakes. They want to buy the bmw because if they way it looks.. If they don't use all that stuff how is it more? It would be a waste right?
If you had a rack of ribs and I had a filet mignon.. if we both finish our food and are completely satisfied.. who are you to say I got ripped off when the bottom line is being satisfied?

i'm in agreement with you but to take your analogy: i think the counterpoint is that many people are so set on the filet mignon (and not necessarily because they like filet mignon but because they know that having the filet mignon will make them look better) that they completely ignore the rack of ribs, when the rack of ribs may in fact be just as or maybe even more than satisfying to them than the filet mignon, which for the sake of this argument, may not be a choice cut of filet mignon but actually some other good piece of steak but not what they paid for...

you actually have to make a lot of assumptions in that for that scenario to be really plausible. however people do factor in how other people will view their decisions (and as evidenced by all the wild conclusions in this thread about entry level luxury car buyers being 'badge flossers, stupid, & uninformed, maybe with good reason...), while that seems like a rather cynical way to view how one would make a decision...it is closer to being true for most people (though most would loathe to admit it!) than this nonsense about having to endlessly deliberate over specs & the absolute monetary value of these cars in comparison as if that is the only thing that matters (because you could also make the opposite argument that the reason one would be able to get all the bells & whistles on a non luxury car is due to lower craftsmanship/quality). to take such a narrow view is naive, because if you take that argument to it's logical conclusion, how could anyone really argue against something like an affordable sport wagon or hot hatch in terms straight up utility & price? why do people buy any 'luxury' brand at all?

what is at the base the viewpoint that ninjahood holds is essentially the same as the so called 'badge-flossers' really, and that is condescension/superiority, he can't see that his view comes across just as myopic as those claims can only see the badge...no one is saying it isn't possible that people just buy for the badge but to say that MOST/EVERYONE that would by an entry level luxe car is somehow uninformed, making a bad decision, or strictly about the name without consideration to the other things that may be important is unrealistic...

i didnt mean filet mignon to make a point, it could be any cut of steak.. but to say that you have more is the right decision doesnt make it right.. we were both satisfied with our meal.. why does ninjahood think that he is right saying.. "thats all you got for your money?" when the point is im satisfied with my steak...
well lets put it this way.. does ninjahood eat a buffet everyday? why not? you do get the most bang for your buck right? all you can eat right?

true, but staying on the food analogy take for example kobe beef, i read that for a good while you couldn't get kobe beef here in the states but many restaurants would put it on the menus substituting another very good cut of beef, but not kobe. so customers were not exactly getting what they were paying for & some restaurants were taking advantage of the reputation of kobe beef & lack of consumer knowledge there. the point i was making is that there are situations where maybe because one may overvalue one thing over another, you may not be getting what it is you paid for; which could be true for steaks as it is for cars (wouldn't finding out that the filet mignon you thought you had was some other slightly less quality beef affect your satisfaction, you wouldn't feel deceived?). that is sort of the cruc of ninjahood's argument, that somehow people are not getting the appropriate value for they're money because they are being duped by the entry level luxury car. any one of these metrics can be overvalued the specs, cost, brand, but because car are such big purchases this would be less likely, most get the car that they like, that they can afford

 

[ninjahood]

Really the only thing I agree with ninja in this thread...

This is MB's 'resurrection' to get back into that lower/early market. They failed miserably in their last MB-US attempt, but the CLA will clean-up. I got an early look at one & it certainly looks and feels like you're in an MB. (It was a show model so I didn't get to test it.) I don't think many dealers have received residuals yet, but they will be high...

Edit: Agreeing on the market being catered to young adults comment. (Not the Evo comparison.)

and who do you think da evo is catered for?

 

[oidreez]

This CLA amg compares better to the srt8 both the highest models at the same price


[h3]Key Highlights[/h3]

• Hand-built AMG 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine
• 355 horsepower, 332 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds***
• New, fully-variable performance-oriented AMG 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system
• AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT (Dual-Clutch Technology) 7-speed sports transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles
• AMG speed-sensitive sports steering
• AMG sport suspension with independent front and rear axles
• AMG high-performance braking system
• AMG sports exhaust system

View media item 550573



View media item 550570

View media item 550571


View media item 550566

View media item 550567

da CLA real small compared to da SRT8....there's not in da same class segment (full size car vs compact sedan)

[QUOTE url="[URL]http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests/sedans/163_2014_mercedes_benz_cla45_amg_first_drive/#ixzz2clgglzs0[/URL]"]
The BMW 135 and Audi S4 are named as the main competitors to the CLA45

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...des_benz_cla45_amg_first_drive/#ixzz2clgglzs0





 

da suspension is inferior (McPherson's vs STR8's double wishbone suspension) and da CLA is front wheel drive bias even though


its all wheel drive VS SRT8's RWD architecture.


if you want a TRUE rival to that CLA AMG its this...

how many people are really gonna want a car made for teens/young adults though?

umm who do you think da CLA made for?


[/quote]

ok tuner/jdm community vs guy who just got his first job outta college. The benz is still seen as more "mature" than an evo

 

[stillin729]

Comparing da Benz to da Evo

Ninja thinks anything with power is geared towards Dominic Toretto and Brian O'Connor

 

[ninjahood]

This CLA amg compares better to the srt8 both the highest models at the same price


[h3]Key Highlights[/h3]

• Hand-built AMG 2.0-liter turbocharged inline-4 engine
• 355 horsepower, 332 lb-ft of torque, 0-60 mph in 4.5 seconds***
• New, fully-variable performance-oriented AMG 4MATIC all-wheel-drive system
• AMG SPEEDSHIFT DCT (Dual-Clutch Technology) 7-speed sports transmission with steering-wheel-mounted shift paddles
• AMG speed-sensitive sports steering
• AMG sport suspension with independent front and rear axles
• AMG high-performance braking system
• AMG sports exhaust system

da CLA real small compared to da SRT8....there's not in da same class segment (full size car vs compact sedan)

The BMW 135 and Audi S4 are named as the main competitors to the CLA45

Read more: http://www.motortrend.com/roadtests...des_benz_cla45_amg_first_drive/#ixzz2clgglzs0





 

da suspension is inferior (McPherson's vs STR8's double wishbone suspension) and da CLA is front wheel drive bias even though


its all wheel drive VS SRT8's RWD architecture.


if you want a TRUE rival to that CLA AMG its this...

how many people are really gonna want a car made for teens/young adults though?

umm who do you think da CLA made for?

ok tuner/jdm community vs guy who just got his first job outta college. The benz is still seen as more "mature" than an evo

they're marketed to da same exact swath of people.

difference is if you wanna do big fish lil pond, or big pond lil fish.

 

[hennessy]

Perceived value - A customer's opinion of a product's value to him or her. It may have little or nothing to do with the product's market price, and depends on the product's ability to satisfy his or her needs or requirements.

 

[mondaynightraw]

they're marketed to da same exact swath of people.

difference is if you wanna do big fish lil pond, or big pond lil fish.

they're different markets of the younger crowd, b.

While i do love the evo, it would be a TERRIBLE daily driver. That car is very uncomfortable for long drives.

 

[isnx2]

how do ya'll argue about cars with someone who doesn't even own a car?

thats incredible to me.

thats like arguing with someone who lives with their mom about how to set up a bachelor pad.

 

[ninjahood]

they're marketed to da same exact swath of people.

difference is if you wanna do big fish lil pond, or big pond lil fish.
 

they're different markets of the younger crowd, b.

While i do love the evo, it would be a TERRIBLE daily driver. That car is very uncomfortable for long drives.

you're right about da ride to a point, but any car with a spiky suspension is gonna suffer ride quality, but different markets of da younger crowd? 

a fully loaded evo cost da same as starting price of a AMG CLA. they're both tiny sedans for millennials with money.

 

[dankenstien88]

The simple fact that Benz is strictly FWD and makes over 350hp sould tell you everything you to know about the kind of person they are marketing to.

 

[Betonblck]

This comment is on the money. I have driven the caes as well. Entry level luxury with no options is like going to a high end steakhouse and ordering a hamburger. You can say you like that high end restaurant better, but you could have went to Outback(Honda/toyota) and got a Filet or NY Strip.

I don't go to Outback for steak though. Last time I ate there was when I was 8 & the last time I went in one was probably 4-yrs ago to use the restroom. So if you want to use your analogy, I'd rather eat filet mignon at Peter Luger's, Bern's, etc.(BMW/Mercedes/etc.) than at Outback (Honda/Toyota)...

(Do either Luger's or Bern's even make hamburgers? If so, I'd probably still take that over steak at Outback...)

[Will wait for "Bentley/Lamborghini/etc. is Peter Luger's"]

Ohh, wow! You've driven them? You must know them really well then!

Like I said, this thread is/was overwhelming filled with those trying to justify themselves as being below average-to-average consumers...

You posted a bunch of mostly irrelevant foolishness. Yea, I've driven them for a week at a time. Are you actually implying that because I didn't buy one, I can't have an opinion on the quality of the car.

The whole point of the comparison is that you can't get a Filet at Peter Lugar's for the same price as at Outback. Not that it would really matter, since you said you'd buy a burger at a high end restaurant before buying a filet from Outback if it's the same price for both. Not me.

 

[mondaynightraw]

you're right about da ride to a point, but any car with a spiky suspension is gonna suffer ride quality, but different markets of da younger crowd? 

a fully loaded evo cost da same as starting price of a AMG CLA. they're both tiny sedans for millennials with money.

And they're both dope.

Variety is good. Dont like the cla? Get the evo. Don't like either? Get the rs3

etc etc

 

[ninjahood]

The simple fact that Benz is strictly FWD and makes over 350hp sould tell you everything you to know about the kind of person they are marketing to.

da AMG is all wheel drive, but FWD bias, but da gist of your post is DEFINITELY on point when talking about

a regular CLA.

 

[af1 1982]

Few things on my mind:

1)Has Meth contributed to this Conversation yet

2)I feel like Ninja is the most complex man known to NT

3)how in the world is thisthread still going

 

[youngdoc]

I think I changed my mind.

People should just get whatever they like and can afford.

Unless they drastically change it in the next half decade it's going to be very hard for someone to talk me out of a S5 when I can afford it, no matter if it isn't the "best" deal at that price

 

[osirus]

My problem with Entry level offerings: their size. 

 

[stillin729]

2)I feel like Ninja is the most simple minded man known to NT

fixed

 

[rrlegend]

i dont know if this has been asked but how do yall fell about boxsters and cayman from porsche since they are entry level ? same with astons and the vantage ? not trying to give this fire more oxygen but just curious on those particulars 

 

[youngdoc]

i dont know if this has been asked but how do yall fell about boxsters and cayman from porsche since they are entry level ? same with astons and the vantage ? not trying to give this fire more oxygen but just curious on those particulars 

I'm not a huge fan of the boxster or the cayman but do like the Vantage. This is all based on looks though

 

[dankenstien88]

i dont know if this has been asked but how do yall fell about boxsters and cayman from porsche since they are entry level ? same with astons and the vantage ? not trying to give this fire more oxygen but just curious on those particulars 

The Vantage starts at 120K... nothing entry level about that.

The term "Entry level luxury" does not simply pertain to the least expensive car from its respective brand... its an American term used to refer to mid-size/compact 30-45k luxury cars.