[gazza1]

Which is the lowest point on the car? Is it the plastic on the lower edge of the front wheel archs?

 

[page3]

Which is the lowest point on the car? Is it the plastic on the lower edge of the front wheel archs?

I think so.

I measured the hight on mine (AMG-Line, empty) and made it 160mm at that point. I need to persuade wife+son to sit inside so I can re-measure and get a feel for how much it lowers.

 

[Jamez002]

But... Wouldn’t the ground clearance be better on the AMG with its 18” wheels?
Or is the spoiler lower in contrast?

I was going by the brochure that said the ground clearance was lower on the AMG. When I drive on the mini speed bumps, the ones where your wheels go either side I drive silly slow and still every now and then I crunch on one :/

 

[super_sayian]

any good solution for the ground clearance? I was thinking of putting something in order for not to scratch the under bumper or maybe something that will absorb the possible crack

 

[Ben&Sandy]

18 inch rims

But... Wouldn’t the ground clearance be better on the AMG with its 18” wheels?
Or is the spoiler lower in contrast?

The different sizes, 18, 17, and 16 refer to the rim size. The wheel size is the rim and tyre, so the answer is "No 18 inch rims won't change the ride height.
You could put "taller" tyres on your existing rims giving a larger diameter but this changes the speedometer reading and in extreme case could rub on the wheel arch. You would also change the "weight" of the wheel assembly which would then not be matched to the spring/damper settings on the car and would affect road holding.
In the good old days people used to raise or more likely lower their body compared with the suspension but again this affects things like the tracking and steering angle as the steering wheel/column is moved in relation to the suspension.
No simple answer.

 

[RichardL]

I used to have a W176 A180 Sport and had no problems with ground clearance, but my new W177 A200 AMG has been an absolute nightmare. There are places I used to be able to drive normally but I now have to slow down to a crawl to navigate. Sometimes even just driving down the road you'll hit a dip and hear the car scrape.

The worst however was when I had the driver's side restraint failure warning come up. I hit the Mercedes Me button and Cedars Assist came to pick up the car. It took the driver an age and multiple planks of wood to get the car onto the back of his recovery truck because the front end kept threatening to hit the ramp. He actually mentioned that he was lucky that he wasn't recovering the vehicle from a busy road because of how much of a pain it was to load!

 

[Southwestwall]

I've had one minor scrape at low speed, whilst leaving a rather rough gravel Forestry Commission car park with a steep slope at the exit.

Other than that I've not scraped any errant speed humps, car park ramps or the like yet. That being said I'm more cautious than the average bear.

.

 

[CTID]

Essentially the car is too low....this and a number of other issues drove me to jack it in and go to a old shape B class

 

[Saunders]

Essentially the car is too low....this and a number of other issues drove me to jack it in and go to a old shape B class

The car is a little low - whether it is too low is going to depend on where you live and where you drive, plus how careful you can be as a driver. I haven't had any problems, but I am more careful than I have had to be with other cars.

 

[acnenoodle]

Essentially the car is too low....this and a number of other issues drove me to jack it in and go to a old shape B class

sounds like your age was more of a factor

 

[colt4]

I only like the A class in AMG Line spec - you can't even upgrade the wheels on the Sport model using the UK configurator.

Is this an issue on all Mercedes AMG Line cars - the C class, for example?

If so, I'm going to have to buy another car.

 

[Southwestwall]

Personally I think it is a non-issue for the most part. I'm sure I'll have a hairy moment or two at some point in the future, but encounter no such problems in my normal driving day.

I've had one minor scrape at low speed in a gravel car park in the local woods. It won't be repeated because I now know to pay more attention at the exit, which I should have done anyway.

 

[CTID]

sounds like your age was more of a factor

What, 47 is too old for a A class! The car is too low, even the dealer admitted it....it even scraped on a roundabout on a A road, and that was when entering it from a stop! My C AMG didn’t, and neither does the B AMG.....

 

[Peter55]

Essentially the car is too low....this and a number of other issues drove me to jack it in and go to a old shape B class

sounds like your age was more of a factor

sounds like your age was more of a factor

What, 47 is too old for a A class! The car is too low, even the dealer admitted it....it even scraped on a roundabout on a A road, and that was when entering it from a stop! My C AMG didn’t, and neither does the B AMG.....

Unbelievable!
So there’s now an age limit on ownership of a Mercedes

How does that excuse low ground clearance , I love my A Class, but I have to be so careful with speed ramps and kerbs

Oh to be young and not give a f**k

 

[Ben&Sandy]

Never mind speed bumps our potholes are deeper than that.

 

[gazza1]

What, 47 is too old for a A class! The car is too low, even the dealer admitted it....it even scraped on a roundabout on a A road, and that was when entering it from a stop! My C AMG didn’t, and neither does the B AMG.....

Yes agree its too low for the UK roads, its a family hatchback and you expect to use it on most roads without having to think twice about where you can and can not take it for fear of grounding it out. If you purchased a sports car then that's different. I definitely think MB have done the car an injustice on this front.

 

[Mr R]

I’ve not had any problems with my A35, but had a wee look underneath after washing it this afternoon, and yeah it certainly is pretty low! I’ve not had any scraping so far, and we have speed humps at my work car park. Personally I like the low, ground hugging stance it has, but each to their own... ?

 

[Londonlass]

Hi all. I’m currently in a dispute with Mercedes to return my a class. The car is simply too low and every time I go over a speed bump in Walthamstow it sounds as if I’m ripping the complete exhaust system out of the car!! Has anyone got a suggestion for what car to get next?

I had the old shape 2016 a180 and loved it, but hate this one!!

 

[page3]

Hi all. I’m currently in a dispute with Mercedes to return my a class. The car is simply too low and every time I go over a speed bump in Walthamstow it sounds as if I’m ripping the complete exhaust system out of the car!! Has anyone got a suggestion for what car to get next?

I had the old shape 2016 a180 and loved it, but hate this one!!

Does the B-Class have more clearance?

Although the A-Class is low (pointlessly low in my opinion!) I've not had any major issues with the myriad of speed-humps I have to negotiate daily. The raised platform ones I just take < 5 mph, the ones with gaps I wait until no oncoming traffic and then take with a wheel over each hump, instead of between. Worst problem is enraging other drivers!

 

[Saunders]

The A Class is a little low, but it isn't a problem if you're careful over speed bumps, and approach them the right way ie slow and oblique where possible and for the square type, put one wheel only on the hump where possible.


I wish you luck with your pursuit of a return, but I'll be surprised if they give in. It's clear from the lack of a public media clamour, that most owners are not having any significant problems.