USED Mercedes-Benz A-Class MPV (98 - 05)

My car

I bought this model a month ago, second-hand with 7000 miles on the clock.

I cannot fault the space or the high driving position, and the all-round visibility is great. My niggles concern the odd placement of the gearstick and handbrake, which are both too far back. At a comfortable distance from the steering wheel (and I do not drive with the wheel close to my chest), my arm impinges quite badly on the edge of the seat when using the gears and handbrake to the extent that I'm getting arm and wrist sprain even on short journeys, and I intend changing the car soon for this reason.

It feels like I'm too big for the car - and I'm only 5ft 7in tall. A dealer friend said this car was aimed at the older market, and I agree - it fits my 5ft 4in mother perfectly.

I have also not felt confident enough to drive it at high speed on the motorway yet - it has a feeling of instability and poor road feel through the steering, and I feel it might take off in a good crosswind.

My car

First, I love this car!

I bought my five-year old A190 a while ago now and have never looked back. I have driven many other small cars csuch as VW Golfs, Peugeot 206s and the new Ford Fiesta, and I have to say this car makes light work of all of them.

Many people have criticised the A-Class for its unreliability, but I have not suffered any major faults with my model. In a year of ownership of my then four-year old Mercedes-Benz, I have only had to replace one brake light bulb. The key link in the equation is to have your A-Class serviced regularly by a reliable mechanic, if not by Mercedes themselves.

The car is lovely to drive and my 125bhp 1.9-litre with tiptronic gearbox really goes. I have a friend who owns a 140, which I have driven, and it is certainly slightly underpowered, but is still more than good enough for town work. The A190 also makes overtaking other cars easy when applying kickdown.

Space inside my A-Class is great, with fantastic space management, allowing you to remove all but the driver's seat - mine is the SWB version. The car is great for small families including small babies and has four airbags as standard in all three versions. I will be fitting Brembo brakes to mine soon which my friend has and stops the car dead.

I would definitely buy another A-Class but won't be selling mine, so no need! The A190 Auto is highly recommended.

My car

We have had our A-Class 160 LWB for three years now. We have been very pleased with it. I know a number of people knock it, but you cannot argue with one of Mercedes' most successful models. Not all these punters can be wrong.

We have two young children and this car is perfect for us. The legroom in the back has to be seen to be believed. We have travelled in comfort to Normandy a number of times and it has been ultra-reliable.

We have had one problem in the three years we had it and that was a flat battery. This was courtesy of our three-year old son leaving the interior light on. Mobilo Life were at home within one-and-a-half hours and changed the battery - what service!

Will we buy another Mercedes. We will probably go for the B-Class this time.

My car

I have a 2004 A170 CDI LWB automatic and I have loved each of the 27,000 miles to date.

No other car has such practicality, compact size and enormous interior space! I also own a C200, but there really is no comparison in terms of legroom and headroom.

Of course it does not drive like an Alfa Romeo or ride like the C200, and the tendency to be unsettled by gusts of wind is annoying, but the space and compact size are unsurpassed.

The drive is involving anyway. I read all the horror stories about reliability and get worried, will it ever happen to me as the warranty expires next month? Fingers crossed, so far there have been no nags at all.