Mercedes-Benz A-Class Problems

I'd go for the 507 every time. It gets The Tick in a big way and is even more fun than an A45. The biggest cost will be rear tyres.

Good for you and thanks for the news. I agree updates should be free, even if car makers argue they have to pay for the data and uploading.

Your choices both get The Tick, but the Benz A250 might be too sporty for a retirement car and the A3 is an upscale Volkswagen Golf. A good mate has just bought an Accord Euro and, even though it goes out of production soon, he loves it. You should test-drive all three.

The Golf is great but questionable beyond the warranty, which rules it out for you. The A3 is a Golf under the skin, so that makes the Mazda3 the safe choice but you should also crunch the numbers on an A-Class and test drive to see if it makes you feel more special than the Mazda for your retirement.

The fuel filler cap itself can't be locked, but the outer flap locks automatically to provide security when the car is locked.

Mercedes-Benz is really making an impact with its new models and fresh approach to bottom-end pricing.

A Mercedes-Benz spokesman has told us that it will be available in the new model, but couldn’t say when that would be. If we get more info we’ll post it.

Mercedes-Benz Australia spokesman David McCarthy says: "The issue has been, first, a coolant leak from the thermostat therefore displaying the low coolant level light on a slope. After this repair was completed the customer has started to watch his temperature gauge and found the operation different to what he has possibly experienced on other vehicles. The design of the cooling system has located the temperature sensor in an area where the coolant temperature does fluctuate as the thermostat operates. Stop-start operation can also influence this temperature variance because if the engine is not running no heat is generated. This is normal on the A-Class and has been documented from Germany for our dealers."

It's a two-way street, not straight profiteering, as Mercedes-Benz Australia is accelerating the value of its cars in a way that's paying off mightily for buyers and undermining rival brands.