Hi Scott,

I'm sure Avant will be along soon.

In the meantime, I can add my personal experience of the A180 CDi.

Now, mine is the CVT and very good it is too.

When people talk about the droning a CVT makes, it's when you put your foot down to make it accelerate.

With a petrol engine coupled to a CVT, there's not a huge amount of torque (pulling power) available low down, so the engine needs to rev to find that torque higher up the rev range.

With the diesel engines, torque is available from about 1600 RPM, and the engine therefore does not have to rev high to gain momentum. In fact, you could argue that a CVT coupled with a diesel engine is the ideal combination, as it's always in the correct "gear". You can certainly make good progress in the A180 Cdi without causing the revs to soar.

However, if you are dead against CVTs, then there are a few manual versions around. Avoid the A 160 CDi - it has the same 2.0 litre engine as the A180 and A200 but with a detuned 82 BHP and less torque, it will be sluggish!

The A and B Class of the vintage you are looking at had fairly poor petrol engines, not particularly strong or smooth.

I think Avant had a B180 CDi and his main complaint was engine noise. Certainly after a cold start it's quite vocal in my car but settles down once warm and is virtually silent at motorway speeds. (70 MPH = 1800 RPM).

If you've found a car you like the look of, why not ask for a proper extended test drive for the day? If they refuse, move on to another dealer.

In terms of the mileage of the 2011 one, I would not consider that excessively low.

Finally, the post 2009 A/B Class diesels did have a partical filter (my 2007 model doesn't) so you will need to make sure that your journeys are sufficiently long to avoid the problems you've had with your C30.

I've had my A Class for over two years, and despite lots of short journeys daily, I've had none of the problems associated with modern diesels.

Edited by 72 dudes on 07/04/2016 at 18:29

Scot, first of all you're certainly not a pain: one of the things we do best on this forum is use our experience to advise others on their choice of car. Ask as much and as often as you like! A car is likely to be the next most expensive things you buy after your house, so you want to get it right. Nothing wrong with 'overthinking': I've just been through this process myself and I'm still not sure I've got it right!

"Avant, was it the drone of the CVT or noise from diesel that was too much?"

Mine was a B200 CDI, new in 2006, and it was a bit of both, coupled with inadequate soundproofing. Possibly I didn't drive it sedately enough, the previous car having been an Audi A4 2.5 TDI. The Audi was a diesel with CVT and was always refined - but it was a six-cylinder.

72 dudes has been very helpful above and has probably answered your question positively - either through being a more sedate driver or the 180 CDI being quieter than the 200. Further good news is that a friend with a 2012 B200 CDI told me that this one is much quieter than his previous diesel B-class.

Ultimately, try one and see what you think. I would have liked my B-class better if it had been a petrol B200, I think.

Edited by Avant on 08/04/2016 at 00:00