Faults:

The first day I had the car the throttle cable came loose. It was the original plastic holder that broke.

Also on the first day I had the car, I tried to use the emergency flashers and the switch broke.

The switches in the upper part of the dash have stopped working. The rear light, power antenna, and the rear defrost switch.

The radio antenna does not work due to the fact the switch is broken. Once I was washing the car the antenna went up randomly, and went back down after it fully extended.

My A/C has major problems. I had to replace the fan speed switch. The temperature changes frequently in the center vents ranging from 60 degrees to 100 degrees. The outer vents are underpowered and only blow hot air. I will have to take it to a shop to find the problem. I have herd the problem could be a vacuum leak.

The oil drain plug was stripped out and had to take it to a truck mechanic to get it off.

The windshield sprayer hasn't worked since I got the car. Water seeps out of the spouts and it seems to be underpowered.

The transmission has been replaced at 113048 miles.

The driver side passenger window has stopped working.

General Comments:

The car is a great daily driver for a 19 year old car. I bought the car from the original owner and she took it to the dealership for all maintenance. The side insert jack had not been used for the entire life of the car, and it had all of the original tools and the first aid kit.

It has a smooth suspension and handles great at high speeds. I have got the car to 135 miles per hour, which for the car being 19 years old is great.

The original owner had all of the paperwork, which I have now. Paperwork is important for any type of car at this age.

The interior is showing its age. The headliner is coming unglued at the corners and around the sunroof switch. Overall the interior is holding firm for it being 19 years old.

Faults:

When I purchased it the power roof was not functioning, as well as the right rear window.

I also feel a pronounced shudder at speed. I believe this to be a flex joint issue.

General Comments:

The car was an impulse purchase, it was advertised as mint and upon inspection I had to agree. It came from northern California with absolutely no rust anywhere, and the paint is original. The paint quality is incredible.

The interior is functional with no gimmickry, the "leather" upholstery is very comfortable, however after running the VIN on a Russian Mercedes website and finding out about all the options it came with, I discovered the upholstery was MB tex, a synthetic leather, but apparently it wears superior to leather and so I am not complaining. It sorely lacks a cup-holder however.

The engine when opened up sounds amazing and has more than enough grunt. However you need to play with the throttle to get underway quickly as it starts in 2nd gear. When I first drove it I never properly floored it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I did.

The turning circle is the smallest I have even experienced, and it is a breeze to maneuver. All in all a fine car so far, lovely classic lines, a big car feel in a compact package.

Faults:

E-brake not longer works.

A/C needed recharging.

Cruise control works intermittently.

Heater control valve leaks intermittently.

General Comments:

I love this car! It hugs the road and is very communicative; a true driver's vehicle. Somewhat slow off the line since the automatic is programmed to start in second gear (unless I floor the accelerator for 2-1 kick-down/kick in the pants), it has unbelievably long legs on the highway, showing its Autobahn pedigree. In this respect, I need to be careful, since this car could land me into trouble with the authorities. On the highway, it will cruise at 145km/h without any trouble. I personally took it up to 190km/h and it was still pulling and had a fair fit of pedal travel remaining, but that was the limit on the T-rated tires I was running at the time. I figure it could go to 215-220 km/h before the engine would run out of revs. More than enough to get my license suspended if I get caught!

The interior is nicely-appointed in leather and textured plastic that looks and feels a cut above the rest even 17 years later. The heated seats are a real treat on cold mornings. The car feels like a tomb inside, isolating everyone from the harsh world outside and imparting a sense of invincibility to the driver. If this was the entry level Benz of 17 years ago, what are they like today? I am very eager to find out. Now if only I had 50-grand lying around someplace...