Faults:

Windshield wiper stopped working.

Windows stopped going up and down.

Alarm would not stop going off.

Gas cover got locked up, and had to be broken in order to get gas.

A/C worked for a day.

Radio stopped turning on.

Sporadic transmission failure.

Would not shift to 3rd gear for a while.

General Comments:

I have a '92 Mercedes E300 as well. It has relatively low miles for an old car - about 92000.

It is definitely the worst car I have ever owned. The best thing about it is that it is safe (I was hit by a dump truck and the car wasn't even damaged), but that's the only good thing I can think of.

The bad things with my Mercedes were that all of the electrical wiring went bad (after research, I discovered that there is a recall for this). The windows do not work, A/C broke instantly, the sole windshield wiper stopped working, and now even the radio stopped turning on.

This car has been more trouble than it's worth. I have to take it in to get it fixed every two months. My mechanic actually told me, "The problem with this car is that it's a Mercedes. If I were you I'd get some good insurance on it and crash it."

I also had a battery explode.

I had one period of time when the car would not shift gears at all, causing it to be non-driveable for 3 months. When I took it to the mechanic, it suddenly worked fine.

Also, I had a MAJOR problem with the alarm system. One day it just started to go off for no reason. At first, it would go off when I started the car, but after doing this for about a month, it would no longer turn off for ANY reason. I ended up having to get the alarm system disconnected.

I have had plenty of used cars before - Ford, Saturn, Toyota, Volvo, Chevy, etc., and none have been as bad as this car. I'm going back to Toyota, which lasted to 300,000 miles.

Faults:

The car was running beautifully - in my case ignorance was bliss. Then after two years of enjoyment.. the problems started. AC stopped working 100%. Reverse started slipping. Passenger seat (power) up right stopped working (you can still power it back - just not up!)

I really should have taken the time to learn more about my car. But before I did:

I changed out the transmission.

I put new struts and shocks all the way around.

I had the alternator replaced.

I switched to 18" AMG wheels and Pzero Pirelli tires.

Next up will most likely be that "bio-degradable" wire harness I am learning about!

I must say though that the interior looks brand new. The previous owner passed it down to his daughter (who of course didn't want her daddy's car).

The mileage is still way low for an 18 year old car.

I think all I had to do for the tranny was make sure the fluid was filled up - my loss, $2300.00 for a new transmission.

General Comments:

Interior is amazing.

Ride is ambassador smooth.

Speed at higher RPM's is respectable.

With aftermarket rims/tires, this car still jumps out at people and handles very well.

I just wish that the clear coat on these cars could stand up better in the Southern California sun.