If I were you, I would take a closer look at the '97. If the car has maintenance records and has been well-maintained, with documented oil change and service intervals, I wouldn't be too scared of the mileage.

If I remember correctly, model 1995 on the C-class used, for the first time, the 5-speed, 722.6 electronically controlled transmission. I would scan for transmission work to see if this C280 had any of the "notorious" issues with the earlier versions of the 722.6. I think that the major problems were cleared up by the '97 model year.

Also - look on the forum for HVAC issues - if memory serves me correctly, the '95 model year had major headaches associated with the HVAC, but not so much in the later model years. The '97 might prove to be a bit more reliable in that regard.

Hope this helps. Good luck!

__________________
+AMDG+
2005 W203
Running as fast as I can to stay behind!!