Originally Posted by deanyel

By what measure? That they haven't broken down in their first year or two of life? This sounds like J.D. Power first year owner satifaction stuff which is a poor meausure of real quality. If it's Mercedes saying this it is perhaps wishful thinking and certainly a lowering of standards - that they would be pleased that their cars are lasting for a year or two.

To me the car to get is a 420, an early one without a 722.6 which started in 1996. Plus if you get an earlier one you get metal oil tubes - an engine for which it's hard to think of a single congentital flaw, unlike the 104 which has several significant ones. You must stay away from ASR - the single most important thing you can do in looking for any MB.