Thanks guys. On the bmw, I wish I could get it stick, but that is not likely, as I have seen few stick shift examples worth buying, all ragged out. Auto seems a safer bet.

The problem with the 400E is that the maintainance / parts are more money, no?...being V8, I am sure it is more expensive. Wait, the 320E is what I can afford too .

If you want to know what I really want it would be the 1995 E320 with NO problems / issues / annual worries on what is going next . I love the MB.

The water pump issue is a mute point, as that is one of the things that would be changed when I buy it due to the plastic impeller.