I hear two vacuum pump discussions in parallel - 1) should you replace an early style pump (open bearing typically identified by no screws on the cover) = YES! and 2) should you replace a late style pump when it's racked up miles = I don't know. I haven't read of a late style pump failure other than gsxr's experience during a dyno run.

Note that not all that glitters is gold. I've seen pictures of a pump with screws on the front cover yet with an open bearing roller. I think it was for sale on eBay so the pictures might not have been of the same unit. Probably the worst a cover without screws can do is leak oil sooner than later. It's the redesigned roller that's the relevant design improvement.

A nemesis of panZZer might make a practice of removing an old style vacuum pump at every oil change to examine the plastic bearing cages. Buy a new pump only when the cages start to disintegrate.

To the original point, I hear and read of problems with the 210 not specific to the 606. My primary info comes from my sister's and cousin's 210s. ACC control problems are less than rare but I suppose that's better than an evaporator failure. Neither has suffered a front suspension collapse. One is in a dry location, the other is in the tropics. Both are 4Matic wagons and the 4Matic systems have been flawless.

Sixto
87 300D