I've always, no strike that. I have learned over time that with Mercedes, you generally get what you pay for. Most all the other car companies, even Jaguar, gave up on real quality more than 40 years ago. I doubt a Rolls is half the car today they were even just a decade ago.

Take the transmission, for example. Mercedes automatics use all roller bearings from end to end, every rotating part spins on, or rides against a roller bearing. Not a Rolls Royce or Jag, which used GM, Borg Warner and the like, or the American cars, or any other Euro car, or any Japanese car. Every other auto trans I have ever looked into used a lot of plain bushings in all the rotating parts. I am not saying there are no others, just that I havnt seen any others, and all the Mercedes from the mid 70's on, are. Same with manuals, they are all roller bearings, even the gears on the main shaft have rollers, most all other manufacturers use bushings.

And yes, I have been fooled many times by Mercedes MB Tex, its very high quality material.