Just to let you know, my friend was looking for a Diesel sedan (his Jetta TDI got totaled), and I found about a dozen to choose from. He ended up buying a '99 E300 TURBODIESEL with 110,000 miles on it. It came with receipts for almost $3,000 worth of recent repairs. He got it for $8,000. This is only one example of the cars that are available, so it is a good thing you did not buy the car you were looking at. Also, a couple years ago I bought a '98 E300 as well for $5,400 (more miles than my friend's, but still a very nice car). All this to say that good cars are out there for a good price, so don't give up. It is also good that you questioned the potential purchase here. There is a lot of knowledge and experience that can be drawn upon here, so feel free to post if you find another car that is questionable. We are all here to help.
