It's pure snobbery -- after all, you COULDN'T have paid as much for yours as they did for theirs, and everyone knows the only reason for buying a Benz is to prove you have the money to do so (and are too cheap to buy a Royce....)

Peter

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1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!