Great job treetops of figuring out that this was not a diamond in the rough......
few are.....especially when it comes to MB's. I'm guessing you used another service like Auto Check or something similar instead of Carfax. , another tip of the hat to you. Carfax may not be perfect, but contrary to 97 SL320's comments, the internet is power and these services provide a good starting place to do your detective work and form an opinion.

BTW, did y'all know that with a Carfax subscription you can look up an unlimited number of vehicles with only the license plate number, no VIN needed. Using a VIN you're limited to 5 inquiries. Now I realize having a license plate isn't always available especially if you're buying from a dealer, etc.. And no I don't work for Carfax, but I think their service is worthwhile. Using it will help you not buy "junk" so you won't go "screaming" to your Pelican brethren wondering what happened. My 2 centavos!