The car is still under factory warranty. Is it a Starmark? I've advised many friends and relatives to stay away from late model MB's not covered under the Starmark warranty due to the potential cost of repairs. Contrary to popular belief, MB's do occasionally break! On the S430, replacing maintenance items is well within the ability of DIYer's. Mechanically, they're not that hard to work on. The bells and whistles however, are another story. As Doc said, all of the cars' computers are networked. This can make diagnosing problems much easier, provided the technician has had the proper training. This almost guarantees a trip to the dealer at some point. That could be an expensive proposition, but if the car is a Starmark it doesn't matter. With that said, the 220's are great cars to drive. Comfortable, quiet, smooth, good looking, etc. For what it's worth, the 2003 S-class is, in my opinion, much quieter/smoother/nicer than the previous years. Good luck