I owned a '99 E320 wagon from new. It wasn't the worst car I've ever owned, but it was by far the worst Mercedes. Rust? Sure, more rust than an old battleship. The liftgate is prone to rust below the window, as water seems to work in around the lock mechanism. If you lift the rubber seals around the doors, you'll probably find a kernel or two of rust. And if you pulled the fenders on a pretty car, you'd find ugly rust working it's way out from inside. But you can drive a rusty car. (and contrary to what was state above, spring mounts are not a problem with 4matic wagons) What you'll find harder to live with is an endless list of electrical problems: radios that don't work, "bulb out" indicators that never go off, transmission control module failures, etc. There will always be one a/c component that keeps you from enjoying cool air. The engine sensors will fail one by one, the worst of them being the crank position sensor which will prevent starting. The engine never was a problem, except it had a habit of picking up "milkshake" under the oil cap. They said it's normal, the result of condensation. I say, not on any car I want to own. The topic keeps coming up, and I keep answering: friends don't let friends buy W210's. There's a reason they're cheap.