well, lets put it this way, here's my justification. My "old" '99 300Dturbo cost me close to $5K.
Within a year the transmission went bad, I knew it was flaring a bit but didn't realize it would go downhill so quickly.
I have a laundry list of things it needed to meet my standards:
Removing PO's darned poly bushings replaced with OE rubber.
New front wheel bearings.
Rebuilt cylinder head, new timing chain, 2 new exh valves while it was off.
The headlights were so fogged up due to the PO installing a plastic film over them that wouldn't come off I had to buy new headlights (well used off ePay) and swap the covers, a real PITA.
Rebuilt alternator
New flex discs
New heater valve assy,
Replaced front diff seal (I looked for a low mileage diff at the time and couldn't find one)
Motor mounts (need to replace again soon)
Trans mount,
Ball joints, lower control arm bushings
A rear antisway link busted when I cranked hard to avoid a collision
probably a few other things I forgot, like belt tensioner, Fan thermo clutch, Rad hoses, then there are brake rotors and Porterfield pads, SS brake hoses but I won't include all that in the grad running total on the "Old" '99 turbo,
sheesh! I spent well over $12K (including basic car).

It still ruins like a scalded cat, cruise control works, AC is great. Hugs the road and stops great when you want it to. Clearcoat is mostly gone as the PO lived in the high desert.

One odd thing is it has the full DIN Computer display (WTF is a CDROM- based roadside map feature worth now? nada! Esp since GPS came along).
But then there's the fact its a EURO based version! I do not know how it got installed whether it was OE or the PO found it and put it in but its a kick to show people what technology was like pre-Y2K. If you go to enter your location it has Spain, Greece, Germany etc. just NO North America! and no way to upgrade the firmware.

I bought this "New" one for $13K go figure. The seller called and said he had a call from a man who pleaded with him to sell it for $15K but he honored our deal and I got it - now its off to the races.
Call me nuts or whatever I figure I will drive it a few years then give to my daughter, as my wife has failed to see the beauty of the '99 turbo but thankfully she's very content with her E320, the gas guzzler it is, but I really wish I could take the lumbar seats out of it and put them in my "New" '99! If there was an easy way I might do it! thats the only thing I really wish this one had.

DDH

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'95 E320 Wagon my favorite road car. '99 E300D wolf in sheeps body, '87 300D Sportline suspension, '79 300TD w/ 617.952 engine at 367,750 and counting!