I've been in the car hobby for 20 plus years. I've never expected ANY old (or new) car not to have some issues, which would likely require some extra money to smooth out. I've also walked away from some obviously misrepresented vehicles. But the point is that this medium-mileage 300CD turned out to have a LOT of problems I was "led" not to expect.

The seller HAD to know the car had engine issues, and yet he put me on the road for a 2,000 mile trip at the start of a Texas summer, knowing I was diabetic. This goes beyond simple "sharp dealing". The car could quite easily have left me stranded somewhere in the great Southwest on a Memorial Day weekend...and that could have resulted in a life-threatening medical emergency as well as inconvenience.

Knowing what I know now (and much from reading posts on this forum) I would have asked for a PPE by a local Mercedes mechanic. Enough would have turned up so that I likely would have passed on the car, or requested a SIGNIFICANT reduction in the asking price.

I've still got the car, and problems (generally costly) continue to crop up. So be it. It's still rust free and LOOKS nice (it's been in a Mercedes Enthusiast photo shoot)...but looks continue to be its strong point.

The seller wasn't some tattooed sleazebag in a trailer park. I met him at his home in a nice Dallas suburb. He was a graduate of a service academy and a successful businessman. He introduced me to his nice family...and invited me to church! It seems that I "bought the seller, not the car," and that was my mistake. And he's never offered to adjust what I paid (too much) to help with the "medical bills".

As an additional note, comprehensive service records from the first oil change should not be accepeted as a clean bill of health.

Caveat emptor.