5 speeds are rare, and the flywheel needs to be changed, also rare.
I saw a local 280E with a 5-speed go cheap. SHould have grabbed it but I didn't.
It isn't cheap shipping heavy items from Europe, and the laws there state that when cars get rusty they have to recycle 100% of the parts. The Stuttgart factory has to tear down and send parts to rebuilders, maybe the axels are sent to America? That doesn't stop an individual from selling a car for export however, as a look on eBay.de will prove there are lots of cars available that are never sold here through MBNA:
http://search.ebay.de/mercedes_Automobile_W0QQfromZR3QQfsopZ1QQsacatZ9801QQsalisZ77
Now, if the US Dollar were only stronger, prices would be more attractive, but that is something that we have no control over!