My W210 E430 is the most reliable car I've ever owned. It has just shy of 150,000 miles now, and all its needed was a crank position sensor and both rear window regulators.

My neighbor is a technician at the local Mercedes dealer. He's also a team leader.

He still tells me that he and his fellow technicians almost unanimously agree that the W210 is the most reliable chassis MB has ever built.

Do keep in mind if someone had the top hydraulics repaired at the dealer they would be spending over $5000. I can get it done for under $1500. I'm sure there will be a few other surprises which I will document. With shipping and other repairs, I'll be 8-9k into the car, which is still a fantastic deal given its a real deal sport package and the low miles.

As for the CLK55, its turns out to be a pretty exceptional car. Dealer serviced from new. I'm buying it too. Forum member Mattias08 is local and went over the car, said if I don't buy it he will.

My father had a 2001 CLK430 cab new, as well as a 2004 CLK500 cab. both of those had under 5,000 miles when he sold them. His current car is a 2009 SL550 sport, which is approaching 5,000 miles. Coincidentally he's thinking he will order the new S-class convertible soon. ;)

Why sell them or buy them if he barely uses the car? Whats he using as a DD?

Tyler, are you planning on repairing the top hydraulics as a diy? I was wondering if the hardtop is included? In your opinion once you take care of the top and wheels, what do you think it will be worth and how much total investment do you project?

Just a weekend fair weather car.

Always a full size GM SUV for the last 30 years, with a few odd brief departures.

I'll farm it out. No hardtop, but they're plentiful and cheap ($200-$300).

As for the value, it depends. I've always been about the quick money. Once I decide to sell something I hate to sit on it. Other dealers would milk the gross as much as possible. I used to raise a few eye brows when other dealers would hear that I turn my inventory over 100% every month, but I was only averaging $800 a car. It was a living but not getting easier as cars got harder to buy and fix. I was never going to get rich/secure doing it.

How old is he? Was he a current MB tech when the 123's were in their heyday? Not that I'm blasting the 210. I like the look of them and would love to have one some day, but given the spring perch screw up I have a hard time believing they were engineered to the same level as the 123's.

- Peter.

He's 35 years old. He started working at the dealership when he was 20 years old, and was promoted from technician to team leader about 3 years ago.

I doubt he's ever worked on a W123 or even a W126, or would want to. If one ever came into the dealer, they'd likely give it to an old-timer.

I know he still occasionally worked on W124's and W140s, but mainly W210s, W220s and later.

I understand your concern about the spring perch from reading the posts here, but with the lack of rust here, it's a non-issue.

He's never seen one with the problem.

Were the spring perches of RWD and 4Matic W210's identical to one another? Were both versions of the W210 equally vulnerable to the rusty perch issue?

Trust me I know what you mean, $800 a car isn't bad at all. I've known guys that will sell a car if they are getting $400-$500

I'm not an expert on this, but I believe the spring perches are different between AWD and RWD.

From what I've read, it's a problem mainly on early W210s.

With the amount of W210's you see on the road here in LA I believe you. I'm always surprised to see for how little they go around here, but then I realize it's a 20 year old car. Holding up pretty well.

Interesting tidbit, theres a codgerish independant local shop guy around here that ive taken a few 123s to for timing chains and he works on all years and has beginning of time mercedes dealer experience. Profane ranty guy, his all time least favorite mercedes to work on (including new ones) is the 114/115 chassis surprisingly. I guess at the time he got burnt out when he was a dealer tech and those were the new mercedes.

Funny because i enjoy working on my 115

We'll in that case his opinion hardly counts with all Mercedes as it's limited to a small sample of modern ones.

We'll that's good because I would like to get one some day, especially a wagon if possible and my source area would be Phoenix/LA, so hopefully that won't be an issue.

I used to think they engineered the car down to a price point and threw their heritage in the trash as a result. From the high mileages and condition of cars from the Los Angeles/Phoenix area it does seem that the spring perch/rust issues are the only real issues with them and if you get one from a dry climate it's not an issue. In which case mechanical reliability emerges as more important and they seem to fare well in that regard.

Some day maybe.

- Peter.

The 210 E was.the safest car on the road for the duration of its production run according to the NHTSA.