Through '05 it has the well proven m112 engine and 722.6 automatic transmission. From '06 onward you (mostly) get the m272 v6 and 722.9 7 speed automatic transmission. The newer v6 is the one with the balance shaft wear issue. The 722.9, at least on the web, doesn't have the sterling reputation of the earlier trans.

Until the '07 model year they all have SBC brakes. After that MB replaced it with a conventional anti-lock setup. SBC seems reliable enough, but in the unlikely event it needs a repair, it will likely be expensive. There is 10 year warranty on SBC, but that has expired on all but the last cars built with the system.

The 211 wagons use air struts for self leveling at the rear rather than the hydro-pneumatic struts used on previous wagon series. I am under the impression the rear air struts are not too bad on cars with self leveling only. They are optionally fitted with airmatic - air struts at all four corners. More to go wrong, basically.

Is it better than a 210? In a couple of ways I think it is (I've owned both). The 211 doesn't have the surface rust problems which plague the 210. The interior materials are more up to the standard of earlier Benz products. My 211 wagon seems more quiet than my 210 wagon ever did. And of course it's not nearly as old and used as a 210 wagon.