I just bought a '91 300E with 192k on it and it has the leaky front cover issue. My local Merc specialist (who seems pretty honest) had a look and said not to worry: 'these leak all the time' were his words.
Being the perfectionist I am though, could this be a job I could fix myself? I'm by no means a car expert but have a basic understanding of engineering and am pretty handy fixing stuff (or at least taking it apart and seeing how it goes back together again!)
I did a search for the procedure but couldn't find one that went in to detail. Anyone who's done it themselves care to help out?

Also, on a footnote, tried the trick of removing the retarding resistor and the bloody thing works! car feels much more 'alive'.

Amusing seeing everyone's postings on here; it seems we all love these old cantankerous German tanks, even if they do drain our wallets and 'cause hours of hands stuffed down oily places where the sun don't shine... I guess there's just nothing like seeing that 3-pointed star/gunsight at the end of your hood... I've only owned the thing a couple of weeks and I'm smitten already.
Try explaining it to my wife tho...