Relax. The normal wear parts have come down considerably for the C43/C36. The C43 motor is a strong one, but plug changes can be arduous, as there are a lot of them. Other than that, regular oil changes should see you through. Brakes are about 3x the price of a regular W202, so about $150.00 for a front disc or so. Everything else about the suspension is regular W202. They are magnificent cars, as you have found, and good value for the money these days.

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'96 C280 (gone)
'97 C36
'05 C230k