Having had assorted 108's, 111's & 113's I would concur with much of what has been written here. I had a 1968 280S with a 4 speed manual (and no power steering) which I thought drove smoother than the old 4 speed automatic six cylinders. I have had 111 3.5's, one with a manual and one automatic. I greatly prefered the automatic. Overall, I find the 4.5's the most modern of the 108 breed and the least challenging to live with. None of these cars get any great fuel economy, so just accept it or move on. I totally agree that you should buy the best car you can find/afford. Rusty cars are really just rolling parts inventories. Happy hunting!