Well, if it makes any difference to you:

Aside from routine maint and a trany problem I exacerbated in my 300M (meaning I drove it for 2 weeks with a CEL and a tranny trouble code), it proved to be so reliable, fun to drive and cheap to maintain that I got a 2nd one.

No, it's not a Mercedes, but I'd rather drive my 300 than a Honda or Toyota. And the 3.5 is very powerful AND yet still efficient enough for me (24MPG avg, it'd be 28 if I didn't drive so fast and accelerate so quickly).

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Back in the saddle - 1972 280SE 4.5