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Originally Posted by TheEngineer
I'm probably qualified to comment on the subject: I have always done my own work. I owned a 220Sb in the 60's and a 230SL in the 70's. Now I have a W113 280SL and just bought a '95 E320 wagon. The older cars were simpler. As a result,when stuff went wrong, they are easy to repair. The newer cars ride nicer and have more power and lot's more gadgets: Do you really need 8-way adjustable seats powered by electric motors? Do you need a fully automatic climate control system? Do you need a "sound system" or would be a radio good enough? Do you need power windows and Airbags? An electric sunroof ? Isn't the purpose of a car to get you from here to there? My W113 has a manual soft top & manual windows. But let's look at it from the manufacturer's point of view: They can out-do the competition by offering a fully automated coffee maker built into the armrest and sell more cars because of that, or just get a glowing review in Car&Driver. The dealer doesn't mind and the repair show likes it too. And if you buy the car, you deserve it.
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I commute 45 minutes each day in traffic. At my disposal I have my 82 300SD my 99 S320 and an 88 Volvo 240 wagon. I pick the 140 most of the time because of the extra creature comforts. When your driving a short distance the extra options don't matter. When the distance increases they become more important. The 140 is quiet as a tomb inside and has great A/C and a comfortable ride. I can talk on my mobile phone and people don't even realize I am in the car. You can't really do that with an older car.
There is a big difference in design and technology for cars. The newer cars have an advantage of technology. Electronic ignition and a myriad of other technological innovations that have made them easier to own. The older cars have design advantages such as the lack of built in failure. Quite honestly modern cars are designed to break no matter what lies the corporations spread to cover up their trickery. The simple reason is an economic one rather than an engineering one. Mercedes depends on customers buying new cars and servicing old cars to stay in business and to make their stockholders happy.
The older cars lack of technology supplied this revenue previously. Oil changes every 3K miles and spark plugs and other A and B services pay for a lot. The newer cars have 100K plugs and longer service intervals meaning less money. The money is really in that $700 computer module thats made from $20 worth of electronic components that they only have the information on.
As a car buyer you have to look at what features you value the most and the cost factors involved. I decided to go with a 140 because it was a good balance between some of the things I liked and did not like. While some of the features of the 220 and 221 appeal to me the repair costs and lower build quality did not. And of course the new 221 is really easy on the eyes!
The newer cars in general are probably not going to survive the test of time because of design issues. They have engineered failure in them. In my opinion the 1999 model 140 and the 2002 129 and the 1995 124 were the last well made Mercedes cars ever built. If you notice a lot of changes in technology appeared afterwards and a lot of recycling emblems started appearing on the parts. The "disposable era cars". The newer MB's are nice but they have a future date with a recycling bin.