I had a 1988 300TE for 240,000 miles. In over 40 years of car ownership it was the worst car I ever owned, but I was in so far I kept hoping it would get better. My wife finally demeanded that we get rid of it. Nothing I experienced was out of the ordinary from my observation of this forum since it came online.

I have two C280's - a 1995 and a 2000 and my son has a 1999 C43. The 1995 is 1,200 miles short of 200,000; the 2000 has 102,000. The C43 has only 42,000. My experience is that the 202 is generally much more reliable than the 124. However, the W202 C280 up through 1997 has the M104 engine with all the usual problems (harness, headgasket, water pumps, belt tensioners, etc.). Also, the W202 went through a lot of changes through the model run, engines, transmissions, electronic systems, etc. Therefore among W202 models there is a wide variation in potential and actual problems.

One other observation - the W202 is much easier to work on than the W124. I do all my own work, so I think I can speak with some credibility.