I've owned and enjoyed old Packards for about 20 years, and Mercedes and Packard have a lot in common. One thing is I know a lot of people who first picked up an old Packard as a "beater" back in the '50s, found out that if you took care of them they never wore out (so they held on to them), and now they have collectible cars of great interest and in some cases, decent cash value.

The '80s Mercedes' now being bought up for their value as durable daily drivers could follow the same path. These two makes of cars are durable, reliable, comfortable, generally attractive, and overbuilt, and people love them for these qualities. Because they contain no "electronics," I think even '80s diesel sedans will last and last, and may be the last autos to be built which can be used and kept up into an open-ended future.