It's true that you can go to pretty much any auto parts store and get a part for an 80s-era Japanese or American car....But it's likely to be a generic, low-quality replacement, or a poorly-done rebuild, unless you pay a very premium price for parts with a lifetime guarantee, which still does not ensure reliability or durability. Before my Mercedes, I lost count of how many "lifetime guarantee" parts I returned to my local parts store within a couple of years or so! Starters, alternators, water pumps, radiators, compressors............
The majority of the parts for all the most common Mercedes models built since WWII are STILL available! OEM parts that will LAST, not inferior imitations or hack-job rebuilds, and not just commonly replaced items, but body parts, interior parts, suspension.......
Mike