jjrodger, well said!
I'm looking at a W123 diesel. I'm not looking for a luxury sedan. I'm looking for a reliable diesel-powered vehicle that is good on fuel. I looked at Benzes, along with Volkswagens, simply because they were the two manufacturers from whom I was and am most likely to find a diesel-powered vehicle within my price range. I chose M-B for two reasons; one was that VW uses an aluminum cylinder head in their diesels; and two, VW uses a timing belt to drive the camshaft (in my opinion, both are weaknesses that I don't want to gamble on).
I don't need all the power gizmos such as door locks, power windows, a sunroof, etc, and while I won't go out of my way to get a car that isn't equipped with these options (in fact, they can come in handy at time), you can bet that I will be cursing the idea of not having manual door locks or windows at least once a year.
I don't want a luxury car. I want a car that will run with relatively minimal attention (basic preventative stuff, of course, but little major work needed), will do whatever I ask of it when I ask of it, will do it efficiently, and without complaint. That's why I chose a Benz. If I had wanted a beautiful vehicle in near-showroom condition that I couldn't trust, I would have kept my '65 Chevelle.
Okay, done ranting
