Tensioner's no big deal, maybe $150 installed; if it's never been done, just do it.

Brakes are easy to do, and parts run about $250-300 to do the fronts. Inquire at PartsShop. I recently just replaced the pads ($40) without doing the rotors and they're just fine.

As to overheating, just simply look for any/all oil leaks, quality of the coolant/oil, etc. Pull the air cleaner off and really look around. Cap/rotor replacement at some point's a must.

The color of the firewall is not, I would opine, a good arbiter of whether the car's been overheated. It simply demonstrates that it's hot under a 500E hood!

The wiring harness thing would seem to apply to 500Es post 8/92 build date, and run their entire lives in Texas/Southern Cal. Have a tech inspect it, perhaps, but otherwise don't sweat it..there'd be a bunch of stored funky codes.

Motor & tranny mounts not unreasonable...for a Benz. Not ridiculous, but they are complex little items.

I really like the rear adaptive setup, and my 300TE's is just fine at 12 yrs. old and 163k on the clock (my bro in law's 300TE has 256k and no probs other than doing the accumulators once). Flush the fluid now and again and you'll be fine. The 500E rears run about $325 per.

Good luck...they're a good time!

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All the best, Michael
500E
300TE