I too fell into the "Mercedes last forever" trap. W124s are no better than anything else out there and a lot more expensive than most. The only reason the ones that aren't junked are still on the road is because people have so much money in them they can't afford to park them. I'd sell mine in a minute for $5,000 but it ain't worth $500. If you're gonna spend $400 a month for upkeep, you can drive a newer, more reliable car. All my W124 does well is sit in the garage and consume money.