I paid $640 for a one owner, 250,000klm 300TE with new tyres 6 months ago. A nice car but a little neglected toward the end. Up to now it has cost about $4000 including on road costs, purchase price and insurance which, I think is not bad considering the insurance company insisted on covering the car for $9,000.

That aside, I figure since I intend to keep the car as a daily driver then budgeting for another 2k in the next 12 months is acceptable. Can't afford another anyway.

My wife's 300E however, cost nearly $7000 to buy 12 months ago, swallows money like a poker machine and is turning into a basket case - it's just one damn thing after another. I'm taking the tyres off along with a few other bits and breaking up the rest and copping the loss. This is one car where you say enough is definitely enough.

I'm a little more optimistic with the wagon. And as it's a TE it's always going to be worth more than a sedan - I hope.

Fingers crossed.