Don't pay too much attention to the mileage on the odometer. They break really easy so not many of them are actual miles. They are not hard to fix either I hear so dont let that scare you away.

As with any car purchase - if it sounds like a midget is hitting the side of the engine block with a hammer - you will need a new engine.

Loud engines (not exhaust) usually mean some parts are due for replacement. Primarily injectors etc. These are not hard or expensive to replace if you do them yourself, but can be very costly if you have a dealer do the work.

Check for rust - In your neck of the woods you dont get too much salt onthe roads in the winter - so the car should be solid. BUT MB saw fit to install drains in a lot of locations to carry away water when needed. If one of these drains gets plugged with debris (tree leaves, extra ammo when chasing deer or any thing that can naturally fall into one) then they will dump lots of water inside the dar and onto the floor. Its usually very simple to fix. Just clean the drains. But the water on the floor and other places often starts a rust problem. Look for rust.

On one of these MB's you want to see no rust around the jack points along the bottom, It is a common place to rust.

The other things to look for are maintenance records - or at least have them tell you what work has been done. THis can give you an idea of what hasn't been done and may be needed in the near future. For example if they flushed the radiator. Thats good - but be wary of water pump leaks after that happens. Its common.

Finally- look for what you want. These cars came with a ton of different options. Find a good one and it will treat you well for a long time.