CJ I own two '92 400e's, and I wasn't quite sure from reading your thread whether your 400e was a recent purchase or you had owned it for a while, but I am assuming it was recent, so take my comments from that standpoint. I've owned the first 400e since 1997 (Mer#1) and the second 400e since 2003 (Mer#2). I think alot of the comments on the forum about the 400e's are pretty accurate........especially how did Mercedes ever figure out how to cram that 8 cylinder engine into the 300e body! That being said, the fun factor I've had in the 400e can be appreciated as I worked my way from a woefully underpowered '81 240d, an '89 260e, and finally the 400e. Maintenance wise you only have to look under the hood once and compare it with your 300e to realize that 8 cylinder engine presents some special challenges to work on. If you are a diehard DIYer the 400e will make you wish for your 300e at times. I'm just a halfxxx DIYer, so I do what I can, and then have a network of friends, indies, and the dealer that I parcel out repairs and some maintenance to. BTW, I'm in Ohio, so pm me sometime and
I'll provide some addit'l maintenance details. The 500's maybe the best Mercedes ever produced, but the 400e's are a close second. DJ