Jcyuhn:

That Dallas car is very tempting, but I’m not actually going to pull the trigger until I’m back from Europe in late June – unless something comes up that’s too compelling to pass on. For now, I’m doing my due diligence & research.

Skid Row Joe:

I am facing the EXACT same dilemma as you are – trying to justify just *how much* money I’m willing to part with, and questioning what I actually get for that money. This would be a purchase driven by sybaritic desires, not necessity.

The “fork in the road” is either:
A.) Buying an older car and mentally reserving $$$ towards refurbishment & future repairs, or
B.) Buying a much newer model, and hoping that I wouldn’t have any significant additional expenses – at least for a while.

The wild card is again both long-term Reliability & Longevity. On a cross country trip, I don’t want to be stuck in the middle of nowhere with a non-running car. If an ancillary system fails, it’s an annoyance. If the car becomes incapacitated 300 miles from the nearest MBZ repair facility, that’s another thing altogether.

P.S. – Skid Row Joe: I found your car on Autotrader. It is exactly what I’d be looking for IF I were to go the w210 route. Could you please tell me why you sold it, and what issues you had with it over the years?

__________________
Current rolling stock:
2001 E55 183,000+ Newest member of the fleet.
2002 E320 83,000 - The "cream-puff"!
1992 500E 217,000+
1995 E300D 412,000+
1998 E300D 155,000+
2001 E320 227,000+
2001 E320 Wagon, 177,000+

Prior MBZ’s:
1952 220 Cab A
1966 300SE
1971 280SE
1973 350SLC (euro)
1980 450SLC
1980 450SLC (#2)
1978 450SLC 5.0
1984 300D ~243,000 & fondly remembered
1993 500E - sorely missed.
1975 VW Scirocco w/ slightly de-tuned Super-Vee engine - Sold after 30+ years.