My '95 E300 is also Texas white with gray MB-Tex and came from San Antonio where it was serviced at Benson Motors. It looks just like yours. I paid $4700 15 months ago at 190000 miles. The car needed almost nothing yet I've almost doubled my purchase price replacing various bits that are gradually wearing out after 18 years, in my ambition to gradually renew everything in the car. For example, the original shocks seemed to be just fine but the improvement was noticeable when I replaced them (over $500 just for four Bilsteins). Many parts age gracefully and you don't even realize that they need replacement -- they're not actually "broken" so you tend to ignore them.

The low miles unfortunately doesn't mean much except perhaps to the wear on the transmission. One has to wonder if the doctor's wife had the car serviced regularly, since it sat so much, or just ignored it. What do you have in the way of service records from the original owners? The car is now 18 years old and many rubber parts will need replacement regardless of miles. What about the wiring harness with its "biodegradable" insulation? Engine mounts? Rear suspension links with their rubber bushings? All of the plastic bits in the fuel lines and the crazy quilt of crankcase ventilation hoses?

A professional appraisal and a complete set of service records will go a long way towards convincing an insurance appraiser that your car is worth saving, should it be damaged in a collision. For example, our '96 E300 (same engine but 210 model) was hit by a deer. The initial reaction for a (then a 15-yo car with 275000 miles) was "total it." I pulled my book of service records and met with the insurance adjuster. He agreed that the car should be saved and State Farm subsequently paid almost $8000 to put the front of the car back together. So it can be done if you're prepared.

It's unfortunate for sellers that nice cars like ours retain so little of their value but the fact is that they are "special" only to those few of us who have and love them. To most folks, a "special" 124 would be an E500 / AMG / convertible type of car. As a '95, our cars have all of the upgrades made during the life of the 124 model yet are not as complex as later models. I think you should keep the car and enjoy it.

Jeremy

__________________

"Buster" in the '95

Our all-Diesel family
1996 E300D (W210) . .338,000 miles Wife's car
2005 E320 CDI . . 113,000 miles My car
Santa Rosa population 176,762 (2022)
Total. . . . . . . . . . . . 627,762
"Oh lord won't you buy me a Mercedes Benz."
-- Janis Joplin, October 1, 1970