So we've purchased a used car via the internet, sight unseen, and are attempting to blame the seller/mechanic for "annoyances" you find several months later?

Just about everything you described are just that...annoyances. None of which impacts the overall "soundness" of the car...which is all that a mechanic would be checking for when inspecting a vehicle. Unless your agreement with the inspector was to describe every possible bit of damage or non-functionality, your complaints are without merit. The mechanic would be checking to see if the car would be safe driving with kids to Disney and back...not checking if the emissions stickers are all installed properly under the hood.

Let's get started..

Trim panels...big whoop. They have nothing to do with keeping the motor from falling out. I don't believe I have ever owned a used Mercedes that had all of its trim panels in place. Would a mechanic be looking for and checking off each one on a list? No.

...rear end reconstructed. You mean as in an accident and had body work? Okay. Did you run a carfax? If not, why? The inspector would be looking to make sure the rear end won't fall off, not if the paint on the trunk lid matches the quarters.

Headlight clips busted and secured with JB. Are the headlights loose? Do they shake while you drive? Crap happens to cars, and they get fixed...sometimes not the "right way", but still. If the headlights aren't falling out and dangling from their harnesses as you drive, nor are they shooting owls in the trees, why freak out about it? This is also not something that would be documented during a typical pre-sale inspection.

Overflow drains into trunk. Okay, again that is not a mechanical defect that a mechanic would look for during an inspection. So get a new tube and run it. Its just pressed onto a nipple at the fill neck, runs through a hole in the trunk floor, and dangles loose underneath. For $3 that would be fixed.

Fuel gun didn't click off and pumped 5 gallons into trunk. That has nothing to do with the car. That's the fueling stations problem. Its inclusion has no value here. Why weren't you standing there like all the safety signs say to prevent any spills? You = fail.

Spare tire shredded. Okay, this could be an iffy, depending on the conversations between the seller and yourself. Did the seller or description on ebay say "5 tires in great condition"? Would a mechanic check a spare tire for a pre-sale inspection? Highly doubtful. He'd be looking at the tires that are actually on the ground. Spares aren't thought about till they are needed. Its good you're noticing that yours is failure in a can, but again, you've bought a used car over the internet without inspecting it yourself.

Bulb out notification. You said no bulbs are out. Why get pissy about this? Simply check the bases where the bulbs connect. They get corroded over time. Its a fact of life. Either spend 20 minutes to check it yourself or put some electrical tape over the idiot light on the dash like my Grandpa used to do when he disabled ABS on his pickup truck. *shrug* A mechanic would also notice this "error light" and check the bulbs. Since all bulbs are working, there is nothing to report.

Highbeams dont work. Okay, this is one I could see you putting onto the inspector. Again, crap happens. Do you even know whats causing it? Have you simply looked at the fusebox yet? I'd bet that it could be resolved rather quickly too. Regardless, so far, this is the only thing that could be readily blamed on the inspector.

Ambient temp 10 degrees off. As mentioned above with other items, this is not something that would be looked at in any pre-sale mechanical inpsection. I've never found any two thermometers that agree on what temp it is anyways. Also not something that would be readily disclosed during an internet sale of a used vehicle.

Cracked plastic panels in the trunk. Seriously? Its a trunk. You put items in it that shouldn't be in the cab with you. Unless you're looking at transporting your children or mother-in-law back there, who really cares? Do you demand a discount on the sales price because of cracked panels in the trunk area that nobody can see anyways? Would this be reported by an inspecting mechanic? Nope. Would this be reported by your wife when she puts clothes back there? Possibly. You should've sent her to inspect the car instead.

Holy crap. I am in no way involved in this transaction, but for some reason this bout of pointless complaining has rubbed me the wrong way this morning. You buy a car without looking at it yourself, and you want to complain about superficial perceived "issues" that sour the deal for you. The mechanic did his job by giving it the thumbs up, as I see no references about a hole in the block surrounding a chunk of gyrating connecting rod while the engine is running....or that 4th gear is shot....or that it magically caught on fire while waiting in a McDonald's drive thru.

There is a reason why eBay's buyer policy stresses the latin words Caveat Emptor. Translated, it means buyer beware. You sir, did not do your due diligence with regards to this transaction. The overwhelming weight of this supposed bad decision rests on your shoulders.

If I seem too snippy, I'm glad. I am sure everyone who reads this thread that's in a similar position as me is thinking the same thing. Crap happens. You bought a car on eBay from a non forum member. You learn from your mistakes and move on.

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1985 MBZ 300D (DD, 240k, unmuffled hellion!)
1982 MBZ 300D (372k, retired for parts)
1981 MBZ 300D (575k, parts pig)