The condition of the flex disc can be checked under the car looking closely at it with a light. The photo won't work.

The only reliable parts vendors for the flex discs are Lemforder and OE Mercedes. Neither is cheap, but the Lemforder is less than the OE.

For the center bearing, if it goes bad you will hear it. If you want to be pre-emptive, you will need to get under the car with the driveshaft turning and listen to it with a mechanic's stethescope. Even that is not 100 pct reliable, mine did not make noise under those conditions but was evidently bad when removed. Replace the carrier at the same time (or if the carrier is falling apart, do them both).

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Mac
2002 e320 4matic estate│1985 300d│1980 300td
Previous: 1979 & 1982 & 1983 300sd │ 1982 240d

“Let's take a drive into the middle of nowhere with a packet of Marlboro lights and talk about our lives.” ― Joseph Heller, Catch-22