I think part of your answer is buried in this thread, and in just about every other thread I've seen on this general topic: For any car, you'll find happy owners of good, well-treated examples, and you'll find unhappy owners of problematic or abused ones. I was just researching Range Rovers and found that, complex and troublesome though their rep is in some quarters and for some owners, there are also happy folks who've had no problems. Other threads on this BB have detailed expensive issues with Lexus.

Personally, my 560SL was my daily driver last summer and will probably be for several summers to come, as my daughter's in college and doesn't need her car in school season. It needed a number of things sorted out due to PO inattention, but only once needed help on an urgent basis; that was the radiator neck, a known weak point, and one that should now be fine for a very long time. I've had a moderately troublesome Saab, a notably weak Olds Bravada and earlier a 98, a bulletproof Saab, a bulletproof Cougar, an annoying Audi---etc., etc. For used cars in general, and certainly for MB in particular, the best way to a happy experience is to buy a cream puff from someone you know, and the next best is a cream puff with a history you can obtain and verify. Anything else has risk, which one may choose to assume--knowingly.

__________________
Craig Bethune

'97 SL500, 40th anniversary edition

'04 Olds Bravada (SWMBO's)
'06 Lexus ES330
'89 560SL (sold)


SL--Anything else is just a Mercedes.
(Kudos to whoever said it first)