I don't remember what the labor estimate is for the timing chain, all the shops in my area take the typical number and multiply it by a zillion on way or another. I know I've just heard that $1500 number thrown around but if you live in an area where folks can work less expensively then maybe the job can be done for less, I think I've seen less numbers. I think the parts cost for the job is probably only a few hundred dollars. I'm wondering if they aren't quoting 8 hours on the job and 2x markup on the parts. I'm sure there are some DIY'ers here that can do that job in an afternoon (not me though I've never tried).

When my timing chain blew (this was the era before I "owned" the mechanical work on this car but instead outsourced it-- no more, I either do it myself whenever I possibly can or ** manage ** the work of another job), the mechanic who took the car part in front of me (parts of it) commented that I was due for a this job and a that job.

However, not all of these cars I don't believe will require the heads be pulled, valve work, etc. A lot of it depends on how well the car was maintained, how frequently the oil was changed. Some other folks who see the cars all day long however will have a better view of this than me.

Not exactly related to this thread but instead related to DIY, assessing new cars, and keeping them new is the use of fuel injector cleaner and a hard drive every 3 to 6 months. I swear by Chevron Techron, I've used other fuel injector cleaners and this one really seems different. Get the big 20 gallon tank one and throw it in there when the tank is empty, fill it up, and take the car for a good hard drive. This should save you thousands of dollars of unnecessary work later on the fuel system, intake valves, etc. Techron really does clean the intake valves, really does clean the fuel intake system, and can be a tremendous help with your emissions system. The car will run better. Change the oil, keep the fuel system/intake system clean, and stay on top of all other maintenance items. For example, when you buy the car, find out the last time the transmission fluid was changed and the actual filter dropped out of there-- they should get all of the fluid out, not just draining it. They should remove more than few quarts. The transmission fluild should be changed very 20,000 miles or so I think. On brake fluid I'm guilty of letting that go but have recently gotten on top of that. If the brake fluid hasn't been changed/bled in the last 15,000 miles or so, have that changed also. Have all of that done by a Mercedes mechanic you trust, not a local non-Mercedes shop. Also, on coolant, use the MERCEDES coolant, it's a different color (orange). If that's not what's in there, by a few gallons of the Mercedes coolant and either drain/refill the system yourself or have the mechanic do the job when you are in there. I personally strongly recommend AGAINST any kind of power flushing on these cars-- do not power flush the transmission nor the cooling system. TOO MANY TIMES I've seen that power flushing process wash-out seals, weakn seals, and cause leaks in a car that previously didn't have them. These old cars should not be subjected to power processes that put unnatural stresses on system components. I once had a relatively new car powerflushed (the cooling system) and it leaked after that and was very difficult to find that leak for some reason. Finally, while many people swear by synthetic fuel and that it's great, and that this is an area of BIG SUBJECTIVE DEBATE (many people don't agree), there are many people that still agree with me-- stick with the oil this car has run-on for the past 15 or 20 years. The synthetic oil, in my experience, causes more oil leaks in the car. It is too slippery and gets past the old seals. If you are in a warmer climate or only drive your car above freezing, you might just go to good old 20W-50 in there. It's a nice thicker oil that can lubricate those old parts. Othewise, do whatever the owners manual recommends. Some people will really disagree on this and I don't mean to produce a flame breakout here on synthetic oil. I'm just giving my thoughts on this to a newcomer to these cars. enough said....