6 months after sold my 400E, I am thinking about getting back to Mercedes again!
Our reliable gas guzzling 96 Exporer is showing rust everywhere, we are expecting the first baby in a few months, so we are going to replace it with a safe and fuel efficient wagon, candidates are 98-99 Mercedes E320 4matic, 2000-2001 Audi A6 Avant 2.8, 1998-1999 BMW 528i touring and maybe 2000-2001 FWD wagon like Volvo V70/SAAB 95.
I am leaning towards Mercedes becuse it offers the most than others, I am mainly concerning about Mercedes' cost of ownership (parts and insurance), Audi's relaibility, BMW's RWD in snow and FWD's handling, I do almost all the maintainance and repair by myself, so DIY friendliness is a big plus.
You thoughts to help the decision making will be appreciated.

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99 BMW 540i 6-speed 110K Km
03 SAAB 9-5 wagon 80K Km
92 400E (Sold) 245K km
Still missing the days with the Benz, it kept me busy.