Looking at a 1996 C280..
 

Want to know of general problems to look for in this year and model.
Major replacements..fuel economy..performance..handling..etc.

currently driving a 300E..how does it stack up to that beast? lol
thanks!

How many miles and how much of the service history is documented?

Head Gasket ? :eek:

The head gasket is one of the biggest concerns but there are others depending on the mileage and service history. Hopefully the previous owner has taken care of most of them. A proper PPI should catch the biggies (head gasket, leaky compressor, lower control arm bushings, ball joints, leaky water pump, etc.). If there aren't any service records, and you can't verify by inspection that a particular repair has been performed or will not be needed in the near future, you should assume many expensive repairs will happen on your watch.
Dan