Faults:

Turbo blew a pipe twice.

Alternator died.

Radio antenna enhancer died (no RDS, no remote locks).

Rear window spray jet died.

Navigator screen worked only intermittently.

Lower control arms had to be changed.

Automatic boot cover (station wagon) died twice.

Interior started to show abnormal wear and tear; for example b-pillar cover fabric wore so thin it ripped. Light beige artificial leather was pretty, but surprisingly prone to tearing. I'd like to point out, that none of my car interiors (2x Merc, Volvo, Ford, BMW, Peugeot etc. etc.) before or since has been so weak.

General Comments:

A very nice car to drive, comfortable, a very nice engine which felt even stronger than it actually was. Mercedes 5 speed automatic gearbox is a legend and for a good reason, it is very smooth. Harman-Kardon sound system is a bliss. Very good seats. All in all, a near-perfect long distance cruiser.

Back seat was surprisingly cramped for a car that size. Boot was not massive either. Both previous and following E-Class models are much roomier.

Build quality was surprisingly low, and we had quite a bit of problems even though I was the second owner and the car was purchased via a Mercedes-owned Nearly New Car center, so the mileage was most likely correct, and the car had been serviced according to the schedule.

The service costs if done by dealer are very high. OEM parts are very expensive. This does not seem to result in an especially high quality product, though.

My third Mercedes, and most likely the last - at least for quite a while. A moderate disappointment.

Faults:

Nothing has gone wrong. I traded it at the Mercedes Benz dealer with a S320. I really miss the classic turbodiesel sound of my 300! And the simplicity of operating the 300 is outstanding. The S320 requires a lot of practice!

General Comments:

In 1989, I had a 300D automatic.

When I heard that, in 1997, the E300 TD was introduced, I immediately ordered a new 300 TD. In 1998 I received a E300 Turbodiesel Avantgarde. Unfortunately, some woman with a sedan hit me frontal. The car was a wreck. I didn't have any injuries. The side and windows airbags protected me!

I bought (again) a new E300 Turbodiesel Designo (champagne colour with tan leather interior), I had this car until 2002 when I bought a S320.

Faults:

The only thing that went wrong is when a valve on the engine broke. I felt something was wrong, but I could keep on driving to the dealer for repair.

General Comments:

One of the most comfortable cars I have ever driven. Diesel consumption is very low for the weight of the car: 8 liter/100 kilometer.