Faults:

What had NOT gone wrong?

By the time I purchased the car with 107k miles, the following was already in need of repair or broke while in my possession...

- The stereo stopped working.

- The driver-side rear power window didn't work.

- The cruise control didn't work.

- Far too many of the interior switches didn't work, or worked intermittently.

- A transmission mount failed.

- The motor mounts failed.

- The pull tab for the hood release broke.

- The seatbelt warning lights flashed non-stop while the car was on.

- The bulb failure warning light illuminated many times even though all exterior lights worked properly.

- Oil pressure gauge stopped working.

- Oil warning light illuminated randomly for no reason. Checked oil each time and it was fine.

- A/C never worked while in my possession.

- Front passenger power headrest didn't work.

- Transmission started slipping badly and needed a rebuilt at 108k miles.

General Comments:

I bought this car thinking it would be a solid, reliable car that I could put at least another 100k miles on if properly maintained. This car was very well maintained and looked brand new inside and out when I bought it. The paint was glossy and looked excellent. The interior was spotless. The leather looked like new and the carpets were spotless.

I was decieved by the implied reputation of Mercedes. I come from a family of very satisfied Volvo owners. I bought this car thinking it would be just as good of a car. Boy was I wrong! You saw the list of things that went bad with the car within 108k miles. It's pretty pathetic for any car to have a list of problems like that within this kind of mileage. But for a car of the world like Mercedes, I was horrendously disgusted with this car. I paid a premium for it because of the great condition and the fact that you have to pay more for the name.

Never again will I pay for the name. It's a joke! I've had more reliable American cars! This Mercedes was very high maintenance and very temperamental.

It was good looking, roomy, well built, and had a smooth powertrain. That's about all the good I can say about this car though. It rode very harshly. The seats were pretty hard and stiff. The steering was too vague for my liking.

The car had NO guts to speak of, even though it had the larger, premium gas guzzling 3.0L 177hp V6. The transmission, as mentioned above, only lasted 108k miles. That's pretty pathetic for such a high-end car.

The electrical systems seem to be complete crap on these cars. Volvos have their own fair share of electrical bugs, but this Mercedes was far worse, affecting cruise control, stereo, MANY interior switches, and warning lights on the dash.

It's a beautiful, fun to sit in, lawn ornament and that's about it. Maybe other Mercedes models aren't such crap, but this one definitely was.

Faults:

Please note: because this car was an interim vehicle for me, and only driven for a few months, I am unable to determine precisely whether the problems I am about to list developed while I owned the car, or already existed, and were only noticed as I began to drive it regularly. All are fairly minor anyway.

The right rear brake hangs up frequently, and sounds like it's worn down to where it's metal grinding on metal.

When braking at very slow speeds, especially while turning the wheels (such as pulling into a parking space), there is a very noticeable pulsation in the brake pedal, and then the brakes will suddenly lock. I'm not sure whether this is related to the worn rear brake, or is a separate ABS problem.

Every couple of weeks, the starter will fail to engage when the ignition key is turned. After two or three tries, everything will be fine.

The heater won't turn off; not a problem back in early march, but getting to be a little less fun as summer approaches.

The driver's window sometimes has trouble rolling itself up without my pushing up on it with my hand.

The driver's seat springs are wearing out, so it sags to the left a fair bit.

The fuel gauge reads accurately only down to the quarter-tank level; after that, it wavers between empty and half-talk, or will suddenly go dead, only to jump back to the correct level when the engine is revved.

The seatbelt warning buzzer died, but it was an annoying buzzer, so I don't much miss it.

General Comments:

The interior is very spacious and comfortable, at least for the front seat passengers. Backseat travelers might find it a little cramped, especially if they're riding with a tall driver.

I found the controls to be a little confusing and somewhat awkwardly placed. Even after a few months driving the car, I still have to fumble and search to find certain things. The radio controls, for example, don't light up, so it's nearly impossible to change stations, etc., while driving at night.

Driving it, especially at lower speeds, feels sort of like piloting a bomber; it's not a very responsive car, and everything from 0-45 mph feels like more or less the same speed - like you're barely moving at all.

It's pretty sluggish from a dead stop, unless you put your foot to the floor, and even then, it takes a while for it to finally decide to downshift and get itself moving. Once it gets going, though, it's really a very powerful car.

Even with its couple of rust patches, cracked foglight covers, etc., it still holds on to a definite sense of dignity and class. It's run-down, certainly, but it's still very obviously a nice car. I feel like a bigshot driving it. It's a car that definitely won me over, the more I drove it. I would buy another if the opportunity arose.

Faults:

I had the fan belt hydraulic tensioner replaced twice.

Replacement of front struts and rear shocks at time of purchase (110k miles.

Replaced Ignition key switch.

Passenger power seat controls replaced.

Air Conditioner leaks repaired and updated to new coolant standards.

Overhead cam valve seals replaced and leaks repaired.

Transmission seals repaired at 155k.

Odometer failed at 185K or 9/2004.

General Comments:

Purchased this beauty in California and It now resides in Texas and I have babied it ever since.

I Love my Benz and plan to drive it until the end of the road.

It purrs with real precision and drives with a smooth glide.

Faults:

Initially, air conditioning wouldn't work, had it fixed, then cool air stopped after a month. Problem is mainly electrical--something not uncommon, or so I'm told.

Cruise control not working properly.

Trip odometer stuck, and clicks every .05 mile or so.

General Comments:

First Mercedes I've owned, and it's a great daily driver. Fair to good performance. Not a Porsche 944, but corners reasonably well. Much smoother ride, though.

A lot of creature comforts in a car 17 years old. Have become sold on this car, and look forward to buying a newer one with fewer miles to drive for years to come. Got such a good deal, it now seems like a steal.