Faults:

Tie rod ends replaced at 80,000.

Front seats wearing out at the lumbar support.

The speakers need replacement.

General Comments:

This car is a bit lazy initially, but hell unleashes past the 2500rpm.

Every time its driven its like driving a tank, more powerful though.

The car is very comfortable on any road, and when there is an open road ahead, the car begs to be floored.

The engine is bullet proof, and only requires lubrication service.

Watch out for rust formation if the car is being used in coastal areas.

It's the best car I've ever owned; a bit hard on fuel, but very very reliable, safe and stable. Oh, and the image is always royale..

Faults:

Engine main wiring harness was brittle. Had to change it. Quite expensive.

General Comments:

Car is very comfortable, especially on long drives. Has great road grip.

The self levelling suspension is very effective. No matter how much load you carry on it, the car never loses its original clearance from the ground.

The third row foldable seat is very useful to carry kids and a cat. Of course, there's still room for the luggage.

The car brakes are very effective and the ABS works whenever it is required.

The leather seats are very comfortable. Even if you travel for 500 KM in one go, you will never feel tired at all.

The dash lights are very dim. I think they were improved in the later models.

Faults:

The head gasket blew last year at 110,000 miles and cost £1400 to put right

The foot brake cable snapped at 130,000 miles and cost £350 to rectify.

The airmass control, fuel pump and relay failed at 134,000 miles and this cost £700. No sooner had I collected the vehicle when the low water light came on indicating a hose leak. This was replaced after a long wait for the replacement hose for £50.

General Comments:

The car is incredibly comfortable to drive and covers big distances with ease.

The recent problems have affected my overall opinion however people/mechanics tell me "what do you expect from a vehicle with this mileage". I expect a car of this vintage to reach 200k without bankrupting me!

The automatic gears jolt as they change up-is this normal?

Faults:

Dashboard circuitry went at 140000, replacement cost EUR 500.

Blinker/Washer lever snapped, replacement cost EUR 200.

Rust started to develop below the door panels.

General Comments:

Beautiful car, extremely comfortable, superb ride quality, decent power output (150 bhp) for a four-cylinder engine.

No mechanical faults encountered other than the few electrical malfunctions described above.

Faults:

A misfire caused by an ignition coil breaking down. There are 3 coils mounted in a position where there is little airflow - sooner or later (about 70k miles) these will start to suffer. Other than that, nothing has gone wrong that can't be attributed to normal wear and tear.

General Comments:

This is a truly fantastic car and easily the best I have owned. My previous two cars were also tuned Mercedes - an AMG W123 280TE and a similar Brabus model. More modern cars include a Ford Mondeo ST-200 estate which, while a very good car, couldn't hold a candle to the E36.

Acceleration is astonishing - my car is fitted with non-standard 18"x8" AMG alloys and its easy to spin the wheels at 30mph when accelerating hard. Top speed is also surprising - I once saw a fraction over 150mph...

Handling is predictable. Don't forget that this is a big car, but it hustles back roads or cruises motorways with equal ease.

Seats are very comfortable. The only issue I have with the interior is that the fitment of the passenger side airbag means there is no glovebox.

Maybe economy (approx 24mpg) could be improved? Quite frankly though, I don't care.