Faults:

Aux Fan, US$170 to replace myself.

A/C blower regulator. US$120, easy to replace.

Combination switch hard to turn, later broke. US$90 parts, put it in one our myself.

Transmission oil pan leaking, looks like service guy let it attached with one single screw and gravity bend it, not big deal, will replace next filter change.

Tempmatic climate control hard to turn, disassembly and krytox fix it. Also found a potentiometer inside for blower speed is worn out, waiting to replace next time.

Headlights mist, tood then off, and clean with hot water, assembly back + glass silicon, looks like new again.

General Comments:

It is a good car, despite people keep saying W210 built quality, yes, it is not as good as former one, but overall better than most of brands, specially interior material, 10 years later it still looks like new, tell me, how many car brand perform like this?

The downside of E200, 1998cc is acceleration, it is not that bad, in Asia we used to drive small car, and once it get 80 KMH +, accelerate very well. Ohh, and sound insulation is exceptional, in high speed, it gives you confidence, no matter of weather, traffic or load.

I get 7 km/l in heavy city driving, and 13km/l cruising at 110 KMH with A/C, this number is close to new Japanese 2.0 car, but hey, this is a 10 year 140k car, and heavier than most of today 2.0 car, so I think it is pretty reasonable.

No turbo M111 engine is shared with W202 C220, very well built with double timing chain, large capacity of oil, big oil filter, radiator and so on, not known problem, and regular oil / coolant change should last for long time, 4 speed auto tranny 722.4 is heritage of W124, also to be considered of trouble free.

Faults:

The only problem with the E Class is the bodywork. It's a bit disappointing that Mercedes Benz don't galvanise there cars like Audi do. When I bought it, at 7 years old it there already had been a bonnet respray carried out. OK you may expect this in something cheap like a Fiesta, but not in a Mercedes that cost £37000 pounds sterling new!

Over the course over ownership I had both sides re-sprayed and a new wing fitted all due to rust!

Its very common on these models.

Apart from that in over 3 years my only problem was a flat battery! That's it!!

Sailed through 3 annual "MOT" safety tests with zero spend!

At 122K the engine was sweet and as new and the interior showed no signs of wear at all!

General Comments:

Excellent well engineered car, smooth, solid and fairly easy on fuel. With good performance to match!

Handles well for its bulk.

Would recommend the e class to anyone for its reliability.