The Japanese have spoiled us.

They have designed a car that you can neglect. You can weld the hood shut on a Honda or Toyota and it will give you good reliable service for 150K-200K miles.

European cars aren’t like that. They demand a little more attention. They break more often. The last several years I owned by 93 300E, I spent about $1500 per year on it .

If occasional car repairs are something you don’t want to deal with, buy a Honda or Toyota. If you can accept the expense and inconvenience of a few repairs now and then, a Mercedes will reward you with a driving experience you’ll never get from a Japanese car.

While you don’t have to be wealthy to own a nice Mercedes-Benz, you do have to be knowledgeable, diligent, and patient.

Here’s a random example: A 2001 AMG S55 for $25K. That’s probably a fair price. A mere mortal should not buy this car. I’m sure there is nothing wrong with the car, but this model is loaded with some very complex systems that are expensive to repair.

Another example: The CL class (as well as some S and SL class models) incorporats a feature known as Active Body Control. Here is the description from Wikipedia:

A computer detects body movement from sensors located throughout the vehicle, and controls the action of the active suspension with the use of hydraulic servomechanisms. The hydraulic pressure to the servos is supplied by a high pressure radial piston hydraulic pump. A total of thirteen sensors continually monitor body movement and vehicle level and supply the ABC controller with new data every ten milliseconds. Four level sensors, one at each wheel measure the ride level of the vehicle, 3 accelerometers measure the vertical body acceleration, one acceleration sensor measures the longitudinal and one sensor the transverse body acceleration. At each hydraulic cylinder a pressure sensor monitors the hydraulic pressure. As the ABC controller receives and processes data, it operates four hydraulic servos, each mounted in series on a spring strut, beside each wheel. Almost instantaneously, the servo regulated suspension generates counter forces to body lean, dive, and squat during various driving maneuvers.

At some point, one or more of those sensors, servos, or computers will fail. Do you think any of those parts are inexpensive?

Even on the older, simpler models you must still be careful. The cost to replace the air conditioning evaporator on a W124 (86-95 300E) will be about $4,000 - usually as much or more than you would pay for the car.

The point of this is that while you may be able to afford the initial purchase price, you may NOT be able to afford the repair bills. That’s why it’s important to buy smart. That’s why it’s important to know someone who is knowledgeable.

When I started seriously contemplating the purchase of a W211, I asked Bud Cloninger - Owner of MB Motors - to tell me what I needed to know about them. He graciously told me a few specific features to avoid. (And in general, the 2006 and later W211s are far more trouble free than the early years.)

My purpose here is not to scare you away from buying a nice used Mercedes-Benz. My purpose is to encourage you to make a deliberate, thoughtful, well-researched decision instead of an impulsive one.