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.