Before you sign
Model by model, what I look at before anyone talks about price. Variants, weak points, the true cost of ownership and the inspection checklist to tick off. All from my own research at shows, at auctions and in workshops in Germany, where most of these cars come from.
Mercedes 190 (W201)
W201 series, 1982 to 1993
Variants, weak points, the true cost of ownership
Mercedes W124
Saloon, estate, coupé and cabriolet
From the wiring loom to the self levelling suspension
Mercedes W123
Saloon, estate and coupé, 1976 to 1986
The turbodiesel trap, the vacuum system, 38 point checklist
More volumes to come
The series keeps growing. If there is a model you would like to see covered, write to me and I will put it on the list.
How each volume is built
First the question of which variant suits you at all. Then the weak points in detail, then the costs that really come after the purchase. At the heart of it the inspection checklist, to print or to use on a tablet.
I deliberately give no market prices for cars: they go out of date faster than anything else. What is in are repair and parts costs as of August 2026, from conversations with sellers and workshops in Germany. This is not a professional valuation and not a substitute for an inspection in person.