@stefano @mwl as much as I want electric vehicles – not least, for the long-term economy (and, arguably, the environment) – I simply cannot afford one.
My 2005 Mercedes-Benz E 320 CDI (W211, estate) is relatively costly for fuel, tax, and the parking permit, but the purchase price was super low. Maybe £1,100 around five years ago.
I feel genuinely sorry for work colleagues who have much more modern vehicles that are shockingly expensive when maintenance and repairs, sometimes botched, are required.
My most recent annual MOT test: fail-free. Nothing more than the cost of the test.
As joyfully reliable as a W124? I had three of those in the past. Five years with the W211 is too soon for me to judge.
<https://goo.gl/photos/oeMVRzEDPCUi1YtD7> my first W124.