<snip own post for brevity>

Sorry. This post will be long again, as I try to explain.

Maybe I was complaining a little too loudly!  (One of my hobbies is auto
mechanics which I've been into for about 23 years now.)  So I'm anal about
everything working *perfectly* on a car or I'm not satisfied.  Significant
other says I should just mow the lawn... ;)

Anyway my bank is very conservative lender & wouldn't finance until they ran
Vin# past Carfax & some other databases that I was told banks & insurance
companies have access to.  No accidents came up, just routine service
records faxed from dealer in Ohio & Merc-USA.

So I believe vehicle itself is sound, or wouldn't have kept it past the 30
day period as Tiger wisely pointed out.

(Maybe most people either wouldn't notice or *care* about a "creaky" noise
that might mean worn bushings much less want to take a look at car while its
up on the lift.  Guess that's just me...If it slipped off road on ice or
something & got scraped, well no biggie.)

Problem is I have no experience with Mercedes cars.  I don't know what is
"normal" sound for engine on cold morning.  Don't like *any* kind of tapping
noise-- even if it goes away when temp is warmer...

And am I just too anal about alignment?  (Car goes about 50 yards w/no hands
on wheel before starting to drift to the right-- could do better imho, but
maybe I expect too much.)

Before buying, I read up & learned that at least one critic slammed the "C"
class a:  "piece of crap poor man's Benz for pretentious yuppies in love
with hood ornaments."

I like the "C" class though.  240's (or 230's now?) seemed underpowered imo,
but powerplant from "E" class in a lighter chassis made the deciding
difference (for me at least.)

*** But no freaking *dipstick*!  I agree with the critics on that one! ***

I'm told it's the same engine-- C320 & some models of "E" class.  So does
anyone know if dipstick from an "E" class would work?  C320's version of
what the owner's manual calls a model "112" engine has *top* of dipstick
just nothing to going down to oil pan.  ("sealed system" means they've
plugged it @ bottom?)

Mainly just wanted to know what they do for FSS "B".  Price sounded way out
of line at $425.  Oil change "check-stuff" & a few filters?

Maybe with Mercedes:  "If you have to ask..."

Mechanic at my local gas station says he'll do diagnostics & oil/filter
change for a hundred bucks. Maybe some truth to "poor man's Benz"... Who'd
drop four bills when all you have to spend is one!  :-0 !

Anyway, thanks for your replies.  I really *would* like to know about that
dipstick & if anyone has ever tried swapping one out before.

regards
--Bruce Bocquin