A broad queestion deserves a broad answer.

Buy the nicest, rustfree, documented example you can afford. The newer the better, as the last of the series is the youngest, and has the most upgrades, as well as being fully sorted.

Buying a very nice car at market price will always be a better purchase than a car that is cheap and neglected.

Lots of members here thrive on the bottom of the market, then spend hundreds of uncompensated hours fixing the cars. Therapeutic, but not economic.... Often the cost of parts plus the purchase price of the cheap car will exceed what was spent for a truly fine example.

Jim

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14 E250 BlueTEC black. 45k miles
95 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 66k miles
94 E320 Cabriolet Emerald green 152k miles
85 300TD 4 spd man, euro bumpers and lights, 15" Pentas dark blue 274k miles