>>4621258Because an old beat piece of shit W124 is better than a reasonably recent anything else.
OP, the W124 is incredible. I've never owned one but I've driven a few, and what they give up in features they make up for in confidence. There are very few cars that feel as good to drive as an older Mercedes, and that includes a newer Mercedes. If you can keep up with the maintenance - and it's not the nightmare it's made out to be as long as you're good about it - the car will never die..ever.
The difference between a car like the W124 and most cars is that most cars are disposable. Old Benzes are made to be repaired when something goes wrong, not trashed. Little things may break, but the fundamentals of the car will stay solid forever.