Must admit working on my German cars takes some getting used to, but my family and I enjoy driving them. Due to maintenance cost issues my son and I do everything we feasibly can on them. Agreed, one needs to spend as much (more?) time on the "how to" research and parts acquisition. One needs to get in the "zone" of their engineering/design engineering. Not always easy. Sometimes over complex, but usually very solid and some would say "overbuilt".
Recall it took me a while to work out how to remove the cabin air filter cover without breaking it. Once I did, it was an easy replace. Infinitely preferably to the spring clip latches that fail after a couple of uses, as found on domestic vehicles.
What I have to look forward to next: replacing battery on a 2016 BMW 328i. Needs registering and possibly recoding. Looking at the iCarsoft Euro Pro OBD2, but very open to alternative recommendations before I comit to this costly tool. Seems it should work on my late BMW, VW and Merc. This is just to replace battery.
When my brake light failed on the Merc E350 I had to dismantle the trunk interior to replace the taillight board. Also an expensive part. Consolation was I saved big on what the dealer/local shops would have charged, and now I know how to do it for the next time!
Judging from Consumer Reports German car reliability no longer ranks as high, so the jury is out as to if they provide the best value in the premium categories. No doubt time will tell. Sadly, I have noticed the design trend to reduce costs on the production line at the expense of maintenance and repair. Perhaps fodder for another post?