Rusty,
After two years and 42,000 miles I still feel the same way you do.
Re: oil changes. I have been hanging out at an MB Tech-only forum lately and I have found that the general consensus over there is that the FSS is not to be entirely trusted because leaving the oil in too long can cause long-term problems.
Here's a quote I found about the subject:
I know a couple people with higher miles '98 E320 cars with the 3.2 version, and it seems that ignoring the FSS is the key to making the M112 last. They use synthetic oil, and change it much more often than the FSS calls for. I would NOT buy a '98+ MB used car that was "serviced by the book." Much more frequent oil/filter changes are called for.