Those are the answers I expected, and thanks for confirming my "fears"! Remember, I also have a 2000 Mercedes SL500 with 11K original miles on it, and I refuse to take it to the dealer for any service! They have their A and B service routines for these cars, and the last time I checked, the B service (all fluids including brake and coolant) replaced and a bunch of other stuff cost more than $5000! It just ain't gonna happen for me! There is very little of this type of maintenance that I cannot do myself, and anything else can be done by a private, German car mechanic for about a quarter of the price!
I use the sources for parts that you guys mention, but even there the Crossfire often confuses them. So I guess the best thing to do is keep my tools handy and stay "tuned" to this site!!