My car takes a lot of repeated cranking and spinning to start cold engine

Hi Charles, Are there any other symptoms besides difficult cold starting? The problem is there are quite a few things that can cause this, especially on an older Mercedes, that it really does need to be inspected by a professional. It could be anything from a vacuum leak to a fuel issue, but until a shop can check it when it is cold, there really isn't anything but guessing to do. Take it to one of the Facilities in this link and they will give you an honest diagnosis and estimate for repair: http://repairpal.com/mercedes-benz-within-10-miles-of-houston-texas-77035