I'll attempt to be more precise here.

My price range would be under $9000.

The main reason that I'm considering the 560SEL, the 540i, or the LS400 is that I can get an early 90's model in that price range, one with a good body, mechanicals, under 150-200k miles. I've been shopping around, looking at prices and options for about 4 months now, and think I can get that price.

Good power to me would have to be getting to 60 miles per hour in about eight seconds or less. I'm used to it taking quite a bit longer. As far as the turns, I'm not wanting to wallow through corners at rational speeds.

I'm really not sure of the exact maitinence of the Lexus, but I hear (and would think) that they're pretty trouble-free. Being as they're Toyota, and from what I've researched. As far as the Benz's, I've been reading that a good model with full books and service should be bulletproof, minus the standard maitinence, which I hear costs about $1000-2000 each time. I wasn't, and am still not sure on either of these points, and that's a main reason why I wanted to ask here. Cheap, to me would be under...$600 a year in service. I could go up on that if the car was as good as I hope, though. Th reason I'm looking at these cars is because I want to be able to enjoy my driving, not bear through it.

My priorities would be comfort over handling, silence and no vibration over acceleration. The main reason I want power is for cruising, rather than racing, and for safety. Even in the small time I've been driving, power has saved me a few times in a smaller car that I regularly drive (1994 Mitsubishi Galant, good gas milage and reliable, but my knees, wrists and ears ache after I take my 32 mile drive to work).

As far as servicing myself, I'd try everything I could, but I figure that I'd be sending the car off everytime something major happened. I'm a beginer, at best, as far as car mechanics.