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The Lexus is better in town. It's comfy and the car is so quiet, it's amazing. The V-8 has lots of power. The car is bullet-proof mechanically.
On the highway, it's steering is numb and the ride is floaty compared to the Mercedes.
These are competitors in the marketplace, but directed at different people. The Lexus is a true luxury car without much sporting pretensions. The Mercedes works better when things get twisty.
Parts and service costs are a wash. The Lexus will be in the shop less frequently, but when it's there, it's expensive. Really expensive!
The Lexus brand carries prestige now, and the Star carries some extra "high-end-cred", but not much more anymore.
As to finding a 1996 W210 E320, be careful. It has many of the same problems that the W124 has, and a few extra. It has some electrical glitches and cracking dashes. The early W210's had rack and pinion systems that weren't great with poor speed stability. On the other hand, the W210's don't have the strut suspensions of the W124 and handle REALLY well.
The Lexus vs. Mercedes debate boils down to which one you like to drive better. As an example, my wife likes the ES300 and the way it drives. I hate it. Different strokes for different folks.
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