Is There Still A REAL Luxury Car Out There For Under $50K

I was in a $50,000 luxury car the other day. Don’t worry about the manufacturer because it seems to be all the same these days. There was cheap plastic chrome that surrounded the air vents, the buttons on the dashboard, the cupholders. Even a smattering on the door panels and steering wheel.

Was it always this way? Of course not! Back in the good old days of the Clinton Era we had plenty of fake wood to choose from as well. Diamantes, Roadmasters, Town & Countrys… even Camrys were sometimes given the drop dead phony wood treatment throughout the interior if the dealer wanted it so.

Some looked nice. Others were cheap enough to flake into a near confetti state as time wore on. Either way, wood was the thing to have back in the day.
 
But then the world of near-luxury changed. Euros and Yens became more expensive, and the domestics had been given carte blanche to cheap out even their flagships models.

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ThierryHenry14 - 4/24/2012 3:05:54 PM

+2 Boost

I'm at a lost for words considering I just read the dumbest article. What cost $50,000 during the "Clinton Era" would cost about $75,000 now. But in relations to the article, which the title of this post has nothing to do with, they should use cheap "chrome-look" because no one uses chrome, just as cheap wood is actually cheap wood-look. With that said, I think he's just getting into the wrong cars. Overall, just dumb!

Yonder7 - 4/24/2012 9:42:29 PM

+1 Boost

Well, I know Audi and MB use real chrome..but BMW.....specially the last 3 series is so big as the previous 5 series however is lighter than the previous 3 series...so most likely to reduce weight they might be using something else but not chrome...not sure. Real chrome makes heavier cars.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 4/25/2012 4:02:49 AM

-2 Boost

At least there is no doubt on Audi's unshakeable dedication to using real metals and not spray on.

The truth is that for almost a decade you had a mad drive for "Cost Cutting" in order to boost profits while trying not to increase the product price very much. {Also wanted a bit of weight savings}

A lot of Manufacturers fell for this method with even MB having to reverse it's decision to stop "Over Engineering" their vehicles in the late 2000s

PQ40 - 4/25/2012 8:47:59 AM

+3 Boost

Go sit in an a4, a5 or the S models,then notice all the nasty cheap grey plastic around the LCD screen and gearbox etc, and the thin steering wheel. Audi interiors also wear really badly, their leather is always too tightly bound and scuffs terribly. Maybe the previous generation - like the B7 A4 had an air of quality,but the new ones to me are cheap, unless you fork over some extra dough for and A6 or 7.

I95SPEEDINGTICKETS - 4/25/2012 10:46:08 AM

-1 Boost

Anything that looks like Metal in an Audi is made from Metal. {Usually Aluminium}

And the plastics are usually SOFT TOUCH PLASTIC.

They do not insult our intelligence by spraying plastic or chroming plastic so it looks like steel or aluminium.

vdiv - 4/25/2012 11:43:34 AM

+1 Boost

I don't have a horse in this race and haven't been in the latest gen. German sedans, however as far as interior quality and durability Audi has always had an edge to BMW and MB. I never liked the Audi interior styling, thought that BMW's was closest to my liking and to having an identity with simple easy to read amber back-lit instrument cluster, easy to use vents, HVAC and radio controls (pre iDrive). MB has always been "meh, ok, I guess" with solid ride quality and comfort being their strongest suit.