Things are looking up. The economy is beginning to perk along, and it feels safe to spend money again.
You want to move up to a luxury car, but you’re wary of what that says about you. You want to say you’ve arrived without being ostentatious.
Most of all, in these value-oriented ’90s, you don’t want to overspend.
Sure, you easily could spend more than $50,000 for a powerful sedan with fine leather upholstery, wood-grain interior and loads of convenience features. But you don’t have to.
For $30,000, you can get much of the same performance and opulence.
And, if you spend less than $32,000, you can skirt the government’s luxury tax.
“You’re not sacrificing very much if you stay with a $30,000 luxury car,” said George Peterson, president of AutoPacific Group Inc., a California market research firm.
“You’ll get around 200 horsepower, a relatively large seating package, automatic transmission, power steering, anti-lock brakes and usually, driver- and passenger-side air bags,” he said.
“At $30,000 you’re getting a pretty darn nice car.”
But surely, you’re giving up something if you don’t spend $40,000 or $50,000 or $70,000?
Mostly, it’s brute power, said Peterson.
Those more expensive luxury cars typically put out 250 to 300 horsepower, making them practically effortless to drive.
Most everything else you give up are frills. Do you need a smoke eater or ashtrays that empty themselves? How about a steering wheel that automatically tilts out of the way when you get in and out?
So if you don’t need all that extra power, or the smoke eater, you have plenty of affordable options.
Here are some nicely appointed luxury cars you can buy now-or soon-for about $30,000:
– Oldsmobile Aurora: This European-style sports sedan is a competitor of a more expensive Lexus or BMW priced at $31,995, or just low enough to avoid the federal luxury tax.
It comes with a standard 4-liter, 250-h.p., V-8 engine that runs only on premium unleaded gasoline, dual air bags and a compact disc-cassette player.
Only six options are offered, bringing the top price to $34,569. The Aurora will arrive this spring.
– Buick Riviera: Built on the same chassis as the Aurora, the Riviera’s looks even more striking. And with a new, more rigid suspension, it doesn’t have that spongy feel of traditional American luxury cars.
The Riviera’s $28,257 base price includes two air bags, anti-lock brakes, air conditioning, AM/FM cassette stereo with six speakers, cruise control, power seats and power windows and locks.
The base engine is an upgraded 3.8-liter, 205-h.p., V-6. An optional supercharger boosts the output to 225 h.p..
Add such features as traction control, sunroof and deluxe sound system, however, and the price heads skyward. The Riviera goes on sale this spring, also.
– Mercedes-Benz C-Class: This new entry-level Mercedes replaces the 190 “Baby Benz” sedan.
“It has a whole different look and feel,” said Thad Malesh, an analyst at J.D. Power & Associates, who predicted it will appeal to people who always wanted a Mercedes but couldn’t afford one before.
Named North American Car of the Year U.S. and Canadian journalists, the Mercedes C-Class comes in two models.
The C220, powered by a 2.2-liter, 4-cylinder engine, starts at $29,900, and the C280, with a 2.8-liter, 6, costs $34,900.
Both come with a four-speed automatic transmission, two air bags, anti-lock brakes, electric sunroof, climate control, power windows, power locks and cruise control.
The price climbs, of course, if you add leather interior, traction control and a fold-down rear seat. The Mercedes C-Class is already in dealer showrooms.
– Mazda Millenia: The newest member of the Mazda family, this sports sedan is priced just below the top-of-the-line 929, but may push 929 out of the way to become the brand’s flagship.
For $28,300, you get a 170 h.p., V-6 engine and plenty of standard features. Even if you add leather upholstery, moonroof, power passenger seat, traction control and power seats, you still can stay under $29,000.
Even with Mazda’s innovative, 200-h.p. Miller-cycle engine, the Millenia stays below the $32,000 luxury tax cutoff.
– Chrysler New Yorker and LHS: Chrysler is boosting production of these year-old luxury sedans, particularly the more upscale LHS, to keep up with consumer demand.
The New Yorker, starting at $25,541, caters to the more traditional American luxury-car buyer, and the more expensive LHS is aimed at younger, more import-oriented buyers.
Both are powered by Chrysler’s 3.5-liter, 214-h.p., V-6 engine.
Standard features on the LHS, which starts at $30,868, include two air bags, soft leather seats, power moonroof, anti-lock brakes, traction control and four-wheel independent touring suspension.
If these don’t catch your eye, other luxury cars that cost around $30,000 include the Mitsubishi Diamante, Acura Vigor, Lexus ES300, BMW 3-series, Saab 9000 and the Volvo 960.
