What should come standard on a luxury car?

"Chariotoflove" (chariotoflove) 04/13/2016 at 12:44 • Filed to: Don't cheap out on me!

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Todays luxury makes, by and large, advertise performance luxury . Now, performance is relatively inexpensive to come by. You can get Mustangs, Camaros, BRZs, etc. with plenty of performance for under $30K. So what do you get in a Cadillac, BMW, Mercedes, etc. that justifies the price premium? Well, besides the badge and the statement it makes, I mean. It’s the luxury part.

I was sitting in my neighbor’s ATS a while back. She had bought the base model with the 200-ish hp NA engine, which is plenty for most purposes. But she realized after the fact that it didn’t come with Homelink.

Seriously??

Now I know that options packages and trim levels are how manufacturers make their money, but I believe that a new luxury car should come with, well, a certain amount of luxury as standard. And my bar for that is anything that can be commonly had on mid-priced mass market cars and certainly anything that was on a $30K or lesser car 25 years ago. So here are some of the things I think should be standard on anything that calls itself a luxury car:

Homelink. Duh, this has been around for decades and is found on Elantras and Malibus. There is no excuse for making you have to clip multiple garage door openers on your visor in a $45K+ car.

Motorized memory seats. My ‘95 Riviera had these. So did my Dad’s Trofeo. Both front seats. So it should be standard in 2016.

Dual zone climate control. I don’t know if any luxury makes don’t include this standard, and I hope there are none.

Top-notch materials. there should be no hard, scratchy plastic. If a Mazda 6 can have soft and textured surfaces everywhere, then so should the Lexus Uber I took last week (and it didn’t).

Quality instrument cluster. My gauges should look like a fine time piece. Okay, maybe not a Seiko or Bulova, but at least a Fossil or Skagen. If a Dodge Charger can have interesting gauges, then what’s the excuse for an ATS having white numerals printed on black plastic like in my ‘80s Chevette?

What am I missing on this list? ATS coupe (with Homelink!) for your time.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:47

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Leather

Wood

More leather

Get off my lawn

RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:48

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Mink-bootied crotch-massaging tentacles.

My citroen won't start > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:49

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Your very own whipping-boy

PorkchoPlissken > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:50

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Reach around

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:51

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Hell. My Dart has most of those features.

TheHondaBro > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 04/13/2016 at 12:52

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I don’t know how you can fit “get off my lawn” in a car.

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:53

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Xenon headlamps. Ffs BMW and Mercedes still charge you for LED lights on the 3er and C class.

SidewaysOnDirt still misses Bowie > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:53

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A Cadillac badge. Duh.

TheHondaBro > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:54

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Power seats.

Leather.

Climate control.

Radar cruise control.

not for canada - australian in disguise > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:54

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Heated seats. And GOOD cloth. None of this cheap crap, I want big fluffy couches.

And smaller rims that don’t look fuck ugly (looking at you base model 3 series)

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > TheHondaBro 04/13/2016 at 12:54

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You can’t. You just get off my lawn.

JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:55

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Butt toasters

Get me a damn sunroof reasonably (not hidden in $5000 worth of options)

spanfucker retire bitch > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:55

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HID Headlights

Leather (real leather)

Heated seats at minimum

Automatic Climate Control (Dual-Zone at minimum)

Standard smartphone integration of one kind or another

You know, the kind of stuff you’d find standard on a ~$25K Korean sedan.

TheHondaBro > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 04/13/2016 at 12:55

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*brings lawn chair to sm70's lawn*

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > TheHondaBro 04/13/2016 at 12:56

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Oh thank you. Now I have somewhere to sit and guard my lawn from you whippersnappers.

TheHondaBro > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 04/13/2016 at 12:58

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I’m older than you!

Danger Ranger XLT > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:58

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Navigation. No reason it should be a $2000 standalone option or part of a $2750 Technology package on a 3 Series. Did you know you can theoretically spend $55,000 on a 3 Series without navigation? Well now you know, because you can. Unacceptable.

citizennick > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:58

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remote start

spanfucker retire bitch > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 04/13/2016 at 12:58

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Everytime I see a CLA250 on the road with Halogen headlights I laugh. Like, literally laugh out loud. A car that has an average selling price of like 15 thousand dollars more than what I bought my car for, and their headlights are just regular ‘ole Halogens, just like mine.

So fucking cheap looking on a Merc.

d15b > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 12:59

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HID lights

Tatanko > spanfucker retire bitch 04/13/2016 at 13:07

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To me, it says more about the person who bought it/leased it than it does about the company.

“I really wanted a Mercedes to impress people I don’t know, but I sure as shit don’t care what kind of equipment it has.”

JustAnotherG6 > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:07

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All the options should be just that, Options.

Tatanko > JQJ213- Now With An Extra Cylinder! 04/13/2016 at 13:09

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A standalone sunroof option should be available on every car in my opinion, regardless of what it costs. I really wanted the pano roof on my GTI, but it’s only available on the SE which also has leather... and I really wanted those plaid cloth seats!

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > spanfucker retire bitch 04/13/2016 at 13:11

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Just looks soo out of place and screams cheap. Also this haha:

SnapUndersteer, Italian Spiderman > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:13

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Puppies

dogisbadob > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:14

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a hood ornament

Chariotoflove > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 04/13/2016 at 13:15

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Yes! No leatherette. You can get that on any plebeian mobile.

And fake wood is worse than none.

Chariotoflove > FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem 04/13/2016 at 13:16

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Agreed. Basic functionality should not be an option.

V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:18

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I think your average luxury car should have features that were standard on at least the mid range full size luxury car of yesteryear (think E65(shudders to self) 750, W220 S500, D3 A8 4.2) so heated and cooled seats, homelink, xenon headlights, leather, wood, a decent sound system, memory seats (automatic if possible).

Justin Hughes > jvirgs drives a Subaru 04/13/2016 at 13:18

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That’s either quite awesome for your Dart, or quite sad for the Cadillac. Probably both.

Vicente Esteve > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:19

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An engine with 6 cylinders or more.

Meatcoma > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:19

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When did Seiko watches become high end?

FSI - alcohol enthusiast with a car problem > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:20

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It’s not like that Xenon is a brand new technology. Basic halogen headlights are almost a danger. Everyone who has driven at night with halogen headlights knows that they simply suck compared to xenon/led/laser.

Chariotoflove > V12 Jake- Hittin' Switches 04/13/2016 at 13:20

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That is my view as well.

Chariotoflove > spanfucker retire bitch 04/13/2016 at 13:20

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Exactly!

jvirgs drives a Subaru > Justin Hughes 04/13/2016 at 13:21

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I would agree.

Chariotoflove > RamblinRover Luxury-Yacht 04/13/2016 at 13:21

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With or without suction?

Chariotoflove > Meatcoma 04/13/2016 at 13:22

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When they popped into my mind as I needed an example

Chariotoflove > citizennick 04/13/2016 at 13:24

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Good one.

Chariotoflove > d15b 04/13/2016 at 13:25

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Another good one.

Chariotoflove > PorkchoPlissken 04/13/2016 at 13:25

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?

Chariotoflove > Vicente Esteve 04/13/2016 at 13:29

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Or at least functions as well as one.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:31

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of sorts...

FromCanadaWithLove > Vicente Esteve 04/13/2016 at 13:31

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The BMW 528i has the N20, but I’d still call it a luxury car. Same goes with the Volvo S90.

FromCanadaWithLove > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:33

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I think electric seats are probably a telltale sign. Same goes with heated rear seats.

G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:34

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A heated steering wheel is a $300 option on most Mercs. Surely they could work that into the price?

Jordan and the Slowrunner, Boomer Intensifies > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:34

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The tears of Socialists and Communists.

mrbaits > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:36

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There is no excuse for not having standard leather seats and a backup camera in a car that costs over 40 grand.

Chariotoflove > PotbellyJoe and 42 others 04/13/2016 at 13:36

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?

The Dummy Gummy > Chariotoflove 04/13/2016 at 13:38

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Automatic windows for both directions. I’m lazy and want to one press everything.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Vicente Esteve 04/13/2016 at 13:41

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I’d totally call my grandma’s 2.0T ATS a luxury car.

Chariotoflove > G_Body_Man: Sponsored by the number 3 04/13/2016 at 13:43

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Surely.

Chariotoflove > mrbaits 04/13/2016 at 13:44

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Agreed.

Chariotoflove > The Dummy Gummy 04/13/2016 at 13:45

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So do I

Vicente Esteve > FromCanadaWithLove 04/13/2016 at 20:54

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I wasn’t being 100% serious, but I do enjoy the sense that I have more engine under the hood than the average compact.

Vicente Esteve > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 04/13/2016 at 20:55

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Oh yeah, it’s just a nice feeling to have more engine under the hood than your average compact. That’s just me.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Vicente Esteve 04/13/2016 at 21:12

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272HP and 0-60 in 5.4 seconds is more than your average compact.

Vicente Esteve > sm70- why not Duesenberg? 04/13/2016 at 22:24

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More engine as in more cylinders.

sm70- why not Duesenberg? > Vicente Esteve 04/13/2016 at 23:27

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Performance in this day and age does not automatically equate to more cylinders. A big engine may be something you want, but in no way does a luxury vehicle necessitate it.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Chariotoflove 04/15/2016 at 17:50

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Rear Wheel Drive, 8 cylinders, 375+ horsepower, 4 doors and traction-control-off switch on the dash.

Chariotoflove > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/15/2016 at 18:12

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Heh heh. Fair enough. Except the 4 doors part. I like luxury coupes.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Chariotoflove 04/15/2016 at 19:00

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The coupes stay around longer.

Chariotoflove > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/15/2016 at 19:02

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Cool. Means I get a better deal on one...

...in, you know, that imaginary universe where I can afford a luxury performance coupe.

Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo > Chariotoflove 04/15/2016 at 19:05

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I live in that same world, but I sometimes dream in color. My luxury coop is a ‘97 GMC Safari, but I keep up on the mechanicals. And hey: that bucket has taken me and the family from the Pacific to the Atlantic and back three times.

Chariotoflove > Rusty Vandura - www.tinyurl.com/keepoppo 04/15/2016 at 19:19

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That counts for a lot.