If cash appears to be spilling out of their pockets, even abrasive personalities -- think Donald Trump -- tend to be well treated when it comes time to make a luxury purchase. Yet today's competitive climate in the automotive business makes it possible to drive away in a luxurious ride without necessarily being affluent.

For example, all the "full-line" luxury brands now have what they consider an entry-level vehicle. When BMW's 3 Series started becoming too pricey, the more-basically equipped but otherwise similar 1 Series took over the spot as the brand's most affordable model. Similarly, Acura offers the TSX, Audi the A3, Infiniti the G25 and Lexus the IS 250. The idea is to let in upwardly mobile buyers early on, persuading them to form a long-term with an upscale company.

Those new-car shoppers considering a fully loaded car of a more mundane brand just might be within easy reach of a similar car with a bit more indulgent attitude. For example, those shopping for a Toyota Camry will find the MSRP approaching $32,000 when loaded with a full assortment of options. At that point, it might be wise to consider spending just a few thousand dollars more to get the Camry's richer relation, the Lexus ES 350. While both are mechanically equivalent in many ways, the Lexus comes with added prestige, more elegant styling, upgraded interior materials, higher-grade paint treatments and almost certainly improved treatment at the dealership.

While an equivalent luxury-branded car might cost more money up front, this premium could well come back into an owner's pocket down the road in a variety of ways. For starters, luxury brand ownership perks typically include a free loaner car when bringing the vehicle in for service (common at Lexus and BMW, for example), along with free scheduled maintenance programs that could save hundreds or even thousands of dollars over the length of coverage.

Luxury cars also typically come with longer and more inclusive warranties that can save owners big money if major problems arise. By comparison, buying an extended service plan to augment a mainstream model's warranty would cost around $1,000 per year of added coverage. (The accompanying chart shows how new-car warranty terms differ between five luxury brands and their conventional equivalents from the same manufacturer.)

Importantly, a luxury-branded car tends to hold its value better than a non-luxury model, which further narrows the long-term cost differential. This brings up the issue of leasing, which is popular among upscale brands for several reasons, among them the penchant of luxury owners to trade in for a new car more frequently. Since the cost of a lease is largely based on a vehicle's resale value, a car that's worth more in two or three years than another comparably priced would be inherently cheaper to lease.

Then there is the dealership experience to consider. Luxury-brand showrooms tend to be posher, with more accommodating service department waiting areas and personnel who may be better trained than those in most conventional dealerships. Shoppers looking at the cheapest car in an upscale lineup will likely get the same top-drawer treatment as customers who pay six figures in cash for the fanciest sports car in the showroom. What's more, this level of customer service may extend beyond the dealership. Many luxury branded cars come with advanced telematics systems through which owners can access concierge-like services for such things as buying theater tickets or making restaurant reservations.

Not only that, the luxury ownership experience is available to more than just new-car buyers, with even budget-minded shoppers welcome thanks to so-called Certified Pre-Owned vehicles. These are late-model used cars that have been inspected, reconditioned if necessary and usually carry an extended warranty. They may command a modest price premium over a non-CPO used car, but owners get virtually all the perks as they would buying a brand-new luxury car in the bargain.

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THE LUXURY V. MAINSTREAM EQUATION

Luxury has its privileges. Here's a comparison of warranty coverage of five manufacturers' luxury brands v. their mainstream nameplate

BrandBasicPowertrainCorrosionRoadside warranty Assistance

Acura4/50,0006/70,000 5/Unlimited 4/50,000

Honda 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited Not offered

Audi 4/50,000 4/50,000 12/Unlimited 4/Unlimited

Volkswagen 3/36,000 5/60,000 12/Unlimited 3/36,000

Lincoln 4/50,000 6/70,000 5/Unlimited 6/70,000

Ford 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited 5/60,000

Infiniti 4/60,0006/70,0007/Unlimited 4/Unlimited

Nissan 3/36,0005/60,0005/Unlimited3/36,000

Lexus 4/50,000 6/70,000 6/Unlimited 4/Unlimited

Toyota 3/36,000 5/60,000 5/Unlimited Not offered