off topic: new car advice for senior

Sorry for off topic

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Hi

A friend of mine who is a senior citizen and want to buy a new car to repla ce her standard old car. She is very good driver with very clean driving hi story. Her current car is Volkswagen golf. She is thinking of buying a new Volkswagen golf but automatic of course (easier to drive). Do you have any other recommendation on which car (brand name) she should consider. Too man y options and technologies are not really required, just basic stuff but mo st be automatic.

Thank you in advance.

Reply to
leza wang
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lace her standard old car. She is very good driver with very clean driving history. Her current car is Volkswagen golf. She is thinking of buying a ne w Volkswagen golf but automatic of course (easier to drive). Do you have an y other recommendation on which car (brand name) she should consider. Too m any options and technologies are not really required, just basic stuff but most be automatic.

avoid any VW vehicle their resale value will probably take a big hit for a generation.

besides all auto makers need to watch vw go nearly out of business so they dont try to pull stuff like cheating on air pollution

Reply to
bob haller

I'm a Subaru Forester fan.

Live on a hill and all Subaru's come with standard AWD.

Height is almost perfect for us seniors as it is easy to get in and out of.

As others point out, VW is in a heap of trouble and probably best avoided.

Reply to
Frank

She needs to lookk first for something she can get into and out of easily, and will be able to 5 years from now with anticipated deterioration. It needs to be something she can see well out of as well - no thick A-pillars blocking peripheral vision (means no front side curtain air bags) It also needs to be something she can "wear" comfortably.

A new Corolla would quite likely fit the bill. Some of the CUVs are easier for old folks to get into and out of, and sitting higher, give them better visibility as well. My step-mom LOVES her Matrix (no longer available new). She just turned 80.

A good friend and longtime VW Golf/Jetta owner just switched to a Corolla S (He's 80 too).

My sister-in-law and brother just traded their 2014 Fusion for a Corolla S because she, being a bit on the short side, could not deal with the blindspot behind the left A pillar - where you could quite litterally park a transport truck from where she sat.

Reply to
clare

I've been wanting to buy a VB Beetle, but not a new one. Are the older models (by a few years) a bad idea, too?

Reply to
Muggles

Per snipped-for-privacy@snyder.on.ca:

Around here I see an unexpectedly large number of grey heads driving Honda Elements.

My theory: even thought the Element was designed for young people, it turned out to be an accidental ergonomic boon for older people.

I think they're either out of production or about to go out of production, but I would have to consider one if I were getting another vehicle.

Reply to
(PeteCresswell)

Pointed out both wife and I have Subaru Foresters. Her knees are shot - getting one knee replaced in several weeks. She has a handicap plate but no trouble getting in and out of the Forester.

Reply to
Frank

Ohmigosh! ;-)

I would look at this differently. Instead of looking for a make/model, identify her *needs* -- both now and in the foreseeable future.

SWMBO wanted a new vehicle (didn't *need* one). Her ORIGINAL short list of required features (before she had seen anything in a dealership):

- up high (instead of "down low", surrounded by big trucks, etc. This has a big impact on visibility.

- good visibility; not just being up high enough to see things but also not having to bob-and-weave to see around various pillars in the front and rear portion of the vehicle

- lift *onto* instead of *into*/outof rear storage area; easier to lift something to a particular height and slide it into a wagon, SUV, etc. than it is to lift it up *over* the lip of the trunk and set it down *into* the well. (She does this almost daily with her hobby.)

- respectable gas mileage; she doesn't drive much but also isn't keen on throwing money out the tailpipe!

- driver's seat that goes up and down (even if only manually); this seems to be something women favor, another visibility issue?

- "substantial"; don't want a piece of tin that will get bounced across the roadway whenever it is struck by another vehicle (e.g., SmartCar)

- reasonably small (despite other criteria suggesting big!); she didn't want to drive a big truck, etc.

- easy to get in/out; not having to FALL into the car nor *climb* out of it

- low maintenance costs

After looking at what's available in 2015/16 (vs the last time she purchased a vehicle), she decided to augment her list:

- power liftgate (because the *onto* storage requirement pushes you towards a storage area that has a larger "door")

- blind spot monitors (to improve visibility of "road sheep")

- (rear) cross traffic alert (so she doesn't have to twist her neck to look over her shoulder when backing out of parking spaces)

- rear camera (again, cut down on turning her head -- it seems that as folks get older, this gets to be more of an issue)

The downside of many of these "requirements" is that you end up dragging in all sorts of unnecessary prerequisites -- things that the car manufacturer insists you have in order to get the features that you *want*. :<

Good luck in your search. Don't rush it. Dealers will always be pushing you to "buy today" -- tomorrow is usually just as good!

Reply to
Don Y

VW may be the best buy at the right price. Depending on the buyers age, resale may be meaningless. If the car is never sold, who cares?

Good chance it can be had a a large discount just to move it.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

Perhaps VW will bring back their 10 year power train warranty.

Just don't buy a manual transmission VW. Clutch replacement is horrendously expensive due to everything that must be removed to get to it.

Reply to
sms

My first consideration, what fits? What is easy enough to get in and out of?

VW has problems right now but it may be possible to get a huge discount. Don't know how that will shake out.

I'd consider: Hyundai Sonata or the smaller Elantra Toyota Camry or the smaller Corolla Ford Fusion or the smaller Focus

Price can vary considerably depending if they get a stripped down version or a fully loaded model. Right now, Hyundai is offering some good deals on the 2015 Sonata as the 2016 is now hitting the showroom floor.

There are no really bad cars made these days. Most are dependable and have a decent warranty but Hyundai has the longest in both time and miles.

Reply to
Ed Pawlowski

OTOH, there's no guarantee that "fixed" you'll want to drive it!

A dealer here purchased a bunch of BLACK (interior and exterior -- we live in Sunny AZ!), vinyl seats, manual tranny/windows/etc. sh*tboxes with NO ACbrrr...

For a song.

And, couldn't get rid of them! No matter *how* he sang!

Reply to
Don Y

It takes a large discount to get a VW into the price range of a lot of it's competition. My friend bought his Corolla S, loaded to the gills, for $8000 less than a base VW Golf TDI. That surprized him as much as the fact that the Toyota was in just about all ways, at least the match for the VW. The only thing he missed was the torque of the Diesel.

Reply to
clare

Like virtually all front drive cars today. And a few read drivers and virtually all AWDs.

Reply to
clare

lace her standard old car. She is very good driver with very clean driving history. Her current car is Volkswagen golf. She is thinking of buying a ne w Volkswagen golf but automatic of course (easier to drive). Do you have an y other recommendation on which car (brand name) she should consider. Too m any options and technologies are not really required, just basic stuff but most be automatic.

As others have said, for seniors, ease of getting in and out is one of the top things. An overlooked option for that is the Ford Taurus. I sits high er than most cars, lower than an SUV. I am 80 and wife was disabled (died last year), both of use could get in/out of the Ford 500 (now Taurus again) without problems. Difference between 'crawling down into" (modern cars) a nd just turning and sitting down.

Harry K

Reply to
Harry K

Note that you can also end up with a car that is too *high*! You don't want to have to climb *up* into a car -- nor risk *falling* trying to get out of it!

Remember that your posture also changes as you age. You don't stand as tall, etc. so what was comfortable at one age can seem "a stretch" as you get older (and your back, hips, etc. start to complain when you try to make full use of them).

I'm surprised at the number of folks who have problems carrying even small (1 & 2 lb) weights (muscle atrophy). Reaching into a back seat to retrieve an item can become challenging with age. Another pair of doors is sometimes worthwhile!

If you "grunt" (even subvocally) when getting in or out of your vehicle, reaching for some item (groceries), etc. then something needs to change! :>

Reply to
Don Y

...try to do a little exercise every day

and eat a well balance diet, with lots of vegetables

easy on the meat

marc

Reply to
21blackswan

It's surprisingly easy to get *enough* exercise to "make a difference". The MD's will always clamor for "more" -- regardless of how much you do. But, even a little has a *big* impact on flexibility, attitude, balance, strength, etc.

I've loaned "workout videos" to friends and, for those who actually took the time to *try* them (instead of setting them on top of the exercise equipment that they DUST, regularly) have universally seen some improvements in their "quality of life".

Stay active (physically and mentally) as long as possible in order to be ABLE to stay active *for* as long as possible!

I "discovered" jicama upon moving to the southwest. It's "weird", to say the least! But, I find myself *wanting* it in an ever broader range of meals. It has a nice texture and a pleasant taste that makes it a good companion for many dishes. I'm not sure it does much (nutritionally) for my system -- but is probably a good source of fiber (and general variety!).

My downfall. :<

Reply to
Don Y

If she were my mother I'd buy a Subaru Impreza for her.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

Meat has never been a main dish in my family. Meat is served as a treat. We tend to eat more wild fish, organic poultry. Never eat white bread. Never drink milk, never indulge in sweets, never drink ice cold water, no salt shaker on the table. I just made a round between 5 specialists. They say I am in good shape. Annual routine for transplant patients. Only change is, suggested to get a pair of glasses for driving. Good eating needs good digestion. I eat well, sleep well, eliminate well no issues with this basic 3 things.

Reply to
Tony Hwang

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