Best new vehicle for woman 80+ 15-20k price range?

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
HR-V hecho en Mexico.

And so is the Fusion, but I don't see it as a big issue, personally.

I know the op said no VW, but Passat/Tiguan es Hecho en Tennessee.....

 

[pandus13]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
Originally Posted By: donnyj08
Chevy equinox or Ford Escape because both are reliable, drive like cars, and are easy to get in and out of which is a huge plus for the elderly. A base model of either can be had for $20k usually.

+2 my dad has an escape. I drove it a few times... a good but generic experience. Visibility's good. He's a poor driver but hasn't wrecked this yet, that I know of.

OP/Rand,
can you add these criteria for the tests?
-visibility
-seat height + positioning against Pillar for ingress/egress (so no sport seats...)

P.S. I choose my VW Golf SportWagen because of lower visibility line all-around against the Prius v Wagon visibility...

 

[marine65]

Originally Posted By: JLTD
What about a used RAV4? Super reliable and can be had for WELL within your budget.


Originally Posted By: marine65
80+?
Time to stop driving.


No offense, but this should be ability based and I hope no one makes a flat decision about your driving when you turn a certain number.




I'm 71 and i know my driving skills have diminished.
I drive a bit slower and really pay attention.
When my kids tell me its time to hand up the keys i will.

 

[93cruiser]

Originally Posted By: marine65
Originally Posted By: JLTD
What about a used RAV4? Super reliable and can be had for WELL within your budget.


Originally Posted By: marine65
80+?
Time to stop driving.


No offense, but this should be ability based and I hope no one makes a flat decision about your driving when you turn a certain number.




I'm 71 and i know my driving skills have diminished.
I drive a bit slower and really pay attention.
When my kids tell me its time to hand up the keys i will.


are you sure it is your skills? not the fact you are no longer in a rush, and wiser now knowing driving like an idiot, well is for the young idiots.

I am 44, I drive different than when I was in my teens, 20s, and 30s. Not as reckless, and more controlled. But no skill has diminished.

What I'm saying is some skill may have diminished, but it is most likely more to do so with apprehension and thinking too much. Wisdom comes with age.

 

[slacktide_bitog]

the Spark Activ

 

[Silverado12]

Originally Posted By: Snagglefoot
How about a Chevy Cruise? Should be able to get a new one.


My mother in law is 86 and has a 2012 Cruze and loves it. She has the one with the sensors in the back that beep when she's getting close to something. She doesn't drive much anymore and not at night. It all depends on the person; some people are still sharp at 80 and others aren't.

 

[Jim K]

Corolla FTW

 

[Cujet]

Simple, easy answer. 2017 leftover Nissan Altima SR with the adjustable drivers seat. They can be found for $17-$18K right now.

 

[CharBaby]

My niece just picked up a brand new leftover 2017 Altima 2.5 S for $15775. Dealer was knocking off $8K-$9K on all remaining leftovers.

 

[CharBaby]

The reason that I mentioned buying a used Camry(2-3 yrs old) is that these cars are easy on the elderly. Easy steering, easy brakes, easy to get in and see out of, large dials & controls with easy to read font. They're just easy! And even being a used vehicle, the Camry is among the most reliable vehicles on the road and typically run longer without issues, than most people even care about. They're an easy decision.

 

[CharBaby]

30 years ago, I introduced an elderly woman to the Honda Accord as she was looking for a new car. Keep in mind that this woman drove Buick's, Old's & Chevy's. She cursed me for EVER! This was the worst car she ever owned. Not that it had problems or was a trouble prone car but it was too quirky for her.

The Accord was loud, hard riding, hard seats, stiff steering and a sea of gray on the interior. The OE tires wore out in 20K miles, the windshield wipers screeched and it was the most uncomfortable she had driven in 50 years. And here, the ACCORD was one if not the most reliable cars on the frikken planet and this lady didn't car about anything that a car guy cared about. And I didn't realize that when I recommended the Accord to her. And she wasn't driving the larger GM cars, she was driving the smaller GM cars. Cutlas, MonteCarlo, GrandPrix or even Sierra's, Celebrity's, 6000's. You get the point!

So now, I recommend 2017 and older Camry's to all. However, I think the new 2018 Camry, as wonderful of a car it may be, is off of my recommended list to the elderly(meaning older than me).

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
30 years ago, I introduced an elderly woman to the Honda Accord as she was looking for a new car. Keep in mind that this woman drove Buick's, Old's & Chevy's. She cursed me for EVER! This was the worst car she ever owned. Not that it had problems or was a trouble prone car but it was too quirky for her.


Sounds kind of like my aunt who had a few Buick Centurys before buying a new 2002 Accord. She still has the Accord today with 70k miles on it. Takes it to the dealer for an oil change every 6 months. No real problems but kind of balks at some of the maintenance items it needs like the timing belt service, tires etc...Anyways she likes it a lot. She talks about getting a new one but they wouldn't give her much for the 02 and why get rid of it when it runs like a top.

 

[4WD]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
I always thought that older women liked Buick's or Toyota's


Some of them still “want” a Buick in their mind … human nature (familiarity) and historically one of GM’s better lines … but way up in age take the advice of the children who put them in what they prefer …

Crash protection is job one … probably not going to wear it out driving easy like they do …

 

[nthach]

Originally Posted By: Char Baby
My niece just picked up a brand new leftover 2017 Altima 2.5 S for $15775. Dealer was knocking off $8K-$9K on all remaining leftovers.

The Altima isn't a half-bad car. I bash them because they are an rental/Uber, but the interiors in those are surprisingly comfy and the value proposition is there(standard push-start ignition and keyless entry, display audio). Also not bad to maintain although I've heard they love to chew through wheel hubs.

 

[CharBaby]

I've actually had better reliability with my Altima's than my Honda's & Toyota's however, the HonYota's weren't unreliable it's just that my Altima's were a bit better over a 10-12 year period of time.

 

[Rand]

Well after a few days of test driving..

Looks like the answer to my question is Ford Escape.

By visibility I meant(among other things):
1.No massive blind spots
2.able to tell where your car "corners" are when parking.

 

[SatinSilver]

Nice Rand, which engine?

 

[camrydriver111]

I like the Corolla but the forward visibility is very poor.

The windshield is small, dash is very high, and A pillars are in your way.

Originally Posted By: goodtimes
Toyota Corolla LE with no extras, sort of fits with the others she had. Cars no one sees. You could run all the stop signs in town and no one will see it. They are made in USA and I believe have some new fangled sensors standard. It wouldn't hurt to have the front crash sensor this time around, why not. What's the next landmark age for her, 90.


Not yet. They are still made in Canada, but production will be moved to the US in 2021.

 

[Rand]

Originally Posted By: SatinSilver
Nice Rand, which engine?


She just finalized the deal. She went out and did it herself.

Negotiated at her favorite dealer but they wouldnt budge..

Went to the closer dealer (half mile from her house)

and they beat the other dealer... not too bad

over 5000 off msrp.. yep she expanded the budget.

2018 red with 1.5T AWD msrp was 29xxx was pretty much the SE with the 8" screen sync upgrade and one other thing(that I cant remember)

Looks great. And very conventional.
Sits upright, can see out of it good, and normal key(no pushbutton start)
regular 6 speed auto.

Very sharp car. Quite the upgrade from a 2003 taurus SE with 3.0 vulcan.

When we got her rental the ONLY car they had after trying 3 enterprises over 2 days was a
fusion hybrid.. everything she didnt want in a car.

Couldnt tell where the back was,
hybrid, pushbutton start(doesnt even start engine just light that goes on)
Knob to change gears.
Was a super nice car.. just not for her.

 

[Mr Nice]

Sounds like she’ll really enjoy her new vehicle.