Help Please. The most comfortable automatic small car
Discussion
As per the title I need your collective help. My mother in law (not my arch enemy) has two shot lower vertibrae. Won't admit it, she's 82. I need to find a smallish automatic car that will be easy to get in and out of that rides like a dream. Modern day cars with their designer low profile tyres are a waste of time. My father in law bought a 58 plate Nissan Micra as per his wife's wishes but cannot even passenger in it. I told them so at the time, with seats like cardboard it is a piece of rubbish.
She is fine in their Shadow 2 but cannot drive it and it can't be a daily driver. It is too big and too juicy and although not penniless they live on there pensions. I suggested her old favourite a MK2 Granada. The reply was to big and the last time she sat in one she was looking through the steering wheel.
Your thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thank you, Graeme
She is fine in their Shadow 2 but cannot drive it and it can't be a daily driver. It is too big and too juicy and although not penniless they live on there pensions. I suggested her old favourite a MK2 Granada. The reply was to big and the last time she sat in one she was looking through the steering wheel.
Your thoughts would be very much appreciated. Thank you, Graeme
Merc A class, VW Polo/Skoda Fabia/SEAT Ibiza, SEAT Altea, Audi A2, Chevy Matiz(I know, but from brief experience the seats weren't bad). None of these are true slushmatics, but CVT or some flavour of autoshifting manual.
Perhaps you could filch a pair of decent front seats out of a merc or something and fit them in the Micra?
Perhaps you could filch a pair of decent front seats out of a merc or something and fit them in the Micra?
since youve posted in this section does the car have to be a classic?
If not then a friends bought his parents a car for similar reasons....peugeot 1007. Sliding doors help access, its small and basically does the job. Assume you can get auto's? This also assumes asthetics and handling are some way down the 'requirements list'...
If not then a friends bought his parents a car for similar reasons....peugeot 1007. Sliding doors help access, its small and basically does the job. Assume you can get auto's? This also assumes asthetics and handling are some way down the 'requirements list'...
Why not discuss seat options with someone like this http://www.jdhc.co.uk/ for orthapedic seat options? You will have a local expert experienced in similar conversions.
Thank you all for your replies, much appreciated. No the car does not have to be a classic. Seats are not the only issue as the Micra has a firm ride. E36, my mate Loz has one. Need to take it for a drive. The 1007 is an interesting thought. Does it have a soft ride ?. Handling and looks are not important at all. Until the mother in law see's it of course 
Not small, but any Citroën with hydro pneumatic suspension will be cheap to buy and run (so long as you have a brake pipe flaring tool for making new suspension pipes) and they ride like you're floating on a cloud. For ultimate luxury track down a DS or CX. For ultimate cheapness, a BX or XM.
6fire said:
Not small, but any Citroën with hydro pneumatic suspension will be cheap to buy and run (so long as you have a brake pipe flaring tool for making new suspension pipes) and they ride like you're floating on a cloud. For ultimate luxury track down a DS or CX. For ultimate cheapness, a BX or XM.
IIRC the BX had the best seats of any car I have owned (it might be rose tinted specticals but even so they are very good)6fire said:
Not small, but any Citroën with hydro pneumatic suspension will be cheap to buy and run (so long as you have a brake pipe flaring tool for making new suspension pipes) and they ride like you're floating on a cloud. For ultimate luxury track down a DS or CX. For ultimate cheapness, a BX or XM.
Or a xantia. Watching it go up and down on turn on/off was awesome, plus it was bloody comfy. Should be able to pick one up at £500 nowadays. Failing that, if you can find a restored 2cv for around 5k the suspension on those is legendary. My Lomax laughs in the face of cobbles, speed bumps and potholes. They aren't the most sophisticated in automotive technology though, so no good if she wants air con, heated seats and a decent heater.
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