Help my granny choose her next car
Discussion
)To be perfectly honest it really doesn't matter which one she gets (within reason). She's not going to get anywhere near using the car's performance or handling. It really comes down to whether she feels comfortable in it.
So I'd keep it as simple as possible. The same fuel as her current car. Smallish. Big, easy-to-read dials. Not too gadgety. Reliable.
Depending on the state of her hips (steady tiger!) she might not want anything too low or too high.
I reckon that gives us:
Honda Jazz (obviously)
Hyundai i20
Ford Fiesta (to stay as close as possible to her current car)
VW polo
Aygo
Take her around a few dealerships and let her sit in one of each. That's probably more important for her than the test drive.
So I'd keep it as simple as possible. The same fuel as her current car. Smallish. Big, easy-to-read dials. Not too gadgety. Reliable.
Depending on the state of her hips (steady tiger!) she might not want anything too low or too high.
I reckon that gives us:
Honda Jazz (obviously)
Hyundai i20
Ford Fiesta (to stay as close as possible to her current car)
VW polo
Aygo
Take her around a few dealerships and let her sit in one of each. That's probably more important for her than the test drive.
once said:
She's not going to get anywhere near using the car's performance or handling.
No, but she will use two thirds of the performance, pretty much whatever it is (in a car of this type) if you see what I mean (the handling I agree is basically irrelevant) so I think some of the suggestions are a bit too city-car-y (she lives in the country), especially the i10 anyway. I did tell her a 1.4 these days ought to be at least as good as a 1.6 was when the fiesta was bought... anyway I think 90bhp is going to be about the minimum (and 130bhp probably about the max). Edited by Somewhatfoolish on Tuesday 10th April 18:06
PumpkinSteve said:
Did she test drive it? That's what I have and the ride is f
king boneshaking, just signed on a new Polo as it was much more comfy, as well as being cheaper.
Actually she didn't, she got my uncle to. Although given said uncle is a racing driver/instructor and generally has a clue I'm sure he would have taken such things into account...king boneshaking, just signed on a new Polo as it was much more comfy, as well as being cheaper.It's an ex motability, 4 years and only 3.5k miles or something!
(Although she was in the back during the drive)
Somewhatfoolish said:
went for a fiesta titanium 1.4.
for anyone keeping track
I was wondering! Good choice. It's often a good idea to stay with what someone knows.for anyone keeping track
Funnily enough, I was talking cars with a lady at work just a couple of weeks ago. A lady of, shall we say?, mature years. And the car I recommended was almost exactly the same make and model - a fiesta near the top of the range with a mid-sized petrol engine. She'd originally thought of a diesel mini, but was scared off by mini prices and didn't need diesel for her low mileages.
The fiesta titanium 1.4 might not be a pistonheads dream, but it's a hell of a sensible package for nearly everyone else.
New fiesta might be just what she wants though I suspect the swoopy window line might make parking more difficult. Would need to drive one to find out though. I think there is a new Fusion out, might be worth a look.
Jazz is great but she might miss the responsive steering of the Fiesta. The current one also feels like a large car inside. It has a huge dash like an MPV. Also I think the closest equivalent to a 1.6 is the hybrid.
Note is a bit like a Jazz with nicer steering, and you can get a 1.6 manual.
I don't see the point in her spending 15k on a car she doesn't want so if she wants new and a manual I'd be suggesting new manuals. Autos aren't going to make sure she goes the right way around roundabouts.
Jazz is great but she might miss the responsive steering of the Fiesta. The current one also feels like a large car inside. It has a huge dash like an MPV. Also I think the closest equivalent to a 1.6 is the hybrid.
Note is a bit like a Jazz with nicer steering, and you can get a 1.6 manual.
I don't see the point in her spending 15k on a car she doesn't want so if she wants new and a manual I'd be suggesting new manuals. Autos aren't going to make sure she goes the right way around roundabouts.
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