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Assuming there's no structural damage I'd recommend keeping the car she's got. I get that the insurance company may consider it a total loss due to the diminished market value, but in most cases like this they will allow you to keep the car and take a reduced payout (75% when I did it years ago on two cars that were damaged in the same hailstorm). Granted the payout won't cover the entire cost of the repair in that scenario, but paying the difference would me a lot more cost effective than buying a new car.
This is assuming that she's satisfied with the car and it's still in good working condition other than the damage. If she's ready for something new then by all means she should take the plunge while she still has time to enjoy it. Just keep in mind that there have been 18 years worth of changes in technology since her last new car, don't steer her toward something she'll have a hard time figuring out.
I would agree that if the car is structurally sound - front wheel appears to be a bit tweaked but she did manage to drive it home a couple of miles away - and the fix is $3-4K, then that would be the way to go. She is comfortable with the car and its “analog” technology.
I would feel very comfortable though with the new safety technology since it is mostly nanny slap your hand (slam on the brakes) when you do something that makes a low speed collision seem imminent. I doubt she would get much use out of dynamic cruise control even as I think it is awesome tech. The Subaru EyeSight would be the superior technology suite here. It just became available on the base Impreza model this year.
She also should be able to benefit from Android Auto if I could set it up for her and force her to use it, especially the navigation since she is quite directionally challenged. I have had limited but some success in teaching her how to “Hey Google” and voice text among a couple of other things. To get her to set up directions at the start of her trips before she starts driving should be very helpful if she is able to not over concentrate on the navigation.
She has lived, worked and traveled all over the world; Asia, Australia, Europe - had a Top Secret clearance with Lockheed and just took her annual solo trip to San Francisco for Christmas (she concurs the homeless are out of control but that’s another post) so she is not a shrinking violet by any stretch of the imagination. I would love for her to keep her independence (for my sake too, cuz guess who becomes her chauffeur?) for as long as possible and it seems the technology could help her to do that, and keep her SAFE!
I'd definitely be sticking to models that have automatic braking, lane keep assist, etc at that age.
Lease makes sense to me as well. Keep in mind you don't need to just turn it in and give the dealer a car with 9k on it and let them make a killing. You can actually cash out equity as simply as just taking it to Carmax near lease end. Which a 3 year old Subaru with just 9k on it will certainly have. They essentially buy out the lease for you then buy it from you in one nice neat transaction.
I didn’t even think about that. That is great advice, thanks!
Even if they total that Toyota, I would suggest you buy it back, find a small independent shop to fix the most obvious damage, and just let her keep driving that same car.
Even if they total that Toyota, I would suggest you buy it back, find a small independent shop to fix the most obvious damage, and just let her keep driving that same car.
The biggest hurdle might be the learning curve for all the electronics they've dreamed up since 2002. How does she do with her TV and smart phone?
My mom moved into a new senior living apartment complex, equipped with touch-pad stoves. Not a single resident could figure out how to turn them on.
Last year my 85 year old mother needed a newer car. Of course she didn’t give me any heads up before my visit (I live in ID, she in CA) so we made a rushed visit to a couple of car dealers. We initially looked at small sedans like she had always driven but once she drove the small SUV that was it.
She liked the higher field of vision. But she bought the one she test drove, the Titanium top of the line. I ended up have to turn off all of the driver assist features as the beeping drove her nuts. It frustrated her and actually took her attention off of driving trying to figure out why she was getting alerts. She didn’t play the radio for a few months even after I had preset the stations for her; she couldn’t figure out the touch screen. She regrets buying a car with all the new technology.
She regrets buying a car with all the new technology.
Oh, I failed to mention that my mom's CTS is an absolute base car.
It doesn't have a single option, which is very rare. It's barely more complicated than the 1998 Buick she had before.
I was lucky to find it... it's got all of the good driving dynamics of a CTS with none of the frills.
It's RWD and it snows here, so I put Nankang SV-2 Summer Snow tires on it. They work and I don't have to change them.
Not for my Mom unfortunately. She’s still going to the Hollywood Bowl, all the LA Museums, every new movie, etc! She hasn’t learned she should slow down!
I recently rented a Kia Soul. I was impressed. Great car for the money.
Agree with the Kia Soul- not too much money for vehicle that's going to be used lightly and the compact and sub-compact crossovers are popular with a lot of older drivers because the seat height is easier to get in and out of than a sedan. The Subaru Crosstrek is a similar niche in many ways but is significantly more expensive than the Soul
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My experience . . .
