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Old 03-27-2016, 08:49 AM
 
Location: Coastal Georgia
50,339 posts, read 63,906,560 times
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Hubby and I are retired and we need to buy a car. As many of you, we have arthritis and a hip replacement, so cannot be twisting ourselves into pretzels getting in and out. This car will be for trips, so needs to be comfortable, with plenty of legroom. We are keeping an SUV, so this car will be a regular 4door.
We are on a very tight budget, so would like under $20k, if possible.
What car do you have like this that you are happy with?

As you can imagine, we are looking at cars like, Camry, Jetta, Accord, Malibu, Fusion. We're trading an Altima, which has been less than stellar.
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Old 03-27-2016, 08:58 AM
 
Location: Wasilla, AK
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$20k won't get you any of the cars you mentioned, unless you buy used. I would avoid the Jetta, as it is smaller than the others and repairs are extremely expensive. The Camry is probably your best bet.
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Old 03-27-2016, 09:04 AM
 
Location: Proxima Centauri
5,770 posts, read 3,219,640 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by AlaskaErik View Post
$20k won't get you any of the cars you mentioned, unless you buy used. I would avoid the Jetta, as it is smaller than the others and repairs are extremely expensive. The Camry is probably your best bet.
I agree with AlaskaErik. I have a Camry hybrid that I drive 500 miles a week. I fill it up once a week with $20. The hybrid feature will pay for itself within 2 years.

Don't expect to pay $20K for it either.
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Old 03-27-2016, 09:09 AM
Status: "Nothin' to lose" (set 5 days ago)
 
Location: Concord, CA
7,179 posts, read 9,306,900 times
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If your budget is $20K the best bet is a used Camry or Accord.

Try to get a lease return from a private lease. A private lease has usually had one owner and good maintenance.
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Old 03-27-2016, 09:10 AM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
45,330 posts, read 60,500,026 times
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The problem I see involves arthritis/and hip replacements. All the cars listed sit fairly low to the ground and will be a pain to get in and out of.


You may end up finding yourselves falling into the seats and levering yourselves out.


I see you have an Altima. Use that as a marker on getting in and out.
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Old 03-27-2016, 09:14 AM
 
7,899 posts, read 7,108,628 times
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You might want to try this question on the CD automotive forum.
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Old 03-27-2016, 09:17 AM
 
Location: Texas
44,254 posts, read 64,332,595 times
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If I had $20k and didn't want to bend down to get in or out of a car, I wouldn't buy a sedan.
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Old 03-27-2016, 09:25 AM
 
4,536 posts, read 3,752,456 times
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My elderly Mom gets into sedans just fine; she sits down and swings her legs in. A low sitting sports car would be difficult, but not most sedans. What she can't do is raise or hike her leg up to get into higher sitting cars like an Equinox, a Forrester, even small crossovers. Steps to get up are one more thing to navigate and aren't helpful to her on trucks or larger SUV's.

Last edited by jean_ji; 03-27-2016 at 10:11 AM..
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Old 03-27-2016, 10:09 AM
 
Location: Florida
6,624 posts, read 7,334,922 times
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It will depend on you.
My wife bought a car by going from dealer to dealer and getting into and out of the drivers seat. I got into and out of the back seat. She bought the car that was easiest to get into and out of.

Note some drivers seats will go all the way back when you open the door. Thus making it easier to get in and out of the car. The seat then adjusts to your driving position. I think you will find that you and your husband can have separate settings.

I would just try all the new cars you can to find the seat you like. Then see if you can find that model of car on the used car lot. This type of seat has been around for years so it should be on used cars.
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Old 03-27-2016, 10:12 AM
Status: "Nothin' to lose" (set 5 days ago)
 
Location: Concord, CA
7,179 posts, read 9,306,900 times
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You would probably benefit from a car with a high "H Point"

That is the location of your hip relative to the pavement. It's a major reason that people prefer CUVs or mini-vans. They are easier to get in or out and they provide a high view of the road.

Unfortunately they are all more expensive than $20K.
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