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Old 01-09-2012, 04:08 PM
 
Location: Northridge/Porter Ranch, Calif.
24,450 posts, read 33,122,402 times
Reputation: 7591

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Quote:
Originally Posted by Eastern Roamer View Post
They aren't any easier to drive, though. That's my point. The sight lines are terrible and turning radius is a joke. And what do you need a big V8 for if you're never going to go over 60 mph? I'm not recommending you get a Ford Fiesta, but mid-sized cars have become very spacious and offer better ergonomics.

It seems like a big car could be stressful in a lot of situations, and older hearts don't need any more stress.
What "joke" of a turning radius?

Compare my 1995 Lincoln Town Car with my brother's 2008 Acura TL

--------------------------- Lincoln--------- Acura
--------------------------- Town Car------ TL

Wheelbase----------------- 117.4"--------- 107.9"
Overall length-------------- 218.9"--------- 189.3"
Overall width--------------- 76.7"---------- 75.4"

Turning circle--------------- 40.0 feet------ 39.7 feet

As for big cars being stressful, assuming you are driving on regular (not real skinny) street, big cars are easy to drive. Especially the older ones. When backing up, the visibility behind my '69 Fleetwood Brougham is much better than my brother's Acura and my Sister-In-Law's '07 Toyota Camry. The fins are visible through the rear window and there is not high-profile trunk to block the view.
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Old 01-09-2012, 04:11 PM
 
Location: Austin, TX
1,779 posts, read 4,001,090 times
Reputation: 924
Having driven a Merc. Grand Marquis in the last 2 1/2 years, I have to say that they are easy to drive. Even if the turning radius is large, the power steering is so light at low speeds that you can turn with the minimum of effort. They do have excellent visibility. Smooth ride. Beyond ~40 mph, a gentle touch on the accelerator is enough to keep speed/accelerate. And once you get used to driving one, you learn to judge parking spaces .
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Old 01-09-2012, 04:21 PM
 
Location: Planet Eaarth
8,954 posts, read 20,600,150 times
Reputation: 7193
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eastern Roamer View Post
I don't mean to offend anyone, and there may be no real answer to this, but allow me to vent. Why do old people tend to drive the biggest cars?

You've seen them, waiting to pull out with a foot of the hood hanging out in the right of way, or spending so much of their precious time left in this world trying to get in or out of a parking spot. I mean, when my eyes start to loose depth perception and my reflexes and hand/eye coordination start to fail me, the first thing I'll do is get rid of my Cadillac DTS or my Crown Vic and get something with a better turning radius than the U.S.S. Wisconsin.

I'm just sayin'....
Most ,if not all, Seniors that have good AND COMFORTABLE big cars will keep them 'till the wheels fall off. They know the car , they like the ride, more than likely they own a paid for car, they no longer have to work so fuel isn't the concern it once was, but most of all they like the big car BECAUSE IT'S COMFORTABLE! All the romance that sells cars to kids and middle age have little to no effect on a savvy senior.

Old bones don't do a$$ beater cars like young people's bones will.
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Old 01-09-2012, 04:23 PM
 
Location: Living on the Coast in Oxnard CA
16,289 posts, read 32,189,663 times
Reputation: 21885
Quote:
Originally Posted by Eastern Roamer View Post
Nope... Big Brother should make all of our decisions for us. There should be a law that prevents old people from owning big cars. That was clearly my point from the begining.
I really don't have any idea what your point is. Your first post on this subject alluded to the idea that older people should stop driving big cars. Not that you are suggesting that a law should be passed but shouldn't all drivers be allowed to drive what ever kind of car that they like to drive? I would say that if someone can not controll their own car maybe it is time to give up driving alltogether. of the older drivers that have large cars did you check to see if any of those cars were dented up? Did they have scratches or blemishes in the body work? Were there damaged or missing parts on the cars that could have fallen off during an accident? If that is not the case then it would seem as though the drivers are still able to controll the car they are driving be it big or small. Lets say that they did get in an accident and insurance covered it. If accidents were a normal part of life the insurance rates would eventually increase to the point that it would not be cost effective to drive those big cars and the older folks would sell them or park them.
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Old 01-09-2012, 05:23 PM
 
Location: Central Jersey - Florida
3,377 posts, read 14,572,199 times
Reputation: 2270
Maybe the good lord will solve your dillema and never let you get to the point of making the decision of when to stop driving a "BIG CAR"
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Old 01-09-2012, 06:01 PM
 
Location: On the Chesapeake
44,880 posts, read 59,858,372 times
Reputation: 60419
Because if us old farts get a sports car you accuse us of going through our second childhood and trying to take your women. Which I could do, by the way, if I really wanted to.


Time to go fire up my big honking truck.
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Old 01-10-2012, 02:23 AM
 
Location: Out there somewhere...a traveling man.
44,540 posts, read 61,208,520 times
Reputation: 125511
Big cars = safety, comfort, plus ease for the physically challenged to get in and out of. Most big cars of late have V-6's and get good mileage and are e-z to drive. My wife drives a Buick Park Ave. I drive a Ferrari. We're both old people. Different strokes for different folks.
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Old 01-10-2012, 06:24 AM
 
25,727 posts, read 16,343,674 times
Reputation: 15913
My Dad died last year. His last car was a '91 Buick. Reallly nice car. Their generation of men were real car guys. I used to love to listen to my Dad reminisce on the cars he had throughout his life and the real love for those cars. His 1939 Red Hudson convertable that his younger brother sold when they thought he was KIA in the Pacific (little jerk sold his brothers car, can you imagine that?). My Dad was in some outpost hospital for months fighting for his life and his brother sold his car.

He had Studebakers and Chevys and Chryslers and he had stories about all of them. Me? I can hardly remember what I drove 5 years ago. I lease them and when that's up in 3 years I go lease a new one. It's just a unibody appliance to me. I can't really afford really cool cars like BMW's or Benz's so I read about them.

Those guys, they owned the coolest cars. To the end my Dad had so much pride in his car and it had to be something special. Maybe that explains it somewhat.
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Old 01-10-2012, 10:56 AM
 
Location: Ohio
780 posts, read 2,906,312 times
Reputation: 638
I don't know why.

Why do I drive a nearly 19-foot-long, full-size, 2.5-ton-empty, pick-up truck powered by a 300-hp V8 to transport just myself every day ?
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Old 01-10-2012, 02:13 PM
 
Location: a swanky suburb in my fancy pants
3,391 posts, read 8,736,928 times
Reputation: 1623
It is true that when you do see a big car it is usually driven by a senior, for all the reasons already stated, but they are in the minority where I live. All of my senior friends (my peers) who still drive have smaller cars with a Camry being the biggest. I myself drive a Mustang..... convertible.
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