Do you have the perfect car? (pension, beach, weather, moving)
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I considered that, but I am not interested in technical info, but more about....what car some of you over 65 find to be comfortable. Also, I realize $20k is low, but I should have said, as little as possible to get the comfort level.
My mom is in her late 80s, and walks with a cane, and it is a bit tough for her to get into and out of cars.
My MIL was also in her late 80s and only walked with a walker, and it was tough for her to get into and out of cars as well.
For both of them, I've found two cars that are really quite comfortable and that have excellent ergonomics for the aging -- that is, a great relationship between the seat height and the floor height and both of those relative to the ground outside, and also the steering wheel position for the driver.
Believe it or not, the Smart ForTwo is very comfortable for the aging to get in and out of and to drive in. It is a very quirky car and not something I'd recommend without test driving it a fair bit. And of course it is quite small and hence only practical as a 2nd vehicle, but in your case you have your SUV.
And it is inexpensive to purchase. You can buy one new for less than 20K (and hence have the new car warranty). You can even purchase one used for a song. But again, it is not for everyone. In fact, most people I see drive this car are in the 50s and 60s.
The second car to take a look at is the Scion xB. It is based on the Toyota Camry platform, so it has Toyota quality. Again, it is very easy for my 80-something mom to get in and out of. You can buy a 1 year or 2 year old one for well within your budget.
I have a 2014 Subaru Impreza that I bought at the end of 2013. It might not be anyone else's dream car, but it's a smooth ride for its class, quality built, reliable so far. Comfortable with fairly good visibility. The dealership is frantically trying to buy it back from me but I figure it is probably good for the duration of my driving years.
It's no beauty, but it's great transportation for what I need. I am 67 and am still working, so it gets used quite a bit. I have never had such a good sense that I was connected firmly to the road, as in this car. I loved my Corolla and drove it for 20 years but it bounced like popcorn on a griddle. I would take a corner at 15 miles per hour and my heavy purse would fly from the front seat to the back. It was a great car, but I was leery of it on the interstate--it bounced a lot in wind or even just in daily driving.
I have a Kia Soul which is a smaller SUV. I sit higher up and it's not hard getting in and out. It's a great car and cost under $15K brand new. I liked it enough that when I traded in my 2012 Soul because I was tired of the stick shift I bought a 2014 Soul with an automatic transmission. They also have a good warranty.
I have a Kia Soul which is a smaller SUV. I sit higher up and it's not hard getting in and out. It's a great car and cost under $15K brand new. I liked it enough that when I traded in my 2012 Soul because I was tired of the stick shift I bought a 2014 Soul with an automatic transmission. They also have a good warranty.
I second the Kia Soul. It's popular with older folks because it's easy to get into and it's fairly large inside due to the square shape. Do a test drive or rent one for a weekend.
We may wind up doing that. We may find the same thing after a few days of twisting in and out of smaller cars. The thing is we only really need our SUV for hauling mulch, etc. but it is easy to get in and out of.
We used to have a sedan and a pickup truck for things like hauling mulch. Don't know about where you live - but paying to have mulch delivered costs us $65/year (we're having some delivered this week) - which is a heck of a lot cheaper than owning a car. If you don't need a second car that often - look into alternative transportation options like Uber. Which can be a lot cheaper than owning a car.
In 2010 - we traded in both the sedan and the pickup - and bought bought a new Lexus SUV - the RX. Which has been a champ. Sticker price was a lot more than $20k (although I can't recall what we paid with the 2 trade-ins). It has been a champ. It's very comfortable for us - but my 97 year old father has problems getting in and out of it (it's too high for him). You have to try vehicles out - and see what is comfortable for you. Robyn
I usually hang out at the automotive forum, but this thread brought me over here. You would get a lot of advice from eager car fanatics if you asked this question over there.
If you are watching your budget, I suggest a well cared for used vehicle. I can understand your apprehension. My father always felt the same way, but vehicles built in the past 20 years have great advances in technology and durability; 100,000 miles is just getting started in many vehicles today.
For ease of entry and exit and plenty of room inside I suggest a VW Beetle. Try one out at a dealer and you will be pleasantly surprised. A Subaru Outback and many full size American cars such as the Chrysler 300, Buick, Cadillac, and Chevy Impala all have decent entry room.
I love my 2014 Chevy Cruze. Comfortable seats and a very large trunk. Got mine used with 18,000 miles on it and only paid $14,000. My dh works at a Chevy dealership so we snatched it up right away. If you don't absolutely need brand new, it really makes sense to let someone else eat the depreciation.
The thing is, it is a 15 year old Highlander. It still looks like new, but we don't want to tax it by taking it on long trips. We had a hard time deciding which car to trade, but I can't get rid of the Highlander, because it's still too nice, even though no longer worth much. We aren't ready to go down to one car, since we each have pt or volunteer jobs.
I had 3 cars, one 18 year old SUV, one brand new SUV for commute and a Honda Accord. I like my new SUV so much that it's my main car now. I gave my almost new Honda to my kid. I use the old SUV for occasional trip or as storage. It also serves as a backup car, just in case the new SUV is not available. I can't think why I would have another car, my husband and I was thinking of a Tesla for in and around town. But somehow that seems redundant. It only costs me $40 a month for gas even wither SUV. It's very comfortable like a limo and very good for safety.
I suggest getting another SUV.
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