Replacement car for elderly mother-in-law

[chr1s]

Here's a challenge to see what suggestions you have for a replacement car for my mother-in-law.

She's in her mid-80's, her (16-year-old) Mazda 3 failed its last MoT this week and she needs a replacement (which will most likely be her last car).
It needs to be new enough to be reliable, but who knows whether she'll need it for another 10 years or less than one year. I'm thinking perhaps 3 years old, or maybe pre-April 2017 with low emissions, to keep VED low.
Useage is very low – about 400 miles last year ! All short journeys to local town, shops etc.
Budget is around £4k-£5k. Very low mileage means cost per mile is less important than annual costs like insurance, tax, servicing. So, ideally, low insurance, low tax and servicing costs and requirements to suit her low annual mileage.
No need for a large car, but it needs to be safe. Also not difficult to drive and park.
It needs to be easy to get into and out of (although I know that's different from one person to another).
My sister-in-law lives just down the road, and does most shopping etc, but mother-in-law wants to have a car for her independence.
Obviously diesels are ruled out, and I'm not sure if she'd cope with changing to electric (which would probably be too big an initial cost anyway). So most likely petrol.

 

[dave]

Here's a challenge to see what suggestions you have for a replacement car for my mother-in-law.

She's in her mid-80's, her (16-year-old) Mazda 3 failed its last MoT this week and she needs a replacement (which will most likely be her last car).
It needs to be new enough to be reliable, but who knows whether she'll need it for another 10 years or less than one year. I'm thinking perhaps 3 years old, or maybe pre-April 2017 with low emissions, to keep VED low.
Useage is very low – about 400 miles last year ! All short journeys to local town, shops etc.
Budget is around £4k-£5k. Very low mileage means cost per mile is less important than annual costs like insurance, tax, servicing. So, ideally, low insurance, low tax and servicing costs and requirements to suit her low annual mileage.
No need for a large car, but it needs to be safe. Also not difficult to drive and park.
It needs to be easy to get into and out of (although I know that's different from one person to another).
My sister-in-law lives just down the road, and does most shopping etc, but mother-in-law wants to have a car for her independence.
Obviously diesels are ruled out, and I'm not sure if she'd cope with changing to electric (which would probably be too big an initial cost anyway). So most likely petrol.

If she is only doing 400 miles a year may as well get a big 8mph mobility scooter, a good 2nd had one will hold its value too if looked after

 

[Troubles with 500c]

Auto or manual?

 

[chr1s]

Auto or manual?

She'd want manual. I think that's all she's ever driven.

 

[varesecrazy]

Pandas are good for seat height snd visibility..

My mum has an early merc A class.. ( cost less than a panda..)

But the budget probably means it'll be older as well

 

[Pugglt Auld Jock]

Although I love my Fiat's and the VAG stuff's Ok, I'd be very tempted to let her try a Jazz. My daughter in law runs a 2008 Mk1 (IDSI engine) which I look after. It pretty much just runs her down to her work and back - 15 to 20 mins each way - it did take them to Devon and back 2 years ago. She's owned it for quite a few years now and it's easily the most reliable of the 6 cars in the family.

Last year I didn't get the chance to service it before it went in for it's MOT and I mentioned this to the chap who does the MOTs. Don't worry about it, said he, It's a Honda, it'll pass. I asked him what he meant and he said of all the makes he tests he fails fewer Hondas than any other make.

Genuine Honda branded parts can be pricey but there are plenty of OE quality generic spares around which are no more expensive than any others. For a small car it has an amazing ability to "swallow" cargo - The rear seats are especially clever. The only comment I would make about the Mk1, built up 'till 2008, is that it's steering is very "dead" with poor self centering. There are 4 Mk1 jazzes in our street all owned by people I know well and they don't find this a problem but it annoys me. The Mk2 has increased castor and I believe doesn't suffer from this "problem" (if you can call it a problem) and it's almost certainly what my daughter in law will be buying to replace her Mk1 when the time comes.

Oh, by the way, so many are owned by "little old ladies" that it's comparatively easy to find a nice low mileage one which will often have been garaged too.

 

[Troubles with 500c]

+1 for the Honda Jazz. As my Mechanic always used to say to me “You want a reliable car, buy a Japanese one”. Try to go for the later ones with AEB.

I also think the C3 Picasso is a very practical small car. It is a little old now.

Pity Fiat didn’t persevere with the Idea model.

 

[chaos]

I'd be looking at a Suzuki Celerio.

Safe where it needs to be, free tax or £150 / year depending on which side of 2017 you go, Suzuki bits are cheap and the cars are fairly well screwed together IME. £5k will get you a 17/18 plate from a main dealer.

Or what I would do is buy a cheap replacement (or fix up the Mazda if not too bad) and splurge the rest on the grandkids / cruise / enjoying life (when we finally get back to something a bit more normal) than on a metal box that will hardly move. On less than 10 miles a week, reliability doesn't really come into it.

 

[dasiygtv]

Toyota IQ, no it`s not a joke.

They are easy to get in and out of because of the size of the doors, bulletproof reliability and build quality while being cheap to run.
They drive very well (Unlike most small cars like the smart) having been designed with input from Lexus and Aston martin.

You should be able to pick one up with low mileage and good service history for a reasonable price.

 

[Didge3]

Toyota IQ, no it`s not a joke.

They are easy to get in and out of because of the size of the doors, bulletproof reliability and build quality while being cheap to run.
They drive very well (Unlike most small cars like the smart) having been designed with input from Lexus and Aston martin.

You should be able to pick one up with low mileage and good service history for a reasonable price.

I was going to suggest the same! Depends if she needs more than 1 passenger at a time though, although it has 4 seats only 3 of them are really usable and even at that if its a frequent requirement the rear seats get tiring quickly.
My Mum had one for 4 years and it was completely bulletproof, nice to drive and in 1.3 IQ3 guise its well kitted out and pokey (we found the 1L a bit sluggish)
She only got rid of it because in the end she needed something bigger to fit the grandkids in

 

[varesecrazy]

Toyota IQ, no it`s not a joke.

They are easy to get in and out of because of the size of the doors

Arent the seats relatively low..?

Being 80 something.. you may not be that bendy

My mum struggles with with access in a 'tall' Grande Punto.. but loves the 169 and 312 pandas.. her A class is probably taller

 

[dasiygtv]

I know what you mean about the rear seats, but 90% of the time cars have just the driver and given she does such low mileage it would be no real hardship if she gave a couple of people a lift. Plus for most of the time she could have one side or both back seats down to give a very decent load space.
Car tax is low and the mileage per gallon even on the bigger 1.3 wont break the bank.

It`s the way they are constructed that makes them so suited, when the door is open the whole seat is in front of the B pillar so no contortion needed for those who would normally struggle getting in far bigger cars. Dont be put off by age either, as I said they are built like a little tank, service history and low mileage on 7-10 year old cars are not uncommon.

 

[SB1500]

I think the Fiat Panda is ideal for her. It's a tall, easy to get into shape with light doors (easy for her to handle), easy steering that gets lighter with the touch of a button, the visibility is unbeatable in a modern car, she'll have no problem seeing around without having to squint or move around too much.

It's also free of any high or complicated technology.

My grandmother had the 2005 model that I owned later on and changed it for a Hyundai i10 in 2013 (similar sort of shape / car) and ended up going back to a newer shape Panda in 2015 (the basic one) as she found it a much easier to drive and better built car (someone who I would have thought would be indifferent) Nearly six years later she's still got it and there isn't anything pushing her away from it.

 

[Didge3]

Arent the seats relatively low..?

Being 80 something.. you may not be that bendy

My mum struggles with with access in a 'tall' Grande Punto.. but loves the 169 and 312 pandas.. her A class is probably taller

No not at all its quite high up, my Mum is in her late 60s and is waiting for a knee replacement so she can't get in and out of something low. I had a Grande Punto and more recently a 2013 Punto which is virtually the same and both have a substantially lower seating position than the iQ

 

[chr1s]

Thanks for all your replies. I have given her a list of potential cars, but really she needs to at least try getting in and out of them and sitting in the driver's seat.
Fortunately she's not in a great rush, since we can't take her to a car supermarket due to Covid.
When we spoke yesterday she was talking about a Fiat (with no prompting from me), because she has a friend whose small Merc (A-class ?) was stolen and she replaced it with a Fiat (Panda? 500?) and is full of praise for it.
She has been in my Panda previously, but not for 2 or 3 years, so this is the one option that is easy for her to try out. She is having her cataracts done today (appointment is right now) and my wife has gone to care for her for a few days, so that may present an opportunity for her to try the Panda for size - but no test drive, for obvious reasons.

 

[DaveMcT]

An EV would make a lot of sense at that mileage. Her daughter can keep it charged and it's retained value will be far higher than a petrol car.

Check out cars like Renault Zoe or Mini.

 

[AndyRKett]

Given the budget and the age you’re looking for I’d be looking at the SEAT Ibiza its got everything anyone would need. Solid engine and hold their money well.

 

[varesecrazy]

An EV would make a lot of sense at that mileage. Her daughter can keep it charged and it's retained value will be far higher than a petrol car.

Check out cars like Renault Zoe or Mini.

Which ones have a clutch and gears?

 

[chaos]

Which ones have a clutch and gears?

More importantly:

where can you get an electric Mini for 5 grand? Where can you get any EV for 5 grand?*

how does keeping it at another property allow an OAP to be independent?


*OK you can get an EV for 5 grand, but you are scraping (and I mean scraping) the barrel in terms of choice.


One other thought that I've seen a number of elderly people drive that hasn't been mentioned before is the C1 / P107 / Aygo.

Ultimately, all the suggestions will do what is wanted and TBH if it's buying a car as a tool then as long as the MiL is happy driving it, then there's nothing between the choices.

 

[varesecrazy]

Agreed..

The 'daily user'

Has to be ok with its safe use..

Going auto after a lifetime in a manual isnt an easy transition..

A newer direct replacement could be far easier.. Im assuming its a 4 cyl petrol

So no major changes.. stop.start should not be an issue

Its good that the battery is obviously holding out.. my mums 2.0 auto struggles