car hunting for an elderly friend

[turbopete]

is the early A class A140 with the full auto a car to avoid? or was it just the semi autos that were terrible. budget is small and it needs to fit in his garage. he also needs a higher seating position than the $hitroen C5 he currently has. ive also had the Ford Fusion on the horizon but the only 1 in a reasonable distance for him is semi auto, hence the query about the A140. also hes tried a manual car yesterday he liked in the same street as him, but hes found he cant manage a manual now, hence the search for an auto, where I'm a bit out of my depth.

thanks in advance

 

[geraldrobins]

How about a C Max.

 

[AMGeed]

It's an old thread but still applicable I guess.

http://forums.mercedesclub.org.uk/index.php?threads/a-class-semi-automatic-avoid.47346/

 

[Ken_R]

I'd look at it from the perspective of his 'constraints' and then restrict the search accordingly.

1. It needs to fit in his garage.
2. It needs to be Automatic.
3. It needs a higher seating position. Is this due to his stature (to see over the steering wheel), or his ability to enter/exit the vehicle comfortably?
4. Other limitations such as neck mobility. I know I have less rotational movement now - but that may result from an injury some decades ago, as well as age or, - I spent so many years driving HGV's that I am content to 'reverse on the mirrors'. Hence, are fully electrical adjustment door mirrors required + rear parking sensors.
5. 2/3 door or 4/5 door. This again relates to personal mobility. For a 2/3 door, to reach for the seat belt is a 'longer stretch'. Similarly, when parking between vehicles, with a 2/3 door vehicle, one is often less able to open a door fully.

I'm sure there are more points to be considered.

 

[turbopete]

ok thanks for the input so far. the c max is too tall to fit through his garage door due to the ramp at the entrance to the door. (the garage floor is roughly level but theres a fairly steep ramp between the pavement and the garage door which he has access across) higher seating position is due to his mobility which is predominantly back and hip related. neck mobility is fine. basically he needs a 5 door, ideally estate style vehicle (he had looked at a Suzuki Wagon R which pretty much ticked all the boxes except the boot was a little small for his needs and it was manual) hence my thoughts on something like an A class, Ford Fusion or similar.

 

[keefysher]

B Max?

 

[peterws1957]

How about a Meriva - cheap, you sit high and they are comfortable. Cheap to insure and cheap for parts too. Only buy post 2009 though to avoid dreaded steering column issues which cause power steering issues.

 

[Droverunner]

>>>hes found he cant manage a manual now, hence the search for an auto

I don't know if this is ever discussed on here but an elderly person going to an auto late in life because they can't manage a manual can be a real warning that in truth giving up driving might be on the cards... different if the auto is just for a single disability though.

At 84 after a lifetime of high mileage driving for business when younger my dad was obviously struggling with driving but blamed it all on a manual box. Much against my advice he traded in for an auto which he claimed was so much easier. Then entirely as I'd predicted one morning reversing off his drive he went full throttle in reverse mounting the pavement and running along it for a few hundred feet... only stopping because he veered into a garden where a well established wide hedge lifted the front wheels off the ground so they lost their drive.

Thankfully he walked back to the house and never drove again. He was so lucky that the school mums with their pushchairs weren't out at the time this happened.

 

[turbopete]

>>>hes found he cant manage a manual now, hence the search for an auto

I don't know if this is ever discussed on here but an elderly person going to an auto late in life because they can't manage a manual can be a real warning that in truth giving up driving might be on the cards... different if the auto is just for a single disability though.

At 84 after a lifetime of high mileage driving for business when younger my dad was obviously struggling with driving but blamed it all on a manual box. Much against my advice he traded in for an auto which he claimed was so much easier. Then entirely as I'd predicted one morning reversing off his drive he went full throttle in reverse mounting the pavement and running along it for a few hundred feet... only stopping because he veered into a garden where a well established wide hedge lifted the front wheels off the ground so they lost their drive.

Thankfully he walked back to the house and never drove again. He was so lucky that the school mums with their pushchairs weren't out at the time this happened.

true but this issue isn't new. he had manuals until about 20 years ago when he felt an auto was easier for him. the Wagon R he looked at was his first venture back to a manual due to his health issues but he found that whereas previously he could manage with some discomfort, its really not an option for him as a daily driver.

post 09 meriva and Ford B max were others to consider, but his budget means it doesn't stretch to cars that new unfortunately, and making life harder is that he wants to buy relatively locally, which is why the A class popped up on the radar.

 

[Submariner1]

>>>hes found he cant manage a manual now, hence the search for an auto

I don't know if this is ever discussed on here but an elderly person going to an auto late in life because they can't manage a manual can be a real warning that in truth giving up driving might be on the cards... different if the auto is just for a single disability though.

At 84 after a lifetime of high mileage driving for business when younger my dad was obviously struggling with driving but blamed it all on a manual box. Much against my advice he traded in for an auto which he claimed was so much easier. Then entirely as I'd predicted one morning reversing off his drive he went full throttle in reverse mounting the pavement and running along it for a few hundred feet... only stopping because he veered into a garden where a well established wide hedge lifted the front wheels off the ground so they lost their drive.

Thankfully he walked back to the house and never drove again. He was so lucky that the school mums with their pushchairs weren't out at the time this happened.

Got to say I disagree entirely.
My mother bought her C270 CDI when she was 84, and drove it till she was 91!
She certainly didnt drive like an old person, and she only decided to stop driving when her knee gave her a lot of trouble ... and sensibly self assessed, that it would impair her ability to do an effective emergency stop.
She never had an accident!

She found the Autobox invaluable, and readily admitted it allowed her to place more concentration on where she was going, rather than the distracting process of changing mechanical gears. She also found parktronic a godsend!

Sorry to hear about your fathers incident, but its not really relevant; one thing is the competence to drive and the other is the benefit of a physical assistance in driving.

I do remember asking her when she was about 93, if she missed the independence of driving her own car.
And she just laughed and said "Darling, I've gone off quite a bit since I used to drive ... my reactions really are not up to it anymore ... and besides I now have a free Chauffeuse ... my au pair"

But I see your point ... we did worry a bit, that one day she would lose it. Especially as she didnt potter about.
Following her one day into Guildford ( she lived in the countryside ) I realised we were not hanging about even in an SL500 the engine was working and she accellerated up to the legal limits pretty well as quickly as the 270 would go ( and they have quite a bit of torque ).

 

[DREAMER NO2]

The Nissan Micra K12 is very good the seating is high .Wife just started to drive again after both hips replaced .She loves her micra .2 door is best with lots of leg space to get in and .I have never had a small car in all my life .But i drive the micra ,now and then ,,its nice to drive for a small car .Repairs ---brake discs and tyres only good for a 2004 car Thats if you friend is looking for a car other than a merc .

 

[turbopete]

current car is a $hitroen C5 estate. he needs 4 doors and a decent sized boot so 5 door micra might fit the bill. I thought about the note but its well out of the budget ive been given. hadn't even thought of the micra.
brand wise, he isn't bothered as long as its gonna be more reliable than the C5 electrics!!! nothing major, but wants rid before something expensive fails.

 

[DREAMER NO2]

Dont know if it will be big enough for him after a c5 . The doors on this one we have is only a 2 door thats why its got lots of leg room inside and for getting in the car..So try a newish vauxhall hatch back

 

[turbopete]

thanks. I'm weighing up options. he has had estates for the last 10+ years but a hatch should be adequate. autos up here are pretty thin on the ground. great for me, not so good for him!

focus, fiesta and 1.6 fusion, meriva, Corsa are all being considered (when I can find a decent one) as are Honda Jazz, Civic, and similar cars. both of us want to avoid French stuff for the electrics, and he had a Passat estate before the C5 which was non stop hassle. just little things (until the Torque Converter failed as well as something in the gearbox as it would only drive in reverse after changing the TC) and he didn't like the size of the bills for the VW, hence my original query about the full auto A class (is it a risk) or are we better looking to ford, Vauxhall and the Jap stuff?

 

[Flyinspanner]

We have a 2001 A-Class auto, (bought in 03) it's been very reliable, there is an a class specialist 'Forrera' in Park Royal London. He sometimes has nice examples for sale.
May be worth checking them out to see if they have one?

 

[Frosty149]

My elderly mother has had an auto Honda Jazz for 5 years, she has arthritis in both shoulders and hip/knee mobility issues. We looked long and hard at 'easier' cars for her and came to the conclusion it was the best fit for her...
The extra access of a 2 door vs a 4 door is a good point to remember though.
The auto has a known issue that requires a fairly cheap remedy (£250-300) at around 50k