Hello all,
Long time no see! How are you all?
Anyway, my mother-in-law is looking at changing her car for a newer one. She currently has a '58' plate Toyota Yaris 1.3 TR that she likes and has served her well. She is looking for something of a similar size, but perhaps a little cheaper to run. It needs to have the Yaris's high front seats as my father-in-law has mobility problems and finds it easy to get in and out of it. She's looking at spending around £5k, plus the part-ex from her car so I'm guessing around £8k in total.
Over to you, chaps and chapesses. Thanks in advance.
Rob.
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Avoid Mitsi Colt. Too low...
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In a recent discussion I think we arrived at the point where we thought that fairly obviously the seat itself needed to be the right height.
Less obvious but equally important was that the seat needed to be in the middle of the door way so that one could easily enter and leave.
Sometimes the seat is not in the middle of the doorway, too far back for example, and starts to involve climbing in and out.
I know that's a crap explanation, but hopefully you can see what I mean.
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p.s. >>How are you all?
I'm fine, but watch out for the bloke with the tin foil hat muttering to himself. His name is Doug and he's acting a bit weird.
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>>watch out for the bloke with the tin foil hat muttering to himself. His name is Doug and he's acting a bit weird.
At least me telly has still got the gubbins in it, for now.
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What's the compelling event here? Is the Yaris bent / broken / burned / jiggered? At 6-7 years it's hardly going to be worn out, so if she likes it and it still works, why change? A little cheaper to run won't be enough to outweigh the cost of changing, so she'd be paying £5000 to stand still.
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First thought, because we have one in the family, Skoda Roomster.
SEs have height adjustment on both front seats, and access is good. The rear if needed is even better with almost walk-in doors and nearly 90 degree opening.
Recent SEs also have rear parking sensors.
We have a Scout, no parking sensors as standard. Ours was bought for load space rather than 'mobility', but the Roomster must be a front runner amongst small cars for easy access, leg room front and rear, and height. They are also relatively cheap, being obsolescent, although I'd avoid the 3 cylinder ones (personal prejudice).
EDIT: £7500 for a 2013 here, Skoda dealer where I have bought for my aunt and uncle.
www.skoda.net.r66.co.uk/carview.aspx?id=605120795
But what could be cheaper to run than the Yaris? Especially taking into account the cost of changing, if the car is still good?
Last edited by: Manatee on Thu 13 Aug 15 at 14:09
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Chaps. People sometimes just fancy a new car for the sake of it. It's allowed. If they want to spend 5k on something shiny and different, why not? If the new one costs slightly less to run in terms of fixed/fuel costs well that's a bonus.
KIA Venga? Hyundai ix20 thingy?
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That's exactly it. My mother-in-law has some savings that she'd rather spend and enjoy rather than just have the money sat in the bank. She's 72 but still enjoys driving and having a nice car.
I'll take a look at the KIA for her, I think the iX20 might be a bit too big for her.
And the Skoda Roomster is a good call as she's test drive one last time, before buying her Yaris, and quite liked it.
Thanks, all.
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Maybe worth looking at KIA Soul whilst you're at it.
My Mum (68, partner aged 72) bought a FIAT 500L a year or so ago, 1.3 diesel job. Costs peanuts to run, it's a well laid out and roomy car for older folks to get in and out of.
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I don't think she'd go for the Soul - it's a little, erm, unconventional And I think that the 500L would be a bit too big for her, plus I don't think she'd get one within her budget.
There are a few Yarises (Yarii?) at our local Toyota dealer so I think we'll go for a nosey over the next few days.
Last edited by: Badwolf on Thu 13 Aug 15 at 14:48
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Is there anything cheaper to run than a Yaris? The main cost of running most vehicles is depreciation, but good for her, spend it whilst she can.
Quite a few old dears in my area drive 1 series BMWs. I took my 86yo Mum & 97 yo Aunt for a test drive in a 1 series a few months ago, and being a 5 door model access was not a problem for either of them. Plenty of 116/118 petrols around in that price range, often one careful elderly owner with full BMW service history. Slightly longer than a Yaris, but reversing sensors. Could she be tempted by one?
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>> There are a few Yarises (Yarii?) at our local Toyota dealer so I think we'll
>> go for a nosey over the next few days.
>>
Toyota have stopped fitting the central digital speedo and IIRC got traditional instruments so if they love the old speedo get ready for a change :-)
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...Yarises (Yarii?)...
Yarises. Just as it's Harrises, Davises, penises - and, indeed, Mondeos, Focuses, Avensises and Lexuses. Unless you're Alan Partridge, of course.
...shiny...different...Kia
Really?
Last edited by: WillDeBeest on Thu 13 Aug 15 at 16:06
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>> ...shiny...different...Kia
>>
>> Really?
Different to the one she has, presumably.
Very few have a car that is different to every other you might see on a given day.
I had a little favour to do for a couple of friends at the weekend...a wedding job for the son of one, using a car lent by the other. A 1976ish V12 XJC convertible, a unique car as far as I know being a one-off conversion and not one of the Lynx or Avon ones.
It's a manual, so quite economical. The prototype trip computer gave 16 mpg for the 60 miles or so I did, driving like a vicar, I don't suppose Badwolf's mum will want of those.
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>> I had a little favour to do.....a 1976ish V12 XJC convertible,
>> a unique car as far as I know being a one-off conversion and not one of the Lynx or Avon ones.
>>
So rare they have their own website -
www.xjconvertible.com/gallery.php
" the numbers of XJC/XJ convertibles are less than approximately 35 car. Today the cars are spread all over the world and therefore a rare sight on the road or at classic auto events.
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Interesting that many of those are not the Lynx or Avon conversions either. Jaguar itself never did a convertible.
My friend's is a bit different because the roof frame is still there. I assume the typical full conversion involved some additional floor/sill strengthening which was avoided. The folded roof and rear window is much more compact as it doesn't need the pram hood frame. It still looks pretty good with the windows down, being pillarless.
The coupes were known for the roof flexing anyway so I imagine they needed quite a lot of beefing up when it was chopped off.
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XJC coupé was a remarkably handsome beast in standard form.
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>> I don't think she'd go for the Soul - it's a little, erm, unconventional And
>> I think that the 500L would be a bit too big for her, plus I
>> don't think she'd get one within her budget.
Yup she would, because they are so pig ugly, they are dirt cheap
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201507285576826
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Can't see a Fiat matching a Toyota - even a seven-year-old one - for painlessness of ownership. That'll be the other part of 'cheap for a reason'.
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WdB, your brand fixations are quite fascinating. My Mum's had two Multiplas before the 500L, neither has given any problems other than wear and tear items. She bought both nearly new and changed them both at 100k miles.
I expect the 500L to perform likewise, it's a very robust piece of kit. Built in Serbia at the old Yugo factory in Kragujevac, dontcha know. Lots of proud banners at Belgrade Airport these days to let you know.
Last edited by: Alanović on Fri 14 Aug 15 at 09:45
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>> WdB, your brand fixations are quite fascinating. My Mum's had two Multiplas before the 500L,
>> neither has given any problems other than wear and tear items. She bought both nearly
>> new and changed them both at 100k miles.
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>> I expect the 500L to perform likewise, it's a very robust piece of kit. Built
>> in Serbia at the old Yugo factory in Kragujevac, dontcha know. Lots of proud banners
>> at Belgrade Airport these days to let you know.
>>
On balance though a seven year old toyota will be better than a seven year old fiat or pretty much anything else.
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I think you missed out a 'probably' there sooty, it's not a given.
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Just look at the second-hand prices of the two brands to see what the market thinks.
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No but I think you missed where I said 'on balance' ;) I still stand by it though, get a 1000 seven year old toyotas and a 1000 similar age/condition etc fiats and I'm sure which group will give the most amount of trouble.
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Vić has a point - my mum's two Puntos over 15 years suffered only from her scraping bits off them on gateposts and garage doors. I still wouldn't swap a Toyota for one, though, if it was an easy life I was after.
'Brand fixations' is a bit strong, though, don't you think? We all have our likes and dislikes, don't we? Don't think I've had much to say on Fiats before.
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Sorry, no offence meant. 'Loyalties' was probably the word I was looking for. I guess we all suffer from it to an extent, I'm a FIAT fan and have had no trouble from loads of them which have been through mine and my family's hands (Regata, Marea, Stilo, multiple Multiplas, 500L). Apart from a rotten 127 Sport in 1988.........
The Regata was my favourite. I'd sell my Granny for one of those now.
Yes, I'm a bit special.
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>> 'Brand fixations' is a bit strong, though, don't you think? We all have our likes
>> and dislikes, don't we? Don't think I've had much to say on Fiats before.
Probably not enough time to squeeze that one in with all the anti vauxhall ranting ;)
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I don't think I've done any ranting. Why - are Vauxhalls not very good?
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>> I don't think I've done any ranting. Why - are Vauxhalls not very good?
God, that memory loss thing in old age is a terrible tragedy. Still they say a cure is coming, let hope its not too late.
Last edited by: Zero on Fri 14 Aug 15 at 11:05
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>> God, that memory loss thing in old age is a terrible tragedy. Still they say
>> a cure is coming, let hope its not too late.
>>
I'd put it down to delusions. Common problem in H-o-T, the WDH.
;-)
(Only joshing, WdB.)
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I must have owned the best part of 50 cars these past 40 ish years, and in my late teens early twenties changed them every few months after fettling. I only had one Fiat ( a 124/128 3 door estate) and a couple of early Renault 5s. I don't foresee me ever buying either marque again, and I have never owned a Citroen. Totally stupid & illogical I know. Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Ford, VW, Seat, Audi , BMW & MB are all on my tick list for future. As and when, could be next month or in 5 years time.
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>>I must have owned the best part of 50 cars these past 40 ish years
Five more than me!
>>I have never owned a Citroen. Totally stupid & illogical I know.
Not in my opinion, I owned one once, and once was enough.
>>Toyota, Honda, Lexus, Mazda, Ford, VW, Seat, Audi , BMW & MB are all on my tick list for future
I would add Subaru to that list ;-)
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Yet in the past ten years I have only owned two cars.....and my next will probably see me out.
Having owned three Legacy estates I probably won't own another Subaru. They were all fantastically reliable, very cheap to buy off family & friends at 3yo, but I'm still not impressed with the interior quality compared to the Germans. In mitigation, I've just returned from the States where I drove my friends 6yo Outback most days, so maybe later models have improved, although not in the looks dept. Big ugly things. I think the Seat Leon estate a lovely looking car, but not sure about the interior quality compared to my 11 yo Beemer which is still totally rattle free and feels solid as a rock despite being a soft top.
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I'd trade in my old 07 Forester for a Mercedes GLC tomorrow, if I had Lud's sort of money ;)
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" She's 72 but still enjoys driving and having a nice car."
Presumably that means she's a young 72, too young for a Honda Jazz? But it does have tall doors which make entry and exit easier.
I think the Kia Venga and Hyundai ix20 are much the same car. Another one to think about is the Nissan Note.
I doubt that any of these would be cheaper to run than the Yaris: if she decides to go for another Yaris, don't let her be fooled into thinking that the 1.0 would be cheaper. It's a bit of a slug compared to the quite lively 1.3, and little if any more economical because it needs a heavier right foot to make decent progress.
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>> Presumably that means she's a young 72, too young for a Honda Jazz? But it
>> does have tall doors which make entry and exit easier.
She likes the look of the Jazz. I've found a couple that are slightly over her budget but I'd imagine that there are deals to be had.
The Vauxhall Viva might be worth a look too. I showed her a few photos of one the other day and she seemed to really like the look of it. Thursday is 'go and buy a new car day' so I'll report back!
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How about a suzuki sx4 or would that be too big?
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Afternoon,
Well, my mother-in-law has gone for a 2013 Kia Venga 1.4 CRDi Air with 28k miles on the clock. Cost to change is £5.5k, which I reckon is a pretty good deal. She was torn between that and a 2013 Toyota Yaris 1.3 vvti TR, but the Venga won as it is slightly larger and my father-in-law will be able to get in and out of it more easily.
Thanks for all your advice, folks.
Last edited by: Badwolf on Thu 20 Aug 15 at 15:12
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Excellent, hope she enjoys it.
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New car for the in-laws. - MD
