help - Subaru Enthusiasts Car Club of the Sierras

Evo Mike · 2005-06-04, 06:45 PM

So i've been given the job of helping my tiny grandmother find a car. right now she has a toyota Camry (the new body style one) and hits just about everything.. i swear there are dings in every pannel. Anyway, i have a 91 integra LS 4 door and she likes "that sized" car because it's easier to park, turn, drive, etc. Also, the camry turns like a friggin boat and stops worse than any car i've ever driven.

Please give me suggestions as to what car you guys think is best. She has already stated that she needs a car with
1) a very adjustable seat (she is 4 ft 10 inches tall)
2) 4 doors (but i'm thinking it's not possible to have a small 4 door anymore)
3) and small (like my old tegra)

anyway, i'm thinking IS300 size.. but heres the list i have come up with so far. Note that that car will be handed down to my little cousin OR my uncle after my grandma stops driving.. that's why i'm thinking along the more "young" sporty line, as my gma will only be driving for another few years and will hardly drive the car.

4 doors.
Subaru Impreza 2.5 or WRX sedan
used lexus IS 300
Used BMW 325i
Used Mercedes c230
Acura TSX
Honda Civic Ex/Lx
VW jetta

2 door
Mini Cooper
Civic Si
VW r32 or Golf

please post!

tysonK · 2005-06-04, 06:59 PM

Well I think your best bet is take your grandma out for lots of test drives.

Hopefully she can give you a good oppinion on what she might like driving!

Just make sure she doesn't have a fender bender on the test drive.

ShawnS · 2005-06-04, 08:46 PM

Nissan Sentra SE-R?

sp00ln · 2005-06-04, 10:39 PM

Mini cooper!!!!

Dean · 2005-06-05, 09:47 AM

I can't beleive I am saying this... Scion XB

Much easier to get in and out of than the Mini for her probably.

JC · 2005-06-05, 11:08 AM

Mazda 3

bruspeed · 2005-06-05, 01:16 PM

You know, I think that Dean is on the right track with the scion xa, xb cars. They have four doors, great gas mileage, deceptively copious amounts of interior room, and you can pick one up brand new, with a good warranty for about the same price you could buy any of your other options used. Just my $.02.

STIwish · 2005-06-05, 01:44 PM

Ill second the Scion XB, would be a great vehicle if small and reliable is what she is looking for.. even if i am not the biggest fan of its styling.

BOO · 2005-06-05, 01:49 PM

I think the mazda 3 has IMPREZed (lol) me quite a bit for the money...

Evo Mike · 2005-06-05, 02:04 PM

Thanks.. i let her know about the toyota, and she said she didn't want to buy toyota again. Had too many problems with her camry at 15,000 miles.. might be some lemon or something.

sperry · 2005-06-05, 03:31 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Evo Mike

Thanks.. i let her know about the toyota, and she said she didn't want to buy toyota again. Had too many problems with her camry at 15,000 miles.. might be some lemon or something.

15,000 "grandma" miles can be harder on a car than 100,000 "normal" miles. For example, my friend's grandma blew up her brand new Caddy in 3,000 miles... that's because it took her 3 years for driving to church once a week to get the 1st 3,000 miles on it.

That's 3 years before the 1st scheduled oil change!

Now the family takes the car out on the freeway once and a while and puts the hammer down to keep the new motor in there properly used.

dknv · 2005-06-05, 09:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Dean

I can't beleive I am saying this... Scion XB

Much easier to get in and out of than the Mini for her probably.

I had the impression the Scion requires you to 'step up' into it. (Could be a height-challenging entry/exit into the vehicle?)

Is this grandma in Oahu? (where there can be lots of traffic). If so, I would also be shopping cars which have good crash test ratings - just in case. So many tourists driving around there that don't know how to drive, rubber-necking, etc. Something too small or with negative crash / impact test results would worry me if it was my grandma.

2005-06-04, 06:45 PM	#1
Evo Mike EJ251 Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 513	help So i've been given the job of helping my tiny grandmother find a car. right now she has a toyota Camry (the new body style one) and hits just about everything.. i swear there are dings in every pannel. Anyway, i have a 91 integra LS 4 door and she likes "that sized" car because it's easier to park, turn, drive, etc. Also, the camry turns like a friggin boat and stops worse than any car i've ever driven. Please give me suggestions as to what car you guys think is best. She has already stated that she needs a car with 1) a very adjustable seat (she is 4 ft 10 inches tall) 2) 4 doors (but i'm thinking it's not possible to have a small 4 door anymore) 3) and small (like my old tegra) anyway, i'm thinking IS300 size.. but heres the list i have come up with so far. Note that that car will be handed down to my little cousin OR my uncle after my grandma stops driving.. that's why i'm thinking along the more "young" sporty line, as my gma will only be driving for another few years and will hardly drive the car. 4 doors. Subaru Impreza 2.5 or WRX sedan used lexus IS 300 Used BMW 325i Used Mercedes c230 Acura TSX Honda Civic Ex/Lx VW jetta 2 door Mini Cooper Civic Si VW r32 or Golf please post! __________________ I Can't Believe My Friends.... Drive WRX's....

2005-06-04, 08:46 PM	#3
ShawnS EJ251 Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: Seattle Posts: 540 Car: 1995 S14 Zenki	Nissan Sentra SE-R? __________________ Either this boy has a light bulb up his ass, or his colon has a bright idea.

2005-06-04, 10:39 PM	#4
sp00ln EJ205 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Reno, NV Posts: 1,196	Mini cooper!!!! __________________ Turbo is a decent with modification.

2005-06-05, 09:47 AM	#5
Dean Señor Cheap Bastarde Real Name: Dean Join Date: May 2003 Location: $99 Tire Store Posts: 9,294 Car: $.04 STI Class: Fast,Cheap & Reliable=STI Deal, did somebody say Deal? Oh, Dean, yeah that's me.	I can't beleive I am saying this... Scion XB Much easier to get in and out of than the Mini for her probably. __________________ I am a Commodore PET --- Now get off my lawn you kids...

2005-06-05, 11:08 AM	#6
JC Ask me about dubs! Real Name: JC Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Orange, CA Posts: 2,895 Car: 2013 Triumph Speed Triple R	Mazda 3 __________________ Actually, I am a rocket scientist.

2005-06-04, 06:59 PM	#2
tysonK warehouse SECCS Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: SoCal... Posts: 6,253 Car: 04 Evo 99 Cadillac Class: street de le mod	Well I think your best bet is take your grandma out for lots of test drives. Hopefully she can give you a good oppinion on what she might like driving! Just make sure she doesn't have a fender bender on the test drive.

2005-06-05, 01:16 PM	#7
bruspeed EJ251 Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Sparks Posts: 526 Car: 2005 2.5 rs cgm Class: TDSP	You know, I think that Dean is on the right track with the scion xa, xb cars. They have four doors, great gas mileage, deceptively copious amounts of interior room, and you can pick one up brand new, with a good warranty for about the same price you could buy any of your other options used. Just my $.02. __________________ Can anybody fly this thing?

2005-06-05, 01:44 PM	#8
STIwish EJ251 Join Date: May 2003 Location: Ocala, FL Posts: 894	Ill second the Scion XB, would be a great vehicle if small and reliable is what she is looking for.. even if i am not the biggest fan of its styling. __________________ STIwish

2005-06-05, 01:49 PM	#9
BOO EJ205 Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: Reno, Nevada Posts: 2,076 Car: 12+tires Class: Spec. without hard work, nothing grows but weeds	I think the mazda 3 has IMPREZed (lol) me quite a bit for the money... __________________ LOL.. The other White Meat ... lol ------------------------------------------------ subaru(STi) is a boys car, mitsubishi(evo) is a man's car - Jeremy (Top Gear) GC,GD,GM

2005-06-05, 02:04 PM	#10
Evo Mike EJ251 Join Date: Apr 2004 Posts: 513	Thanks.. i let her know about the toyota, and she said she didn't want to buy toyota again. Had too many problems with her camry at 15,000 miles.. might be some lemon or something. __________________ I Can't Believe My Friends.... Drive WRX's....