Small van-type car for my Mother.

[XmisterIS]

My Mother currently drives a 15-year-old Nisan Micra which she wants to replace.

Her main complaint about her current car is that it doesn't have a great deal of boot space and she'd like more in the next car.

The trouble is that my Mother is not the best of drivers and she wouldn't be able to handle the acceleration on a more powerful car.

What do I mean?

Well, firstly she once (and once only) tried to drive my Mondeo 2.0 Turbo ... and nearly crashed it into a wall because she couldn't control the acceleration ... and a mondeo is not particularly quick off the line, even in the turbo version!

Secondly, she has only ever driven small cars and was totally overwhelmed by the size of the Mondeo (it is a bit of a big old beast, I'll admit that!) She struggles to reverse-park her micra, it's almost painful to watch ...

Anyway, my eagle eye spotted what looked like just the very thing for her driving in the opposite direction to me through Fareham. One of these bad boys: http://www.whatcar.com/car/Vauxhall/Agila-New/VauxhallAgila-New19582003124915.jpg - the Vauxhall Agila.

Then I looked it up in Parkers and it ticked all the boxes:

* Short wheelbase and chassis - check.

* very roomy interior - check (much more roomy than the micra).

* 0-60 mph in a fortnight (so no out-of-control acceleration for Mother) - check.

* Low VED - check!

It seems to come up smelling of roses, even if it does look like a great green box of kleenex.

The only thing is that it is 350mm wider than the micra and I am worried that Mother might be totally overwhelmed by the extra width. To you and I, 350mm doesn't sound like a lot, but we are talking about Mother here, a woman who once drove the wrong way up a dual carriageway because she got flustered and didn't know which lane to take at an intersection ... and a woman who wrote off a previous car (also a Micra) by reversing it into the side of her garage ... because she failed to see the garage ... even though she was in the garage ...

So ... what other box-shaped sensiblecars like the Agila might be good for her? I don't know any other models because I tend not to take any notice of little box-shaped sensible cars, mainly because they don't have turbo units ... .. except for the Smart fourtwo turbo - which is a 0.8 litre turbo charged smart car

 

[Stig-OT-Dump]

Would it not be safer just to get her a taxi?

 

[Hover Fly]

Citroen Nemo? or whatever they are called by Peugeot and FIAT.

 

[bad boy]

Peugot Partner ?.

 

[fossyant]

Would have said a Berlingo, but sounds like way too big for your mum - they are great multi purpose vehicles....

The Agila will be easy for her to park as it's tall and boxy - friggin hideous, but she needs something a bit bigger that has good visibility.

 

[dan_bo]

My mums' Agila fell apart in about four years- but she isn't a very good driver, if i'm being honest.


I'd tell her to get a Nissan Cube- They're WELL cool.

 

[biggs682]

sounds a fair swap to me , is she house trained

 

[Bromptonaut]

The agila seems to fit the bill. The Toyota Yaris Verso wouls be fine, though it's been out of production for quite a while.

The original Berlingo might be too big but every extremity is visible and the 1.9D version's acceleration is measured with a calendar rather than a stopwatch!!

 

[TheDoctor]

May be worth considering one of the smaller Hyundais, a year or two old. They're not the most exciting cars in the world, but someone who's driven a Micra for 15 years probably isn't looking for that.
I do wonder if a taxi wouldn't be a better bet, and safer for the rest of us. Including everyone else on the dual carriageway of which you speak.

 

[shippers]

She's driven the wrong way down a dual carriage way? Reversed into her own garage from the inside? Should she have a car at all?

The step from Micra to Mondeo is probably about the biggest leap in terms of car size you can make without getting a 4wd! She'd probably be fine with any of the super mini types. Have a look at the Ka and Fiesta too. Dead cheap to repair when she drives them into stuff.

Remind her to keep an eye out for cyclists!

 

[wafflycat]

Well, firstly she once (and once only) tried to drive my Mondeo 2.0 Turbo ... and nearly crashed it into a wall because she couldn't control the acceleration ...

She struggles to reverse-park her micra, it's almost painful to watch ...

The only thing is that it is 350mm wider than the micra and I am worried that Mother might be totally overwhelmed by the extra width. To you and I, 350mm doesn't sound like a lot, but we are talking about Mother here, a woman who once drove the wrong way up a dual carriageway because she got flustered and didn't know which lane to take at an intersection ... and a woman who wrote off a previous car (also a Micra) by reversing it into the side of her garage ... because she failed to see the garage ... even though she was in the garage ...

If I may respectfully suggest that if your mother really is as bad as you describe, perhaps she shouldn't be driving at all.

 

[Muddyfox]

If I may respectfully suggest that if your mother really is as bad as you describe, perhaps she shouldn't be driving at all.

+1

 

[XmisterIS]

Many thanks for the recommendations of cars!

As for her not driving at all ... I am inclined to agree with you! I actually shut my eyes when I'm in the car with her! She is OK around cyclists though - she tends to be very over-cautious and give every hazatd an incredibly wide berth ... provided she sees the hazard though! E.g. she occasionally goes through red lights because she hasn't spotted them - although she comes to a screeching halt when I shout, "Red light, stop, stop, STOP!!!!".

The trouble is that she didn't learn to drive until she was 45, so she's never really got the hang of it. I learned when I was 17, so for me it is totally natural.

 

[tyred]

Hyundai Atoz? My Aunt had one. Cheap, cheerful and reliable.

The price of body parts could rule out anything oriental though.

 

[wafflycat]

As for her not driving at all ... I am inclined to agree with you! I actually shut my eyes when I'm in the car with her! She is OK around cyclists though - she tends to be very over-cautious and give every hazatd an incredibly wide berth ... provided she sees the hazard though! E.g. she occasionally goes through red lights because she hasn't spotted them - although she comes to a screeching halt when I shout, "Red light, stop, stop, STOP!!!!".

Send her a signal - don't get in the car with her when she is the driver. Really - if she is that bad, she should not be driving as she is a danger to herself and others. Indeed tell her repeatedly that she should not be driving. It won't be pleasant, but (repeating myself) if she is that bad, she should not be driving. Period. Had to do this with my dad, and for a while it was unpleasant (more with my mum than dad) but in the end, he made the right decision and gave up driving.