Any advice on which new (to me) car?

Hello. Does anyone have - or has sat in - a Vauxhall Zafira? it's a 'people carrier' one. My daughter is thinking of getting one, but isn't sure if we 80+ year olds will get in and out of it easily.

Just wondered if anyone had been in one?

thank you.

Hi kirsty have just sold ours for a different car,I would think as they are higher than cars than an older person would find them easier to get into as long as it wasn't 6th and 7th seat which they would have to climb into,I found it a comfortable car as a passenger and lovely to drive as I like to sit up higher as I am a shortie and can't always see over the bonnet of bigger or longer cars.

thank you, that's very useful. i was worried about climbing up into the car, but it might not be that big a climb after all.

lower cars are a trouble - not so much getting in, but getting out of them!

thanks again for your comment.

One major point - if you have just bought a new car it is quite nice to be able to drive it, not just admire(?) it on your drive under its mantle of snow with an expanse of icy/snowy road between it and the "open" road. Brought baby home on Saturday and haven't driven it yet!! (Fingers crossed for tomorrow - other wise it's an expensive snowman)

kirsty'if it helps have just gone back to smaller car and the the entering is an undignified flump ...used to roll my eyes at my mum for it ignorance of youth..and my exit is well let's just say I make sure I wear jeans and is not as easy as the zafira.....wish I still had it was good on the diesel,loads of room when 6/7 where folded down... happy motoring

I would like to get an even smaller car than my ageing Yaris, but it does have a very good driving position - upright and easy to get into, specially after I'd had the hip 'done'. I'm wondering about the smaller Toyota - Aygo - or the equivalent Peugeot. I'd also like to have an automatic. Not fussy, am I? Does anyone have experience of these?

Just to add that I got to drive my new car today for the first time apart from driving it home from the dealership on Saturday! And I love it! Having got used to OH's diesel, it is so quiet and light to drive, I really appreciate that as my left wrist is very painful, so an easy gear change helps no end and I suppose it is due to new well-inflated tyres, but the ride is so comfortable!

gracesmum glad you pleased with your car, we keep toying with idea of cutting back to one car, our Micra is 4 years and Astra only just 3 had from new, trouble is like them both and reckon we will lose a lot on trade in, oh decisions decisons!!!

Anno is the Aygo the smallest Toyota or the next one up? DH had a C1, the smallest Citroen and I found it VERY small. He swapped it for a Toyota IQ which feels quite big, has lots of room for getting in and out and does lots of miles to the gallon round the Leicestershire countryside.

celebgran ours were both 2007 models so in an ideal world would have hoped they would last longer but the joint trade-in was not bad and there are always so many incentives to buy new (in this case no VAT) and we felt ther cars would only depreciate further so it seemed a good time. It is a lose-lose situation though !!

Hello again. It has been interesting reading all the diffrent viewpoits. I finally bought a 3 year old (2009) Mark 6 Golf Plus and am really pleased with it. Seating position is much higher than on my old Golf and passenger doors are wider which should help with the childseats. Amazed how technology has changed in the 10 years since last bought a 'new to me' car! Lots of new technology to get used to but fun so far!

Re question of recommended smaller cars - my OH has also changed his car. He needs something smaller and super-economical because of the mileage he does weekly for work and bought a Daihatsu Sirion. He is over 6 foot tall but it is very spacious inside and he's very happy with it, especially as it came with a lot of things that would be extras on some cars as standard.

My VW Polo on its way to scrapyard.Repairs would cost more than car value.
Not ready yet to give up driving .Just applied for next 3yr licence.
Just picked up Nissan Micra.N reg.18,000 miles. Lady owner since 1999 still lives locally but not fit to drive.Her son in law I met owns a Merck and a Morgan!
Price not much more than estimated repair costs on Polo.
Garage owner I know and trust recommends
Oh and it's PURPLE....appropriate for a 'growing old disgracefully' member!

Good for you Maniac you seem to have been in the right place at the right time.

DH keeps saying he is going to pop down the road and get a Morgan (Britain's biggest care manufacturer!) but it is just a pipe dream

Have just changed to Skoda Yeti ( despite the name!) and have to admit that it's just great. I was used to driving bigger cars but this feels larger than it is and is high enough off the ground to make getting in and out really a doodle, even for a small giant like me. And you get all the VW and Audi parts in a cheaper wrapper. Stylish too, heaven forfend even Jeremy Clarkson liked it.........don't let that put you off!
Have christened it 'big foot'