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What car for 80 year old?

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  • kimwp
    kimwp Posts: 3,606
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    I'm a jazz fan
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  • Northern_Wanderer
    Northern_Wanderer Posts: 890
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    edited 5 July 2025 at 10:28AM
    Honda Jazz, very reliable and economical. Low road tax and insurance. Very practical with magic seats. Cheap to maintain/ repair. You'll be able to get a low millage Mark 3 Jazz petrol manual/ auto circa 2018-2020 for your budget.
    Also, the doors are light and easy to open/ close unlike a lot of cars I have tried. If you go slightly older model, if you can find one, the stereo will be less of an annoyance, I mean, more old fashioned and not a computer. Please bear in mind that the tech rife in newer cars 2020 onwards might not suit you so you may wish for a slightly older model. I'll be going for a classic car next time around as the new tech does my head in.
  • Mildly_Miffed
    Mildly_Miffed Posts: 2,634
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    Think, too, about entry ease and height - at 80, you're probably not as flexible and mobile as you were, and that's only going one way.
  • Excuse me but I suspect at 80 your insurance costs are only going to go one way, add to that running costs, depreciation etc etc  I suspect it’s very close to making financial sense to scrap the car and use taxi’s instead.

  • oldagetraveller1
    oldagetraveller1 Posts: 1,638
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    edited 5 July 2025 at 12:34PM
    Excuse me but I suspect at 80 your insurance costs are only going to go one way, add to that running costs, depreciation etc etc  I suspect it’s very close to making financial sense to scrap the car and use taxi’s instead.


    I am 80 and my last renewal was £50 cheaper than the previous, same insurer, same car.
    2014 Toyota Yaris 1.33l Petrol C.V.T..
  • fatbelly
    fatbelly Posts: 24,119
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    I have a friend, 89, still driving. No problems with insurance. FYI it's a Polo
  • I'm surprised that so many have assumed you have particular reason to want hybrid or electric.  Unless you have either at present, I would suggest a petrol version, avoiding the need for a home charger.  We have a non-plugin hybrid now, and the cost of insurance was a shock (poor research!).  As you only drive 4k annually, your saving on fuel with electric/hybrid would be outweighed by the purchase price and other costs.
    So, if it were me, I would pick the simplest, most comfortable model which matches your needs, which it would seem don't include carrying passengers often or far, or much luggage space. Personally, I don't know small cars well enough to recommend.  I've driven Skoda Fabia and Citroen C3 on rental, and no complaints on either.
    I would definitely consider an Automatic, which might make driving easier as you get older.  Would you be looking for a car for the next 10 years? 
  • Looks like you are only reading this thread and not coming bacl to post

    As your last car is 18 yrs old - get one with knobs. (one of the few reasons I'm not changing my car as newer cars and touch screens are a recipe for disaster)

    Try out a few cars, the seat height is important as we all get older, certainly not low but not too high. So, possibly a crossover car.


    Don't get a diesel as DPF/nox problems, especially short-trip cars.

    Get an auto, most newer cars are. I've had an auto for over 30 years.

    Get a car with good-sized doors, easier to get in and out - just park it away from other cars in car parks to get in/out easier

    Get a car led lights as brighter than standard lights, 

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