Small Automatic car

stealthyspeeder

I have no knowledge of small automatic cars, however grandma stealthyspeeder, has recently had 2 hip operations and is finding the clutch a bit difficult so is now in the market!

Unfortunately she rejected my suggestions of regarding automatic performance cars as she feels that the 1 litre engine in the peugot 107, which she currently has, (in her words) "can be a bit nippy enough" (obviously the love of speed did not come from that branch of the family tree!).

She also rejected such fine steads as the automatic 350z and GTI on the basis of cost.. It turns out that her budget is aroung 7,000 GBP (she lives in up north)

So......

Does anyone have any experience with small (very small) automatic cars?
Unfortunately instead of the normal criteria upon which I would rate a car
(bhp, Torque, in gear acceleration, 0-100mph times and track record laps), this whill have to be rated on

price
reliability
age (no more than 3 years old)

*yawn*

tax class
insurance cost

*zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz*

*wakes up*

mpg
Comfort of interior (esp seating position)

I dont even know which tiny car models are available in automatic, so any suggestions, personal experiances, or linkys to reviews etc would be appreciated (Im tried searchin myself but as always ended up looking at performance cars instead!)

Drummerboy08

Nissan Micra 1.2 Auto Sport

*shudders*

Oh, its not from personal experience, and I cant find any reviews on one because anyone who has ever driven one is old enough to be dead.

robtri

Drummerboy08 wrote: »

Nissan Micra 1.2 Auto Sport

*shudders*

Oh, its not from personal experience, and I cant find any reviews on one because anyone who has ever driven one is old enough to be dead.

I didn't think I would ever agree with anyone putting forward a micra as a best suggestion.... but dear god, this is painful, the micra is the best......:o

Owen

I bought my Mum an auto Polo 1.4 to replace her Starlet. She'd never driven a car with auto before, but I don't think she'll ever drive a manual now. I was lucky to be in the trade when I bought it, and got it for 2k, but I'd imagine you'd pick up a 02 now for similar money. Small automatics are sought after, and relatively depreciation proof once they reach a certain age and are in good condition.

Saruman

A yaris or IQ with CVT would be an idea. Either full auto mode or she can change gears as normal but without a clutch

ikillcopiers

My Aunt just bought a 2007 Opel Meriva 1.6 Automatic, got it for €9000.

Was owned by a priest and had *nothing* done (he was a retired priest!).

She's had a bad back for years and finds it very comfortable.

Might be a bit bigger engine than your Grandmother wants,
but it should be well within budget and might suit her I reckon.

Can't speak for the reliability, she's only had it a fortnight, but the
priest is a cousin and he never had any issues.

R.O.R

I'll go for the *shudder* Micra sugggestion too. No experience of the Auto model, but I know a rental company that uses loads of them so they must be pretty reliable.

stealthyspeeder

Thanks for the replies so far!

The reason it needs to be tiny is that not only have the hips gone, but grandma stealthyspeeder has arthritis as well, now this affects her neck and makes looking lookin behind her when reversing very painful. So she prefers not to do this and trust her instinct and skills of spacial awareness. :rolleyes: Unfortunately, due to being female (a very plesant, old and wise female, but female nonetheless) this is obviously not the strong point of her driving! She needs to reverse her car out of the driveway so the smaller the better!

She may just about, be able to manage the polo (collecting a few scraps over the years), but I think there would be more than scratches on a corrolla.

The Yaris and the Micra seem like the forerunners so far! I think anything more than a 1.2 would be too much power for her to handle!

Also the suggestion of manual with no clutch is intriging!! would that be changing gear with a gearstick or a flappypaddle style? (nothing would make me happier than seeing my grandmother cruising into a corner Micheal Schumacer style with a flappy paddle downshift!)

RobAMerc

I did a bit of searching about for these myself some time back as mrs A Merc wasn't the best driver and needed all the help she could get. ( She far better now - but still likes goes with auto )

We tried :

Yaris - fookin horrible - biscuit tin on wheels.
Micra - dito
Punto - better but I imagine brittle
Kia Picanto - Very cheap so my Dad bought it for my mum.
Small - slow, noisey, cheap build and thirsty about town, but it does what it says on the tin and had been utterly reliable.
Fiesta - A proper car, we bought the 1.4 Dura Shift so I could drive about like a WRC champ - It can be driven like a full auto too, the changes aren't as smooth, but its so much nicer a car to drive than the others... its worth it. .

talkingdog

Sounds like she will have terrible reaction times TBH.

Should you be recommending she drive at all

stealthyspeeder

talkingdog wrote: »

Sounds like she will have terrible reaction times TBH.

Should you be recommending she drive at all

I think she'll be going so slowly she would have ample time to brake for anything in front of her!

It would be a be a bit mean for me to turn round to her and say "no Granny, im not helping you get a car because I dont think your fit to drive"!

If Im honest, im more of a danger on the road than her!

Mr. Presentable

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250528469136&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

talkingdog

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

I think she'll be going so slowly she would have ample time to brake for anything in front of her!

It would be a be a bit mean for me to turn round to her and say "no Granny, im not helping you get a car because I dont think your fit to drive"!

If Im honest, im more of a danger on the road than her!

Didn't mean to be personal

BUT

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

grandma stealthyspeeder has arthritis as well, now this affects her neck and makes looking lookin behind her when reversing very painful. So she prefers not to do this and trust her instinct and skills of spacial awareness.

stealthyspeeder

nipplenuts wrote: »

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=250528469136&ssPageName=ADME:B:SS:GB:1123

too big, too old, too manual,


The only thing its got going for it is its stunning good looks

Riskymove

robtri wrote: »

I didn't think I would ever agree with anyone putting forward a micra as a best suggestion.... but dear god, this is painful, the micra is the best......:o

if you are going down that route, how about a figaro instead?

RobAMerc

I would just like to clarify that the Mirca I drove was the older shape one - not the more current model - I've no idea what thats like.
I'm sure on your budget it would be the new model.

Drummerboy08

RobAMerc wrote: »

I would just like to clarify that the Mirca I drove was the older shape one - not the more current model - I've no idea what thats like.
I'm sure on your budget it would be the new model.

Its worse.

stealthyspeeder

talkingdog wrote: »

Didn't mean to be personal

BUT

Dont mean to be pedantic, BUT

She cant really turn her head around to look behind her when she is reversing, (which is why the car needs to be small!). My Granny drives the car forward when she goes places (like everybody else I've seen on the road!), so I dont think her reation time would really be hindered!

Anyway, do you have any experience or knowledge of samll automatic cars that you would care to share with me?

Twin-go

I've have had the privlige of regulary driving a 2004 Fiesta 1.4 Ghia Auto. (Mothers Car)

As small cars go in general its not bad. One scary thing I found was when stopped at a junction or roundabout was putting the foot down and the delay to the gear engaging. Not good if you are trying to get into a small gap:eek:.

Generaly good on Petrol 38 - 42mpg
Comfertable with the Ghia spec (electric windows, a/c, digital gear display)
Auto box can be quite jerky but a slight change to driving style fixes that.
The Auto Box in the Fiesta also has a triptronic setting, so you can over-ride the auto.
Seating position is quite high so Granny stealthyspeeder should have no problems getting in our out.

RobAMerc

Twin-go wrote: »

One scary thing I found was when stopped at a junction or roundabout was putting the foot down and the delay to the gear engaging. Not good if you are trying to get into a small gap:eek:.

You can overcome that by holding the car on the brake with your left foot and giving it some juice with the right foot. Release the brake and shoot into the traffic.

The reason the shift is a bit Jerky is that its actually essentially a manual gearbox that has 3 motors - two for changing the gears and one for the clutch. A gentle lift off the accelerator when you want to change makes it much smoother.

I must also say - its pretty good at being in the right gear at the right time as it changes down to help with engine braking on the way into a bend and so is in the right gear for exit, something my 320d ain't always doing ! ( well unless in sport mode )

Mr. Presentable

stealthyspeeder wrote: »

too big, too old, too manual,


The only thing its got going for it is its stunning good looks

It's a Variomatic. Belt driven, no gearbox. Just as fast in reverse as forward. Or maybe that should be just as slow forward as...........

mikemike

A friend had an auto micra (old shape) a few years ago , 1 litre Jap import with air con etc. , felt a little underpowered with 1 litre but it may do her , a 1.3 would be better ..
Apparently bullet proof , easy as pie to drive and easy to sell on again when she's finished with it .

How about a merc a class auto , they're pretty small ....

Thoie

There used be a Seicento Citycar or Citymatic or something that had clutchless gear changes. The front seats were OK, but if she has any arthritic friends who want to sit in the back you can forget it.

If she doesn't drive far, have you looked at the Smart cars? Again it's not much use if she wants more than one passenger though.

Drummerboy08

She has to buy a Micra. She can roll to bingo in style with her homies that way. If shes feeling particularly wild, she can buy a sport model. It adds different wheels.

colm_mcm

Fiesta 1.4 auto would be the job.

I'd suggest a Fusion too as OAPs love the lofty driving position and big doors.

Mr Benevolent

+1 on the Fiesta. Honda Jazz would be fine as well.

congo_90

Opel corsa auto.. this thing barely moves so it'll suit her. Small and relativly cheap repairs

Mr Benevolent

congo_90 wrote: »

Opel corsa auto.. this thing barely moves so it'll suit her. Small and relativly cheap repairs

And goes though petrol faster than a GS300!

Rovi

We finally got The Mammy into an automatic last year, a Suzuki Swift.
She adores it, and occasionally berates us for not making her change to an automatic earlier. :rolleyes:

It's a 1.5 engine linked to a conventional automatic transmission, so it's not the most economical small car in the world, but it's pretty nippy for all that.

The seating position is nice and high which she also loves, and it's got a full compliment of doors, so her 'homies' can get in and out without having to have the emergency services on speed-dial.

Just thought I'd throw it into the mix.