auto under 4k for wife

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Fri 5 Jun 2015 14:20
auto under 4k for wife - akataz

I came here to get some advice on which auto car to get my wife under 4k .

She has a debilitating back problem that makes it increasingly difficult to use a clutch etc and our car ride is rather hard .. I have drove autos in the past and think one would be ideal for her to use as you only use your right peg .

The car must be comfortable on some roughish road as we live out in the sticks ( not great roads )

Anything from a 2 ltr up to 3.0 max .. Petrol version ok on lower ltr cars but over 2ltr then maybe diesel .

I have been looking and were as some owners give good reviews on certain cars then the experts or forums can give a not so good review etc etc . This is why im coming here to get some good advice . ragards .Taz.

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Fri 5 Jun 2015 14:33
auto under 4k for wife - RobJP

I've also got a bad back - as has my wife. However, our backs are bad in different ways, so a seat setup that suits me doesn't suit her.

If you find the ride on some cars too hard, then the easiest thing is to avoid any trim that is 'sporty' - for BMW, Msport, as an example. In addition, avoid large wheel sizes.

There are some good autoboxes out there, and there are some terrible ones. THe VW/Audi/Skoda/SEAT DSG autobox is a bit notorious for problems, for instance.

However, you don't say what sort of car she needs. A small hatchback ? a crossover 4*4-type ? An estate ?

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Fri 5 Jun 2015 14:40
auto under 4k for wife - Happy Blue!

The car which really suits your requirements is a Subaru Forester with the non-turbo engine. Probably about the right age for your budget. It has an extremely comfortable driving position and the height of seats are superb for just sliding into the car, so you don't drop down into it nor do you have to climb up to get in or out. It has quite high profile tyres to give a very smooth ride.

Being Japanese they are very reliable with standard automatic gearboxes. Not the most economcial, but not too bad. Only available with a 2.0 petrol engine for the age and budget.

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Fri 5 Jun 2015 17:45
auto under 4k for wife - SteveLee

Citroen C3 Picasso - the ride is superb, the seat height allows easy entry and egress. The are pretty reliable (yes really) cost peanuts to run and are well equipped. The raised driving position also provides a commanding view of the road. They have fairly generous ground clearance - run all season (M&S) tyres and it should be fine all year round.

Similarly you can find the XTR version of the current model Berlingo Multispace for around £4K these have a raised ride height, they ride well and are one of the most genuinely useful cars in the world! They do everything, shift people, shift kit, cruise nicely - cost next to nothing to run. Not fashionable just a blooming good car.

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Fri 5 Jun 2015 18:46
auto under 4k for wife - corax

However, you don't say what sort of car she needs. A small hatchback ? a crossover 4*4-type ? An estate ?

And what have you got at the moment?

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Mon 8 Jun 2015 12:27
auto under 4k for wife - akataz

hi thanks for replys sorry been busy . it needs to be of a good size as we have 3 children ageing from 13-20 yr ..

So an estate or good size saloon would be good 4 x 4 etc not out of the question.. It would also need a bit of grunt when full with 5 people neither of us like a slow or sluggish car so to speak and nothing too boxy .

Also if possible under £250 a year road tax would be good .

We dont tend to do a lot of miles so we can afford to go a little larger on engine size up to 3ltr or as low as 2 ltr .

We live on the doorstep of the A1 so tend to find ourselves on dual carraigeways/ motorway alot also .

I have been looking at so many online my heads swimming now .

thanks for the help and advice .

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Fri 5 Jun 2015 19:20
auto under 4k for wife - Engineer Andy

I came here to get some advice on which auto car to get my wife under 4k .

She has a debilitating back problem that makes it increasingly difficult to use a clutch etc and our car ride is rather hard .. I have drove autos in the past and think one would be ideal for her to use as you only use your right peg .

The car must be comfortable on some roughish road as we live out in the sticks ( not great roads )

Anything from a 2 ltr up to 3.0 max .. Petrol version ok on lower ltr cars but over 2ltr then maybe diesel .

I have been looking and were as some owners give good reviews on certain cars then the experts or forums can give a not so good review etc etc . This is why im coming here to get some good advice . ragards .Taz.

How bad are/what type of roads are you liekly to be driving on - ordinary roads with poor surafces/lots of potholes, and/or farm tracks and suchlike that need decent ground clearance, forgiving suspension and maybe even 4x4 in winter/heavy rain?

Some cars like the Hyundai ix20 1.6p auto (and its KIA equivalent) were supposedly designed for use on the UK's poor road surfaces, though probably not farm tracks/off-roading. They do look to have a quite high driving position, which might help. Not particularly quick though. You might be able to get an early model for under £4k if you're lucky, which would (especially the KIA) have some manufacturer's warranty still left on it.

Whatever you get, it may be worth investing (depending on the road type and if you have the space to store them) in some winter tyres in addition to the car (get your delearship to change them over in October and March), often a better value-for-money option that having a 4x4 with all-season/summer low-profile tyres as many so-called off-roaders and 4x4s (e.g. beemers) do these days. As you say, higher-profile whell-tyre combinations give a much more forgiving ride, especially helpful for those of us with bad backs.

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Mon 8 Jun 2015 17:32
auto under 4k for wife - slkfanboy

A Volvo V70 sounds like more of the ticket. Petrol or Diesel 2.5 is a great engine. Plenty of room and last for ever.

Ive had a Hyundai and rust was a big issue(5 years old car) and i assume it's sister company Kia will be much the same. Once your out or warranty i see no benifit of either company, it's peace of mind when buy a new car for sure.

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Mon 8 Jun 2015 18:43
auto under 4k for wife - bathtub tom

>>under 4k for wife

I'm not buying her, too expensive for me!

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Mon 8 Jun 2015 18:52
auto under 4k for wife - gordonbennet

Another vote for Forester or its bigger brother Legacy Outback.

2 litre in the Outback might be a bit underpowered, so 2.5 or if fuel consumption not an issue the 3.0 6 pot is a sweet engine, chain cam too, have to be registered before March 23rd 2006 though or £500 VED for the 3.0.

Auto boxes are superb in Subarus.

Edited by gordonbennet on 08/06/2015 at 18:54

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