We currently have a SEAT Alhambra 1.9tdi SE, which is a great car for folk with creaky knee joints et al. It has served us well over the last few months as a load lugger.
Fuel consumption is excellent @ around 45mpg: it has all the toys you could want, BUT for just the two of us it really will be too big for everyday use, now our moving is nearly over (Exchange & completion next Monday!).
I am loathe to part with it, but realise that, sensibly, something smaller is perhaps called for..
Both of us are getting or really, have reached, the point where ease of entry and egress is quite important.
Our annual mileage will not now be great, we think, but you never know, do you?
Our budget will be limited as buying a house, even a cheap one, isn't cheap - up to say £4K.
Suggestions - not on a postcard - would be appreciated. NOT a horrid FIAT Multipla - please!
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Kangoo / Berlingo
Used quite regularly in places where they need to transport patients to and from.
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Not sure with 4K you are going to get something better and more economical than you have. We have a Sharan 1.9 and although I keep having a desire to change it the reality is it does the job well and has been very reliable over the last 70K (he says reaching for wood)
I would have thought something like an seat altea, golf plus, or c-max. renauly secenic would be to much trouble at that price bracket. Vauxhall zafira.
Given the options I dont think you have much to gain by changing TBH
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keep it.
Nothing will be easier to climb in and out than the Alhambra. Changing will cost money. Certainly more than the cost of running the Alhambra.,
but if you must
www.autotrader.co.uk/classified/advert/201106379547303/
Hyundai Matrix.
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Agreed Navy, Diesel with proper auto too, sadly not available on Berlingo which has always amazed me.
Some cars with higher headroom might be considerable too if you want to go smaller, C3 and Mitsi Colt are 2 that spring to mind, others similar.
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Easy access and easy to manoeuvre ?
No problem
www.youtube.com/watch?v=nOjk9RCzg9Y
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HJ describes the C-Max as having "the easiest entry and egress of any car anywhere".
The Fusion is also supposed to be pretty good on that front, economical too.
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If you really want to go smaller try some of the Superminis, several of them have reasonable access, and are not too low, the Fabia (Mk1 is well in that price range), also the "top hat " versions of some may be ok - those ones which look like they've had several inches added to the roof... Also look for height adjustable front seats, our Roomster has them and they are great, though quite rare.
As always when someone asks a question like this, the ONLY way to see if something is suitable is to go and try it...
My advice would be to try a few s/hand dealers around your way and see what suits you, then go home and check up the reports on the car by someone like HJ... That way you will find out if its worth you swapping...
Last edited by: hobby on Sat 19 Mar 11 at 08:40
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Our previous car was a great Fabia Mk1 1.9tdi, which we loved from new until it was nearly 10 years old - but, believe me it is hard to get out of it if one has slightly dodgy kneee joints!
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How's about the Nissan Almera Tino diesel.
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Honda Jazz is the obvious answer, but for £4K you'd probably be looking at a 5-6yr old one, and there is a school of thought that they start to have issues at 7yrs old.
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>> but, believe me it is hard to get out of it if one has slightly dodgy kneee joints!
That's EXACTLY my point.... Everyone is different, my wife who is disabled and has difficulty in use of her legs finds them ok... However she can't cope with these "crossover" or 4x4s which are "supposed" to be better for the people with such difficulties...
As I said before the only way for the OP to find out what is suitable is to actually go and try various cars...
We can suggest cars 'til we're blue in the face, but what we think might be ok might not be suitable for the OP!
Last edited by: hobby on Sat 19 Mar 11 at 21:17
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>>We can suggest cars 'til we're blue in the face, but what we think might be ok might not be suitable for the OP!<<
Exactly! ... and that applies to almost everything.
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Keep it. Or if you must sell, get a C-Max.
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Thanks for all your ideas, people!
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