Team-BHP - Best Small Car for 77 year old

I wouldn't recommend AStar, visibility is not the best compared to other small hatches and i guess it would make it hard for an old man. Also the seating position is lower so ingress and egress is not going to be comfy like a tall boy, but it might not be a problem for him since he's used to Esteem. Alto has better visibility than AStar, but ease of ingress and egress is similar.

Considering better visibility, ease of access I would suggest Santro, Estilo, Spark or i10 1.1 if he can afford it.

Comparing Spark to Alto 800, Alto 800's biggest drawback is going to be its lack of power with AC on. With him used to the Esteem he may not like it, ask him to TD before confirming. Also Spark's seating position is higher. If he's going to go in for an Alto, its better if he opts for the K10.

Nano, Santro, Wagon R (or maybe Ritz).

Considering his age, a tall-boy design would be better for the ease of entry/exit, the high seating position and the overall view around. Nano does not have a left side ORVM as yet, so reversing the car would be difficult (unless he is good enough to use the internal RVM).

Out of the three, the Santro, Wagon R and Ritz would probably be better than the Nano in terms of visits to the service centres. Ritz is more as an alternative to the Wagon R since you mentioned he didn't like the Wagon R looks.

My personal vote would go for the Santro.

Given the constraints I would have suggested WagonR, Santro Xing, Alto K10.
I see that the WagonR is not preferred because of looks (which even I feel) but it is an immensely good driving car within city limits and very easy and good from driving, parking, space and utility perspectives. Also, since he is aged, the getting in/out would also be important and that should be easy with WagonR. Santro would be quite similar. Alto would stand low and could be an issue in ease of ingress/egress, otherwise a pretty easy driveable car for an old person given the constraints and not much need for space and utility.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sankar (Post 2482505)

Comparing Spark to Alto 800, Alto 800's biggest drawback is going to be its lack of power with AC on. With him used to the Esteem he may not like it, ask him to TD before confirming. Also Spark's seating position is higher. If he's going to go in for an Alto, its better if he opts for the K10.

I just realised he has Maruti 1000 not Esteem :) so power may not be issue.

Quote:

Originally Posted by zteg (Post 2482447)

Isnt there a age limit for driving in India or is the age limit only for getting a driving license?

I don't think there is an age limit for driving licence also. You need to get a fitness certificate from a doctor after a certain age. My grandfather who is 79 still drives his Fiesta and Alto in Kerala's busy roads. He has a chauffeur for long trips.

I would recommend an Alto K10 for your uncle. Regular Alto is low on power and frequent gear changes are required.

For an older person, ease of ingress/egress and high seating position should be prime considerations, so I would suggest the Wagon R or Santro. Also, peace of mind with MASS and Hyundai service respectively.

What about the new Estilo with the K10 mill? Does he like it? If so, it will suit him well.

Tall boy with easy ingress/ egress
Maruti, so he will still get good discounts like the Alto
It is very compact and easy to drive with a high driving position
Should be cheap to maintain and run

Chevy Spark should fit your uncle's requirements.
The A/C, Power Steering variant will be in his price range as well.
The Spark is a decent set of wheels, feels well put together, reliable, refined with reasonable levels of fit and finish, quite easy to drive & fuel efficient.
Also GM's After sales service / warranty package will give him peace of mind.

I don't know about the urgency w.r.t. the purchase, but if you wait till October, then you can also take a look at the forthcoming new Hyundai 800cc Small Car , which is planned for a launch around the festive season.

Alternatively, if he does not mind pre-owned vehicles, then you can take a look at some of the i-10 Automatics in the used car market.

There is a Wagon R in the extended family and a liberal sprinkling of Santros. My friends have the Beat, Astar and i10 too apart from Wagon Rs old and new.

I have the Nano and I recommend it not because I have one, but for the reasons I bought it
- ease of parking
- selfdriven city runabout workhorse car
- easy on mileage/ servicing
- limited visits to *** (at least in the first 10K kms)
- Max 20km running/ day

It is my preferred mode of transport in town. However, I would also recommend him to rethink if he expects to drive in a couple of years time or have a chauffeur. If he expects to be driven around later, I would not recommend the Nano. the rear is too bumpy for my liking.
In that case I recommend looking in the used car market.

Quote:

Originally Posted by noopster (Post 2482724)

^^With due respect, Chevy Beat is a young person's car.

Darn, there go my plans of buying one ;)

I might get crucified for this but still I would like to suggest a Nano. It is light and zippy (like a TVS Scooty). The maintenance is also low. Getting in and out is no problem. Seats are good for short drives. Enough space for a septuagenarian. Very cost effective and the money you save could be used for the gas.

Also the second hand Nano retail at 80-90K and is ardly a year old. Making it a great deal. check it out.

Problems areas Lack of brand image and I have no idea about the service in your area.

It has to be the Nano. Else the Santro. Please ask him to consider tall boy cars.

Also, with all due respect, please ask him to stop driving and get a driver. With today's traffic conditions, it stresses us out, imagine what effect it would have on a elderly person.

Quote:

Originally Posted by sachinj12 (Post 2483159)

Also, with all due respect, please ask him to stop driving and get a driver. With today's traffic conditions, it stresses us out, imagine what effect it would have on a elderly person.

Highly unrecommended.
Elderly people need to be kept active. Suppose he has a driver for 6 months, and suddenly the fella doesn't turn up, and if your uncle has to drive himself, he's gonna find it EXTREMELY difficult.
He should be allowed his freedom as long as he can have it.

And car wise, yes, it has to be a tall boy. 3 lac OTR will narrow your options very much.

Maruti TrueValue is highly recommended. The WagonR you see in my display pic was procured that way and has given me a very peaceful ownership experience for the past 2 years.

Go for a Santro. You'll get really good used ones for 3 lac. Its comfy, easy to drive and A$S shouldn't be a problem.