[simplysaj]

An Ignis or a Wagon R would be appropriate I guess. Very reliable, quite spacious, comfortable ingress/egress, excellent overall visibility, decent ride comfort and spares availability for a long time.

[vj_torqueaddict]

I am assuming that your acquaintance's location is Kerala. I will definitely recommend the Bolero, considering how apt it is for the region.

- The new model has ABS and Airbags and is very very refined compared to the older gen.
- It is pretty comfortable for long drives. I have covered more than 1k on highways now, mostly on broken roads.
- Being a ladder frame , it will definitely last for more than a decade. Spares should be easily available and servicing too should not be an issue.
- I am getting a mileage of around 18-20 kmpl on highways and 15-16 kmpl inside the city with AC on all the time. So it should be easier on the pocket , considering that the person is about to retire.

Happy hunting!

[sunilch]

Originally Posted by ashwinprakas

A middle aged gentleman I know is nearing retirement and is on the lookout for a 4 Wheeler that sits within the 10L price bracket OTR.

This would be his last 4 Wheeler and hence expects the vehicle to last at least 3 Decades, so simply put spare availability and service(quality and cost) are of the essence, plus this also means that fad models are out of interest as they'd be selling well now but things wouldn't be so certain in a year or two.

He doesn't have any inclinations towards electronics and convenience features, if he could save some bucks opting for a model without PS and with manual winders then he'd go for it without a second thought.

Given what you have posted so far I will do the following:

1) Take a Manufacture whose is dead committed to India. They will kill themselves before giving up on India market. Only three names come to mind here - Maruti Suzuki, Hyundai and TATA.
2) Take an AT model only into consideration. Type of gear system may differ from company to company but at this age convenience take precedence. So does ease of ingress in the car.
3) Take their top hatch back or pseudo-SUV that sell in good numbers monthly.

From Maruti: Swift + Dzire (if boot space is needed), WagonR, S-Presso, Alto/Celerio - They all have AMT options and parts availability will not be an issue. Except for S-Presso all others have been around for a long time and Maruti is known to retain brands on its shelf.

Hyundai - Grand i10 and Venue are good options. But he may not like these as they come loaded with gizmos.

Tata - Tiago + Tigor (for boot space). Tata seems committed to the market with these and hence support will continue for a long time.


But 30 years for a car is too long a time to keep. Above cars are capable of surviving upto 15 years and by then, people are known to have a change of heart

Wild thought - Ask him to raise his budge and also wait for 1 more year. Then get a Nexon EV or an updated Tigor EV or Altroz EV (if available). Worth a try

[RoadMonkey]

My father is going to retire soon and he has already started listing all the things he wants in his "final" car. These are less his specific preferences and more the general preference of a person in late 50s/early 60s.

1) Small and easy to maneuver.
2) Upright seating position for good visibility.
3) An auto box.
4) Easy maintenance.

He wishes he could buy a renewed version of his current Ritz with a lighter steering and an auto box.

As such, he found the Brezza a bit too big for his liking. He'd want to use his car for daily chores, basically as a replacement for a scooter and Brezza doesn't fit the bill for most tier 2/3 cities with tight roads. He felt uncomfortable in the TD of the Jazz. He's been driving our new Polo like a champ and enjoying it very much but he's stated his preference for higher seating. The only real car that fits the Bill is Ignis AMT. The variant can be bought as per the gentleman's preference.

Concerns have been raised about its built quality but the Ignis gets TECT Body and is definitely better built than Wagon R, Swift. If the gentleman has no issues with the size of the car, Brezza is definitely a better choice. Do consider an automatic, as one gets older, operating a MT gearbox can become a chore.

[ynike99]

My father is going to retire in few months, we just got the Ignis Zeta Amt home. We had considered WagonR as well. You can suggest a Maruti, but it wont last 30 years for sure.

[Thermodynamics]

Originally Posted by The Rationalist

as he ages it will be difficult to drive a manual car. He should buy an automatic, I would suggest upcoming Altroz DCT.

+1 to that

Rationally, I would also suggest them to include Safety and Auto transmission as part of their criteria. Something like Altroz, Nexon, Brezza in the order of safety rating might suit. Being minimalist is good, but an aging driver in an Alto won't bode well with traffic mayhem on our roads.

From Ashwin's choices, my heart goes to Bolero for the sheer utilitarian purpose. Never mind scratching here and there (metal bumpers). A timeless design with only caveat being rusty.

[crdi]

As a long-termer for a person of retirement age, look for:

1, High/tall seating and large glass area, good or upgradeable headlights.

2, Modest dimensions, light steering and a small turning radius. (Taking a U-turn or a tight parking in some of the vehicles suggested here would be a real pain for an elderly gent)

3, A Light clutch if a manual.

4, A car that would allow some after-market tinkering.

5, At least two different service centres nearby. As far as I know, Maruti Suzuki is the only manufacturer in our country with an option of non-dealer service centres.

6, A car that doesn't scream 'Granny on board'.

I am not a big fan of the brand or the car I am going to suggest here, but do take an in-depth look at the Maruti Suzuki Brezza.

[V.Narayan]

A lot of good solid advice has been provided by several other members on which model, which make. I won't repeat that. Any car available off the shelf today other than the latest electric vehicle is likely to no longer be road legal in 2050. Significant changes in both technology and law are bubbling forth which is most likely to almost completely change the scene of what is allowed on the roads in 2050 or even 2040. So you may request him not to over plan.

Second in 15 years - ie by the time he/she is in his/her mid-70s the personalized transportation services available will be far richer and diverse than today. It might make owning a car parked in your garage obsolete.

As one of the few active members who is actually retired and walked this path my next car purchases would be only full EV in a few years and after 2040 I don't intend to drive - hire a service might be more convenient given that at 80 I'll be moving around a lot less than I do at 60.

Now were did I put my dentures.

[V_Gupta]

I wholeheartedly suggest S Cross manual model for the gentleman. We have Zeta 2018 model and we have gone on several road trips with family. The road manners and comfort is very satisfying and drivable in slow traffic as well.

We purchased this car with the thought of keeping it as long as possible and using it for in city as well as highway runs and so far it is ticking every right box for us.
As suggested in the team-bhp forum, if you are looking to purchase a car, it's better to get is correct the first time, for us, it was S Cross.
I think a car with comfortable driving dynamics, good ingress, and reliability of Maruti, S Cross will give him a pleasant experience.

As for 30-year expectations, let us leave it to future discussions with OP if he ever decides to do so.

[sumeethaldankar]

Originally Posted by ynike99

My father is going to retire in few months, we just got the Ignis Zeta Amt home. We had considered WagonR as well. You can suggest a Maruti, but it wont last 30 years for sure.

Here is 20 year 800. I don't think it will have trouble reaching 30 years.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/long-...s-pg-27-a.html (The love of my life - A 2000 Maruti 800 DX 5-Speed. EDIT: Gets export model features on Pg 27)

It all depends on the upkeep. A good car with proper care can easily last 30 years.

[androdev]

Sorry for going off topic, but the thread title sounds very bleak to me! Why not call it the first car after retirement? If I hope to be healthy enough to drive a car for 30 years after retirement, I would not be thinking in the lines of "last car.."!

[rahulskumar]

I've not read through all the comments, I would suggest Mahindra Thar . Should last a lifetime

[kamilharis]

Automatic on a lesser budget - WagonR or Ignis

Safer MT just below 10L - Brezza or Urban Cruiser

But I don't think he will be holding on to any of the car for 3 decades considering the transformations happening in the industry.

If he holds on to it I would be happy to see an update on that regard in this thread, somewhere around the year 2049.

[saion666]

Alto or a wagonR lxi will be my pick. These cars sell in abundance and maruti has the best chance to still be in India after 30 years.

[saket77]

If I were him, I’d pick up a WagonR or the Ignis with eyes closed. The ingress, upright driving position and spaciousness will only help. With the given requirements, only a Maruti fits the bill. Except that 30 years clause. No car is going to last 30 years from now because either of the complex electronics or the even complex government policies.

Don’t even look at the pre-owned cars because they would have already lived a good part of their lives and your requirement is as long as you can get out the car.

Regards.