Here’s another post with the best answer being;
- Shop in person, state your specific needs, and don’t settle for less. -
( never sign anything, tell the sales person you’re shopping all brands and will say no to all hard sell tactics. then, if after all, they have what you want, buy from the salesperson who is helpful and cheerfuly willing to allow you to walk away.)
Also, for a person with her physical restrictions, be sure to shop for other utilities that might matter over the ownership time span as she ages. ie; her ability to use the functions of the car like seat adjustment, mirrors ( she needs to see and comprehend where all corners of the car are ); windows, wipers, gauges, switches, ease of entry/exit from the driver’s seat, fueling and driving ( again,she must know or feel where the 4 corners of the car really are ).
( side note ; My 79 year old dad dumped his E150 van for a Focus and likes it. )
Shop in person, shop for the long term, and shop for the big picture.
Then after puchase, you and her together, open that owner’s manual and sit in the car and review all of the operational specifics of this vehicle. Another week from now do it again so that YOU know her new car as well as she does if any thing comes up later.
This vehicle specific knowledge is hammered home daily right in my back yard where there sits a 79 chevy pickup, a 92 Ford Explorer, and an 06 Ford hybrid Escape. Every single one of those has DIFFERENT operational controls. Wipers, head lights, fog lights, interior lights, heater, a/c, seats, fuel doors, spare tire & tools, door handles, seat belts…ALL DIFFERENT ! I drive the 92 daily and when I hop in the 06 or the 79 I actually have to stop and review the things I need this time.