Suggest to take advantage of the odds. Use the principle of the wisdom of crowds. I don’t know everything, you don’t know everything, but together we know more together than either of us individually. etc etc. Limit your choice from among of the 2 or 3 biggest selling car models in your area that fit the size you are looking for. They sell in big volumes b/c people like them. In California the biggest selling ecoono-boxes are probably the Corolla, Civic, and whatever number 3 is. M3 maybe.
It will be easier to find parts, easier to find somebody who knows how to fix it, and b/c everything is easier, it is also less expensive to repair and maintain.
Taking into account three things; reliability, fuel economy, and a car for a grandmother I come up with used Prius.You led into the story with “efficiency” and there is no 2007 model more efficient. The Prius is also hard to beat for reliability. I did a quick internet check and the Prius is sold in Austraila.
1 Like
One concern w/the Prius for the OP is that it might be a little more difficult to get inexpensive aftermarket parts and find a shop who has the expertise to service it. Which may make it more expensive to service. Not diss’ing the Prius at all, but I mean compared to a Corolla or Civic. And down the road you may be looking at a significant invoice for replacing the battery.
1 Like
And save money by only having one book, one DVD, and one music CD.
Agree! It reminds me of the German quote: “Vee Must Haff Efficiency At all Cost”.
A used Prius in Australia would be the very last car I would recommend for Grandma!. Overall ownership cost and day to day reliability is what matters for Grandma and people of limited means.