While she's looking at other cars I'm going to steer her towards a MINI. I'm going to include the features list, any suggestions on how to make it easy to drive as she gets older feel free to chime in:

* Premium Package
* Convenience Package
* Back-Up Sensors
* Automatic Transmission
* Xenon Headlamps
* Auto-dimming rearview mirror
* Auto-on headlamps
* Navigation System

I've omitted the standard stuff for space convservation.

 

Wooo Hooo! Grandma will love it Keep us posted.

My Dad loves the MINI also, but it's just too hard for him to get in and out of without an "oh s_it" handle on the drivers side...

Donna
02' CR/W MCS (gone to MINI heaven - burned up)
05' Cool Blue MCSC "Ariel"
05' HB/W MCS

 

Do the auto-on headlamps come on when you turn on the windshield wipers? CA law now requires lights be on anytime wipers are on.

Multifunction steeringwheel a must! (may be in a package).

By the way, how old is Grandma ?? I know there are a lot of grandmothers younger than I am (64 and 3/4).

Earl

 

I'm not sure on the headlights. Its got day time running lamps, not sure if that counts as being "on" though.

The multi-function steering wheel is indeed included in the Premium Package.

She turned 65 January of this year.

 

Gotta get the Cold Weather Package - heated seats are good for the bones!
Ok, maybe just the heated seats. Heated washers and mirrors in SoCal are a bit of overkill, and you can't turn them off.

10851CS - no they don't come 'on' automatically with the wipers, but I'd say DRL's are close. Then again, DRLs don't illuminate the tail lamps, so if Johnny Law is a having a bad day, he could get you.

 

My wife's cousin's grandma (85) drives a MINI through the tight canyons in Japan! woohoo~!!! I bet she can heel and toe too.

 

Get all 4 packages....Sport, Premium, Cold Weather, and Convenience. That'll give her almost the whole kit & kaboodle. Don't be so sure about the automatic transmission....Granny may just know how to change gears all by herself!

 

No I certainly have a good hold on what my grandmother wants and price is a little bit of a concern. A fully loaded Cooper gets close to 30K. We're trying to stay closer to 23-25K. I really don't think she needs the wheels or the fog lights in the Sports Package and I doubt she needs anything more than ASC. As far as the Cold Weather package goes, heated seats are a bit of overkill in LA.

Thanks though. :smile:

 

So much depends on the individual that it is hard to generalize, but I'll tell you what I'd get my Mom within your price range:

Starts with an MC, CVT with a white roof (it will help other people see her .
I would probably not get her the Sport or Premium packages because in her case she would likely not want the bolsters of the sport seats from the SP (makes it harder to get in and out), or the sun roof from the PP (see, so much is dependant on the individual). Xenons are out as I know she does not like them.

So that leaves the following:

* Cold weather pkg: this is for the heated seats; you may not think you'd use them in S. Cali but I know I did when I was there - it can get chilly during the night and the seat heaters are a nice, rewarding luxury

* Convenience pkg: the auto headlamps and dimming mirror in particular would probably be nice safety features for her making it worth the $400.

* DSC: more advanced then ASC and could make a difference in an emergency; again, a choice for her safety.

* Front and rear fogs: this is a tough one since I don't know if I could get her used to flipping those toggles on enough, but they are great safetly/visibility features. I've been stuck in fog all over Cali and the fog lights can be great assets IMHO.

* Park Distance: very handy to have.

* DVD Nav: After never having it and driving all over with maps, etc she would love it. Its also great for getting around traffic and finding the way to appointments, etc.

* Cruise Control/MFSW: Safety related and convenience stuff.

All of this came to $22,550 on MiniUSA; I think it covers neat stuff she would enjoy, safety stuff for her own good, and omits stuff she would not necessarily like/use. There are items I could easily trim to bring the cost down, and'or of course if she did want the sunroof that would change things, but I still think I could work it under your $25k ceiling. And maybe even throw in the Purple Haze paint I think she'd like :smile:

Hope that helps in some way - took me a lot longer to look up and post then I thought when I started

 

Thanks!

Funny enough she wants the climate control and she'd like a sunroof so I'm going with the premium package based on that for now. I'm going to try and stay away from the sports seats.

Thought of DCS over ACS as more of a fun feature but maybe it would be good from a safety perspective.

 

If cost is a concern, why not lose the nav system? Do you really think she'd use it? And while you're at it, the xenon lights are nice, but hardly necessary. As far as auto-on headlights go, she obviously has plenty of years of driving under her belt without those kinds of features, so she probably knows when to turn on her headlights... same goes for the auto-dimming mirror. Just more fluff to fix expensively down the road. Anyway good luck with the sell! :smile:

 

I have to interject based on this comment cause its funny how I see people driving every day who clearly *know how* to turn on their headlights (or turn signal) but don't have enough sense to do so when conditions clearly indicate they should be on.

Anyway, I think he just feels that it would be a safety factor for them to come on without her having to think about it and improve the car's visibility.

Note: I've had auto dimming mirrors and such on my 3 series for over 5 years and no need to fix; in my experience things like that are not what fails on a car.

 

She's looking to get something she'll have for a long time and the thought with the Nav is to make sure she doesn't get lost. Xenons would simply be a safety feature as would the auto on lights. The less she has to worry about as she's get older the better I feel. :smile:

 

My mother, who is 71 years old, LOVES the heated seats in my MINI. She says they help "relax" and loosen up her back. By the way I live in the San Francisco Bay Area and would not trade my heated seats for anything.

 

[size=2]I think it’s really awesome you’re trying to help get your grandma in a Mini I’ve been trying to get my mother to drive mine ever since I got it, but she’s scared. For grandmas I would try to keep it simple and basic. That way she can enjoy Mini without having to worry about any unnecessary technical problems and malfunctions that may sometimes incur when you get into all the extras.

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