DaveGS4

iTrader: (2)

I would have her lease a CPO 2005 ES330 or late model TL (non-s) w/o Nav. Older lady won't likely appreciate (nor want) the suspension of the sporty models

Find out which has a dealer nearest her house

vboy418

Paul maybe a HUMMER??? p

RON430

Come on bit, you know you have this figured out. If a Camry can be made to work price wise, and she likes it after driving it, that's it. If the Camry is too big, and it is really good sized, how do you sell an Avalon? I know she said smaller is better but if she is going from a CTS to a Corolla, I doubt she will be too impressed. She wants to try a Toyota and in all honesty, Camry defines Toyota cars. Get her in one and if she likes it, I doubt she will regret the purchase.

mmarshall

With Hyundai incentives and the right dealerships that will bargain or give good discounts, you can get V6 Sonatas, even with options, for less than that. I just helped a co-worker buy a V6 Sonata a few weeks ago, for an Internet no-haggle price, of less than 20K out the door.

But, for your mother-in-law's specific needs and desires, I think she would be happier with either the slightly larger Hyundai Azera or Toyota Avalon. Both cost more than the V6 Sonata, but in turn deliver more car. Both fit the criteria you are describing......smaller than a Cadillac DeVille / DTS, less expensive ( the Azera even more so ), cheaper buy or lease monthly costs, and a fairly good level of comfort ( though the Avalon has slightly less road noise ). Both are well-finished, inside and out ( though I don't care for some of the Avalon's interior trim ), come with the required leather seats, are far better built than the rival Buick Lucerne ( trust me...I've reviewed all three ), have reasonable price tags, and the Azera, of course, has Hyundai's 10 year / 100,000 mile drivetrain and 5 year / 60,000 mile total-car warranties to boot. The Azera's first-year repair record, according to Consumer Reports, has been first-rate......much better than average....better even than the Avalon's with their classic Toyota quality.

Show her both cars and see which one she would prefer. If it were my money, I'd take the Azera hands-down.

mmarshall

If a used car was acceptable, I would agree with Dave on the ES330 but not necessarily the TL. If a soft suspension and tires is desired, the TL is noticeably firmer than an ES of that generation....and, in the Honda-Acura tradition, also has more road noise. Dave is definitely correct in not recommending a TL or CL type S...that would indeed be too firm and sporty for a older lady.......although I have seen some older women driving super-firm Miatas.

But......Paul mentioned, in his opening remarks, though, that one of the requirements was that it be a new car, not used. That, of course, would rule out a 2005 ES......and it is no secret that I, personally, have not been impressed with the new 2007 ES at all. His mother-in-law, IMO, would probably find the new ES suspension and tires distinctly less comfortable than the 2005-2006......I certainly did when I reviewed the car.

RON430

If you reread Bit's original post he says she has already downsized to the CTS from the DTS (a big jump in case you aren't familiar with the difference between these two Caddy's) and wants something smaller yet. If she is serious, she won't be interested in the Avalon. The Camry may also be too big for her after the CTS, at least in the feel inside, but mommy in law will have to go try them out for herself. And her other interest was jumping on the Toyota bandwagon. If she isn't interested in Toyota then there are a lot of other cars that would appeal to her in other brands. Of course if bit's read of her intentions are off, everything is fair game.

mmarshall

Yes....I understand the difference between the DTS and CTS, very well. ( I was once part of a CTS focus group ). I recommended the Avalon and Azera because comfort seemed to be a priority, and both these cars offered a lot of comfort for a good price, good quality, and a not-too-big exterior size for the comfort you actualy got. The Azera, especially, is not really that big a car on the outside, and actually has a pretty small rear overhang.....smaller than the Avalon's.

Comfort, in this case, seemed to be a real priority, at least the way Paul explained it. The Camry and Sonata offer a fine level of comfort, especially for the money ( in that area the Sonata really shines ), but I'm not sure that his mother-in-law would be satisfied with either one after seeing and driving the Azera or Avalon.

Of course, you and I can discuss the issue all day long, but it is ultimately her purchase or lease money at stake, not ours....and she will have to decide what car she really wants......with Paul's help.

And just an aside note..........while I did NOT let this influence my recommendation ( my vehicle recommendations are objective and geared to the specific needs of the individual ), I'll admit that I am impressed enough with the new Azera and what it offers for the money, especially after the disappointment the new Lexus ES350 is, that, if I don't get another Subaru, an Azera may well be my next new car a few years down the road.

bitkahuna

iTrader: (20)

You guys are awesome!

KayGee et al - I think the Avalon will be too big, but I'll keep it in mind.
DaveGS4 - Don't think she'll go for CPO/used, but appreciate the thought.
JP - really like the TSX idea, might be just right.
mmarshall - like the Azera thoughts.

Another detail which I'll stick back in my OP is she's tiny and elderly so getting in/out must be easy and she needs to be able to operate the car easily and be able to 'see over'.

So I think we're at:

Camry, Accord, Sonata, Azera, TSX, TL.

Plenty to find a good deal.

I knew I could count on your guys for GREAT feedback. You're the best.

RON430

No, I don't mind how anyone makes their recommendations. After all, GM has managed to go from bad to worse thinking their view of the consumer is accurate and there is nothing like all of us here who fancy ourselves as knowledgeable about cars to figure we know what everyone should drive. I just start with bit's read of her intentions. Without knowing the lady, that's as good as it gets. I wasn't part of a CTS focus group but I did get to spend some time at Laguna Seca with a GM development team and a CTS-V development mule and got a lot of respect for it before it was introduced. Always difficult to tell from a development car but if the CTS is too big, and that was clearly stated, I don't think she would be too interested in many of the vehicles mentioned. I also liked previous verisons of Avalon interior over the current one. Just some Toyota development not striking my fancy so that is probably why I would not have recommended it anyway.

TwiBlueG35

I really recommend your m-i-l to get a IS250 with premium/HIDs.

DriftNsc3

MMarshall, what type Subie do you have? A new Legacy GT or the wagon? Just guessing.
I'm glad to my 2 picks are still in the running, the Accord and the TSX!

wiz2

TSX or 07 Sentra w/CVT

UberNoob

another vote for IS250 since that off-white color is the first priority it seems
IS is nimble and good to get around in
not too big for a small lady

Trexus

If she wants a Toyota then in my opinion I would opt for the Camry. There are a few choices within the Camry model range. There is the four cylinder, V6 or hybrid version and she can have leather as well. The price range is reasonable, that shouldn't be too much of an issue. That's my 2 cents...

trent

My vote is for the TSX, Accord, and Camry.