Recommended Vehicle Fuel Type for 73yr Old Pensioner

Daniel Plainview on 15/01/2025 - 13:28
Last edited 15/01/2025 - 15:36 by 1 other user

Hi all, I am trying to convince my 73yr old mother of the merits of getting a certain type of vehicle, which she is currently rather resistant to. Hence, I'm hoping to leverage the expertise of folks here as to their opinion given the variables applicable to determining which type of fuel type vehicle she should lean towards.

Relevant factors:

  • Age 73yr, still very capable driver
  • Driving sub-10,000km per annum the vast majority of which are urban (sub 20km round trip)
  • Only needs smaller car (no towing, many passengers, bulk carrying etc)
  • Has ~9kW solar system on roof, on average exporting 75%+ of power back into grid @7c/kW
  • Looking to spend up to $30k on right car, leaning towards 2-4yr old low mileage 2nd hand.

I am not placing up my opinion (as don't want to influence the opinion of others).

I would welcome in the comments constructive feedback supporting your recommendation, as I will be showing this to her as oddly it seems my credibility is somewhat lesser than total strangers at times - lol the joys of assisting older parents.

Thank you in advance for your opinion & thoughts. :-)

Poll Options

  • 23
    Electric powered vehicle
  • 3
    Hybrid powered vehicle
  • 38
    Internal combustion powered vehicle
  • 1
    I just want to see the poll results
Automotive Car Electric Vehicle

Comments

  • Duckie2hh on 15/01/2025 - 13:31
    +9

    age 73yr

    Go with a simple ICE vehicle. Sorry but your mother won't be driving long enough to recoup the cost/benefit of an EV.

    • pharkurnell on 15/01/2025 - 13:36

      You can see the phone calls of mother with flat battery

    • Daniel Plainview on 15/01/2025 - 13:36
      -2

      She's in excellent health - I would be surprised if she wasn't driving for another 8-10yrs easily. Any EV vehicle would be 2-4yrs old - which is where they take a ton of depreciation.

      How long did you feel such a situation would warrant to make it viable? :-)

      • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 15:35
        +2

        I am not placing up my opinion (as don't want to influence the opinion of others).
        And yet maybe you are, hence the poll??
        https://www.ozbargain.com.au/comment/16163483/redir

        Just buy a simple ICE vehicle she is already used to.
        There's nuances you would not have thought of that could upend her. Going EV is a complication she doesn't need.
        And I hate to say it but more lithium batteries are catching fire than ICE vehicles at home.

        • klaw81 on 15/01/2025 - 17:04
          +2

          more lithium batteries are catching fire than ICE vehicles at home.

          You worded that awfully carefully.

          Lithium battery fires in homes are indeed on the rise, but it's cheap e-scooters, hoverboards and other small electronic devices that are causing those fires.

          Lithium battery fires have absolutely nothing to do with EVs - there has been a grand total of 1 instance of an EV catching fire in a house in Australia, with over 200,000 EVs on the road…..meanwhile, there are over 2000 ICE vehicle fires in NSW alone each year.

          • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 18:18
            +1

            @klaw81: You worded yours even more carefully. How many % of those ICE car fires were parked at home?
            From a pool of how many, overall?
            . I'll bet the 1 instance EV scenario becomes 100 in the next few years.At least.

            • klaw81 on 15/01/2025 - 19:19
              +1

              @Protractor:

              How many % of those ICE car fires were parked at home?

              I have no idea, they don't provide a breakdown. I think we can safely assume it was more than one.

              Currently, the leading cause of EV fires (37%, or 3 of the 8 total EV fires in Australia since 2010) is being parked a house that catches fire for some other reason.

              But since you're worried about being too specific, here's a much broader picture for you:

              Based on records of global EV battery fires from 2010-2020, there’s a 0.0012% chance of a passenger electric vehicle battery catching fire. For ICE passenger vehicles, the global rate is about 0.1%. Based on those figures, an ICE vehicle is just over 80 times more likely to catch fire than an EV.

              I don't think either of those figures are super accurate or necessarily relevant to Australia, but the statistics are pretty clear - EV fires are extremely rare, and a significantly lower risk of fire than the average ICE vehicle. That much is indisputable.

              I'll bet the 1 instance EV scenario becomes 100 in the next few years

              I'd take that bet. There is absolutely no basis to expect your prediction to be even close to correct.

              You'd expect to see a major uptick in vehicles fires in places like California or in Norway and Sweden, if your theory was correct - they have much higher penetration of EVs compared to Australia. However, no such trend has occurred.

              I recall similar predictions of impending disaster when people started putting solar panels on homes, and they turned out to be utterly baseless too.

              • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 19:26

                @klaw81: Okee. Bookmarked, ahead of the rise.

                • klaw81 on 15/01/2025 - 19:33

                  @Protractor: Don't hold your breath.

                  In case you missed the significance of the first figures I provided above, the current Australian statistics rather amusingly suggest that it's more likely that your house will set your EV on fire, than the other way around.

                  In fact, of the total 8 EV fires in Australia since 2010, only 3 have been identified as actually being caused by the car itself.

                  • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 19:38

                    @klaw81: Won't be holding my breath, just sitting back watching the numbers of EVs grow (very) exponentially ans as the race to get lithium batteries into rigs, gets busy.And batteries get older.And DIY home based recharge shortcuts (teach me Youtube) pick up.

      • DingoBilly on 15/01/2025 - 16:49

        You think that but decline happens pretty quickly. There's a reason you don't see many 80+ year olds on the road despite "excellent health", and the average age people give up their license in Aus seems to be 75 based on what I read.

        Even if in excellent health her reactions will be much slower than the average drive and she's already less safe from that perspective. All the more to her if she lasts a while but it's unlikely she'll be doing it safely for long.

      • Murkymerv on 15/01/2025 - 18:40

        Suzuki Swift , Hyundai I30 , Mazda 3 , Honda jazz.⁉️

  • jv on 15/01/2025 - 13:33
    +7

    Recommended Vehicle Fuel Type for 73yr Old Pensioner

    U98

    • pharkurnell on 15/01/2025 - 13:36

      that would depend on age of walking frame.

    • theHMASfriendship on 15/01/2025 - 14:15

      I recommend Werther's Originals

      • Chandler on 15/01/2025 - 18:17

        As a middle-aged consumer of Werther's Originals, this comment offends me…

    • Seaword on 15/01/2025 - 15:44

      Not Av Gas?

      • jv on 15/01/2025 - 15:44

        Av Gas?

        🤣

        Maybe… Bowels don't work as well at that age.

        But she is definitely U98….

  • joka on 15/01/2025 - 13:37
    +1

    I’m no expert but I saw a poll and had to engage.

  • shxhshzhz on 15/01/2025 - 13:38

    $20k brand new MG3 with a 10 year warranty or a 1-2 year old one for even less. That car use is so low that spending more is a waste. If you want a nicer car with more features and safety tech, the Chery Tiggo 4 Pro is $23990.

    Is an EV what she is against?

    • MS Paint on 15/01/2025 - 14:09
      +2
      • has ~9kW solar system on roof, on average exporting 75%+ of power back into grid @7c/kW

      Clearly this is what the annoying son is pushing at. Son probably also convinced mum to install the system even though she didn't want it.

  • miicah on 15/01/2025 - 13:45
    +2

    Why even buy a new car at this point? You won't recoup the cost going for any sort of hybrid/EV. What's wrong with the current car?

    • Daniel Plainview on 15/01/2025 - 15:21
      -1

      Older Ford Focus, she has to spend some money to get her assets down to get full pension - changing car one of the few spots where she can. The Focus has previously had transmission replaced and is lacking 2nd gen safety features I think that would benefit her (blind spot detection, autonomous braking etc). She brought up replacing car first, I'm trying to find best bang for buck.

      • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 15:36
        +1

        she has to spend some money to get her assets down to get full pension

        I'll bet you vote LNP

        • Daniel Plainview on 15/01/2025 - 16:32
          +1

          Fudge me - the folks in here. Wrong champ, I don't nor have ever voted LNP.

      • Stewardo on 15/01/2025 - 18:29

        Pokies!
        She will be backing into things shortly.
        Doesn’t need a new car, especially electric or hybrid.
        it will take years to break even.
        Seriously buy those discounted Woolworths wish cards with her cash and pre load a few insurance utilities etc.
        buy her a safe and bolt it in somewhere discreet.

  • mskeggs on 15/01/2025 - 13:46
    +4

    Older people are often most comfortable with what they know, and with low mileage and likely declining motoring over the life of this car, there isn't really an economic case for an ev.

    Maybe see if you can convince her of the environmental case? She might like to be seen as caring for the environment.
    Many EVs are a pain to operate, burying controls in touchscreen menus.
    If your mum isn't au fait with tech, it might be something she finds a substantial drawback.

  • Boioioioi on 15/01/2025 - 13:47
    +1

    EV or not I would not be getting a car with crap safety like MG3 that a lot of people suggest. Why would you spend $30k only to be in danger whenever there is an accident!

    • Gdsamp on 15/01/2025 - 13:52
      +10

      expedite your inheritance with this one simple trick

      • MS Paint on 15/01/2025 - 14:03
        +2

        I have subscribed to your posts to further enhance my inheritance.

    • Bruceflix on 15/01/2025 - 15:05

      Didn't the MG score higher in safety than Suzuki swift?

      • Boioioioi on 15/01/2025 - 15:35

        Looking at the ancap testing swift seems to have done pretty bad! Look at the side impact whole thing is crumpled. I wouldn't want either

    • Drakesy on 15/01/2025 - 15:44

      how so?

      A Toyota landcruiser has a zero star ANCAP and costs the better part of $70k, the design is literally 30 years old.

      Sometimes a cheaper runabout is all you need and it'll likely perform better than a 5 star ancap from 2013

  • sumyungguy on 15/01/2025 - 13:54
    +1

    Care to share what she drives now?

    • Daniel Plainview on 15/01/2025 - 15:21

      2012 Ford Focus.

      • MS Paint on 15/01/2025 - 15:23
        +2

        Surprised the powershift gearbox is still operational.

        Yes, I have assumed it's an auto.

  • jellyhead on 15/01/2025 - 14:03
    +2

    My mum in early eighties bought a mazda cx3 a few years ago and she loves it

    • MS Paint on 15/01/2025 - 14:05
      +3

      Perfect. Easy ingress and egress. Easy to maintain. Easy to park. Easy to refuel. No nagging son telling her what to do.

  • Dollar General on 15/01/2025 - 14:11
    +1

    Where’s the horse with cart option?

  • MS Paint on 15/01/2025 - 14:12
    +4

    I am trying to convince my 73yr od mother of the merits of getting a certain type of vehicle, which she is currently rather resistant to.

    Sounds like your mum is still super independent. That is great. Embrace that and let her make her own decision. FFS.

    • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 15:38
      +1

      Needs to get Mum on full pension so when he puts her in subsidised state health care it won't eat into his property portfolio via bequeaths. Battler family

  • crentist on 15/01/2025 - 14:12
    +1

    If she can plug in at home and EV can be very convenient, but she might struggle to develop that habit and end up with low batteries now and then.
    I've had a diesel for a few years and still get paranoid with each fill-up or when someone borrows the car, because it would be so damn easy to forget for a second and grab the wrong hose because that's familiar.

    And you probably don't want to get blamed every time she brings in the groceries and can't leave the house the next day.

  • Bruceflix on 15/01/2025 - 15:06

    My 70s parents just got a Pajero for the towing capacity. I think its diesel.

  • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 15:38

    Cybertruck or RAM

  • JDMcarfan on 15/01/2025 - 15:52
    +3

    Ensure. Sustagen is lower octane crap

    • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 16:03
      -1

      This^

    • tenpercent on 15/01/2025 - 16:08

      Well done sir
      https://you-win-the-internet.com/n/@JDMcarfan

    • JDMcarfan on 15/01/2025 - 17:29

      in all seriousness, Yaris Cross Hybrid?

      Best depreciation in the short or long-term
      Outstanding fuel economy
      Its a Toyota
      Reliability will be better than any alternative for a brand new car
      tried and tested hybrid system
      its tiny but elevated off the ground, so has good visibility
      a plus point for your situation - theyve become expensive for what they are so will bring down mum's net asset position a fair bit

  • GordonD on 15/01/2025 - 16:03

    Another thread from someone trying to run their elderly parent's life!

    Leave her alone.

    Show her her choices, suggest the relative benefits and disadvantages. Let her make her own decision.

    • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 16:04

      Competing with siblings is a serious business.

  • tenpercent on 15/01/2025 - 16:15
    +1

    Leaded petrol so she can reminisce about the old days.

    • JIMB0 on 15/01/2025 - 20:46

      And a crank handle for cold mornings when the battery is a bit low.

  • Euphemistic on 15/01/2025 - 16:44

    BYD dolphin has just been announced as coming in under $30k (plus on roads). Small, hatch.

    BUT… its big step to go EV without buy in from mum. She needs to lead the way to an EV and not get pushed there.

    Otherwise, buy a 2-3 yo toyota.

  • klaw81 on 15/01/2025 - 17:11
    +2

    My mum is a similar age and capability, and she does pretty well with tech, but I don't think I could persuade her that an EV would be a good choice. There's definitely a bit of a learning curve involved with switching to an EV, particularly relating to keeping it charged and using the occasional public EV charger. Unless your mum is genuinely enthusiastic about the idea, there's no point pushing her into it.

    Having said that, there's absolutely no reason to avoid a hybrid. There's very little downside to getting one, if it's a reasonably new car and has a good service history.

    I'd probably recommend a 2-4 year old Corolla Hybrid. It drives exactly like her old car, there's nothing new to learn but she'll get great fuel economy, excellent reliability and all the safety features you could want.

    • MS Paint on 15/01/2025 - 17:53
      +1

      OP stated…..

      I will be showing this to her as oddly it seems my credibility is somewhat lesser than total strangers at times

      I can hear the phone call now..

      Hi mum, it's Daniel your favourite son

      Hi Danielson, btw you're not my fav (cut off mid sentence)

      Anyways, I posted on an EV centric forum today about your situation with regards to your car. It would appear that a Corolla hybrid would be the most suitable but what would they know. I've booked an appointment at BYD for you to test drive their new EV on Friday so you'll have to cancel bingo.

      • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 18:36
        -1

        OP probs more like Robbie than Arthur (Mother and Son _[Original] )

  • apple2016 on 15/01/2025 - 17:24

    A reliable ICE car is only about $30k. you wont find a reliable EV for less than double that

    • klaw81 on 15/01/2025 - 17:34

      you wont find a reliable EV for less than double that

      I can't imagine which EV you consider to be the bare minimum for "reliable."

      Are you using "not made in China" as the yardstick?

    • Save Medicare on 16/01/2025 - 05:25

      BYD dolphin starts at 30k

  • Qazxswec on 15/01/2025 - 17:31
    +1

    you have already skewed the votes, you are obviously trying to push her towards an EV, the fact that you mention her solar system shows that

  • shaybisc on 15/01/2025 - 18:08

    Why is she resistant?

  • Hardlyworkin on 15/01/2025 - 18:23

    Something that is cheap to fix minor fender benders… Based on my elderly grandmother who was a VIP customer at the local smash repairs.

    • Protractor on 15/01/2025 - 18:33
      +1

      Dodge RAM,bullbar and scrub bars. Dixie horn

  • AndyC1 on 15/01/2025 - 18:42

    As per the heading "Recommended Vehicle Fuel Type" is recommend fuel that powers the vehicle.

    As for recommending a vehicle. What are other people her age driving and what do they think about their cars? I would think a 5 to 8 year old Toyota Yarris or similar size car would be the best bet.

    Electric vehicles would probably be a pain for her to get fixed and the insurance cost……If she does not have a battery then I would not expect the panels to be much use as she will be driving in the day time.

  • S2 on 16/01/2025 - 04:38

    Plot twist, OP's mum really wants an EV and they're trying to get her to stick with ICE.

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