Took the grandparents car shopping...

"Der Käfer" (Rhy) 10/30/2013 at 09:36 • Filed to: None

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My grandparents recently needed a new car. Their 1994 Buick Park Avenue that was white... then wrecked, then painted black.... then wrecked 2 more times then finally ended up electric blue with a super coarse metallic flake oh and it had a whopping 225,000 miles on the original engine and transmission (the 3800 series I engine was a tank.) but the engine basically turned into a massive melted piece of metal after they stopped taking it to the dealership at 200,000 miles and it left them stranded 2 streets from home (they still called me and asked for a ride home.)

So they wanted to lease a car and I said "Alright where do you want to go?" just out of curiosity. They both at the same time said "We like those Ty-ot-ers"

I just held my tongue and scooted them to the local toyota. They drove everything from camrys to the prius... but didn't like a single one. We then went down the road to nissan where the same situation occured.... they didnt like anything! Not even the beige ones!

But then it happened, one of the sales guys was driving...... a scion xD..... they both looked at me and said "We want that nee-sand!" I tried to say no, I tried to turn them away and towards the new maxima but no, they wanted to go look at it (I had to explain to them it was a scion not a nissan and that scion was a sub brand by toyota). They drove a grey one and loved it, my grandparents are the proud new owners of a 2014 Scion xD and they can't get enough of it. I think they are the oldest scion drivers at 70 and 87 years old.

So to end this, what cars would you suggest your elders buy?

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:39

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A 2011 Grand Marquis.

Party-vi > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:40

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Nibby > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:40

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xD at their choice.

y u no Ford Fusion?

Der Käfer > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 10/30/2013 at 09:41

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In baby blue of course!

Der Käfer > Nibby 10/30/2013 at 09:41

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xD right? Silly old people Scions are for kids!

They refused to buy domestic again because they said it would end up like the buick.

Der Käfer > Party-vi 10/30/2013 at 09:42

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ohhhh haha ohhhh you are funny, NOT YET.

Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:43

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Naturally!

Party-vi > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:43

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:3

I mean, all my grandparents are dead so this seems appropriate.

505Turbeaux > Party-vi 10/30/2013 at 09:45

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Hahahaha this! or this!

BJ > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:46

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Hey, if they like it then why not? Maybe they feel young and hip in it, maybe the boxy styling appeals to them, maybe it was just something that clicked.

For older drivers who are likely in the their last years of automotive independence: As long as it's safe, has excellent visibility, and not too much power, it's fine by me.

Sn210 > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:46

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I've seen more elderly people in Scions than young people. Back when the xB first came out, all the ones I saw on the road had an old person at the wheel.

BJ > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:46

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Oh hey, do you have pictures of the old car from its' three different lifetimes? Just curious...

Der Käfer > Yowen - not necessarily not spaghetti and meatballs 10/30/2013 at 09:47

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OR a 2009 linclon town car in the "Presidential, executive, limited landau roof, deluxe, pent house suite" edition!

Der Käfer > BJ 10/30/2013 at 09:48

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I'ma t work but when I get over there, I will find them and post it..... the final color was..... well lets just say all it needed was 26 inch 2 spoke chrome rims and we could of sold it for $3k

Nibbles > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:48

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End up like the Buick:

Gave 225,000 miles over 20 years or so, and possibly only died due to neglect? Wrecked 3 times and still serviceable?

I don't

Der Käfer > Nibbles 10/30/2013 at 09:51

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There's no changing what they think.... trust me... I've explained how wonderful that damn buick was to them.

KusabiSensei - Captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs > Sn210 10/30/2013 at 09:52

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That's because young people have a distinct lack of cash. And if they had that cash, they would be spending on something other than a Scion.

Hooker > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:52

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This. It's big, smooth, comfortable. Gets OK mileage in 2.5 trim and the engine isn't a dog.

Go Hawkeyes > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:53

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70 and 87? I realize age differences don't seem as bad as you get older but 17 years? So, was your grandfather a bit of a pedo or was your grandmother a cougar?

Joking aside, I think that's a good car for older people. It's small and not powerful. My grandmother had been driving a large Cadillac for 20 years and it was just too big and had too much power for her at 80. She wrecked it. She bought a Smart car to replace it. Although if she wreck that she'll likely not walk away like the Caddy wreck, she at least has a much easier time driving it.

BJ > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 09:58

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Most excellent.

Battery Tender Unnecessary > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:01

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I'm having a hell of a time with my grandfather and his misconceptions about modern cars. He's got an '82 Pontiac Grand Prix he bought new and a '77 Cadillac Sedan Deville he bought in a parking lot a couple weeks back before we could tell him it was a bad car and a bad idea (he spent 20% of his savings on it, $3k). He's admitted the purchase was a bad idea and thinks he can sell it for $5k. I keep telling him they made 177k of them and it's not that rare in the big scheme of things.

I took him to look at a CTS4 Wagon the other day and he loved it but has convinced himself he won't even know how to put it into drive. I tell him not much has changed except the radio/nav. My grandmother died last year and he's hasn't had a new car since '82 mainly because of her spending habits. Now he has a steady income and deserves something nice. Lease rates on the older CTS' are great too, and he now understands that we won't be burdened if he passes as well, they just cancel the lease.

CalzoneGolem > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:01

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Kia Soul.

Easy to get in and out of. Easy to drive. Easy on the wallet. Not easy on the eyes.

Jagvar > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:05

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Well, my grandma drives a 2005 Mercury Sable, but if she had to replace it, she'd probably go for a base Ford Focus in sedan trim.

She'd be dead-set on a Ford product. Lincoln would be too expensive, and the Taurus and Fusion would each be "too fancy" in her eyes. Just being realistic here.

key > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:07

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subaru forester

Der Käfer > Jagvar 10/30/2013 at 10:07

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LOL my grandparents drove a pruis with nav and it took the sales guy 10 minutes to show them how to get it in "D" and they HAAAAAAAAAAATED the digital displays.

Der Käfer > Battery Tender Unnecessary 10/30/2013 at 10:11

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One thing I told them I wouldnt allow them to do was "buy" a car, I wanted them to lease it. They're getting up there now and none of us kids want to take over a loan on a Scion xD..... just saying/

My grandma is more easy to convince than my grandpa. He is like yours, everything is tooooo fancy for him, it hurts his eyes and even went as far as saying the steering wheel mounted audio controls hurt his hands ..

Der Käfer > CalzoneGolem 10/30/2013 at 10:14

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I showed my grandpa one he said "isnt that the rodent car? what're you trying to say?"

His favorite thing to do is eat cereal, watch his 60 inch flat screen and nod off to college football. He watches A LOT of tv.

George McNally > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:17

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My mom is 72 and drives a 2007 Saturn Ion with 8000 miles on it that is in showroom condition. Assuming she lives for another 10 years or so....I'll be inheriting a 18 year old car with about 15,000 miles on it.

offroadkarter > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:18

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unless its a tC, most scions I see are driven by old people

Der Käfer > Go Hawkeyes 10/30/2013 at 10:20

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Yea.... grandpa scooped her early....

Before the buick they drove a 1979 Volvo 245 wagon.

Der Käfer > George McNally 10/30/2013 at 10:21

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that is so cool! my moms mom has a 1998 buck century with 40k miles.

Der Käfer > offroadkarter 10/30/2013 at 10:22

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In my city... the whole scion brand is over run by guys who think their scion with the dragon decal is the fastest car in the world.

Der Käfer > BJ 10/30/2013 at 10:25

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I am not really upset they bought one. It is just what they need, they pay I think 180 a month to lease it? Proud of them. My grandma wipes it down with pledge twice a week.

CalzoneGolem > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:35

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Haha well their Matrix should be good to them.

Svend > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:39

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I know many with Nissan Qashqais, Ford Focuses, Hyundai Getzs, Honda Jazzs and Ford Fiestas. So mostly medium/small five door hatchbacks (other than the Nissan, which is a medium size SUV) for little trips to the shops and to go and see the grand children and take them out for the day.

The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 10:44

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At 87 I would try to get them to not drive anymore.

BJ > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 11:01

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LOL!

You want to have some fun? Post that exact comment over at Reddit in /r/AutoDetailing/

cazzyodo > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 11:08

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This is a funny example of how Scion failed with their intended market. They marketed to recent grads when they first came out and then you look five years later and the captured market was primarily grandparents. I've seen studies that show this too haha

Jayhawk Jake > CalzoneGolem 10/30/2013 at 12:07

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This was going to be my recommendation. According to salespeople at Kia, it's very popular with older folks for those reasons.

Der Käfer > BJ 10/30/2013 at 12:09

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hahahaha oh god

Der Käfer > cazzyodo 10/30/2013 at 12:11

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It is what it is! cheap, safe, toyota based? old people mobiles.

Der Käfer > The Opponaut formerly known as MattP123 10/30/2013 at 12:11

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they both work full time AND drive! It's a pride thing..

Der Käfer > Svend 10/30/2013 at 12:13

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always about the grand kids! The honda fit/jazz was more on the expenisve side of the budget!

CalzoneGolem > Jayhawk Jake 10/30/2013 at 12:15

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I'm 33 and it is popular with me for those reasons.

Jayhawk Jake > key 10/30/2013 at 12:22

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Heh, my grandmother drives one of those. Grandfather drives a Legacy

cazzyodo > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 12:25

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It's all true!!!!!

Funny that they missed their target by about 50 years though haha

Svend > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 12:53

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I know three elderly couples who have them for there safety. One, a friends grand mother had a really bad accident and the car writen off, but the two grand daughters and herself were completely unharmed and she refuses to drive anything else now.

Der Käfer > Svend 10/30/2013 at 13:12

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I wanted them in a japanese car, for the reliablity. thats cool though, the jazz proved better than I thought.

Svend > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 13:23

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The grand mother is an amazing decent woman and the youngest of the two grand daughters has a condition in which she's survived against great odds. She's 13 (coming 14) and wasn't expected to ever walk and/or live beyond five years old. It would of been tragic for any of them to of been hurt. That car that day earned it's money and her respect. She wants a Fiesta or something sportier, but will never drive any other vehicle with her grand daughters on board.

Mosqvich > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 13:28

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BMW X1 28i without iDrive.

Desu-San-Desu > Der Käfer 10/30/2013 at 21:51

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Nope. They fall right in the typical age-range of Scion xD drivers as I've pointed out before:

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Working for a Toyota and Scion dealership, I tend to try and meander near the Scions because of the very fact that old people USED to love the Avalons and Camry's, but now with all of them coming standard with a 6.1" touchscreen infotainment system and a multitude of technology options, it gets exhausting and frustrating trying to explain these features to an older previous Avalon or Camry customer, only to have them look at how (genuinely) easy the system is to use and then turn to you and say "Damn it, why'd they go and break it?"

You want to know what old people buy? The same thing young people buy. But for very different reasons. It's why I hang around the Scions- because inevitably they're going to be purchased by one of those two types of people:

Customer A:) Young and on a tight budget. Wants an inexpensive car, but doesn't want a Corolla, Yaris, Matrix, or Camry. Wants something with a decent parts aftermarket and a 'youthful' look, but still has a low operating cost and cheap insurance. Probably has no credit history, but a co-signer in the form of an older family member.

Customer B:) Old customer who wants a new car but doesn't want all the extra features that comes with new cars these days. Scions are a more basic vehicle due to their price point and demographic. Touchscreen multimedia system? It's an option, but not standard. Bluetooth? Yeah, it's there, but it's just one button, so you can ignore it easily enough.

You get simple buttons and simple knobs in an inexpensive, reliable vehicle that is also 'youthful looking' and therefore makes the older driver feel younger by association. The primary culprit? The Scion xB? Why? Because the seats are almost exactly at hip level, making entry and exits easy., there's tons of interior room and visibility while still keeping a small, easy-to-park exterior footprint, the operating costs are cheap, insurance is also cheap, and they get to impress their friends on Sunday afternoons by saying they drive a 'Sky-On'.

Oh, and these customers generally have an excellent credit score due to years of co-signing on cars for grandchildren who bought Scions and therefore made grandma or grandpa want one too. In my time selling Scions, I've never sold a Tc to anyone over 27, never sold an xB to anyone under 46, and have noticed a consistent patterns in who buys which Scion models. Except the FR-S. That car seems to attract all ages and all backgrounds because...well, because it's that awesome, haha.

Also, it's not just the Scion xB- the Nissan Cube and Kia Soul are also oddly popular with the elderly. There's just something they love about boxes on wheels that were styled and marketed towards 'the urban youth market', with hip-level seating, large interior volumes and greenhouses, tight turning radius', simple center console designs, 'funky' interiors, and inexpensive operators costs.

Essentially old people are buying cars that carmakers are trying unsuccessfully to sell to their grandchildren instead:

Der Käfer > Desu-San-Desu 10/31/2013 at 07:54

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I agree 10000000000000000% with what you wrote, power to the scion.