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Posted 6/16/2011 6:14 AM (GMT 0)
Maybe an odd question but here goes: Does anyone know of older model vehicles that might be easier to drive or ride in for people with fibro? In Nov I finally got my dream vehicle. A 91 jeep wrangler. I always wanted a wrangler and got this at a great price with a new paint job of my color choice. I knew wranglers were rough to ride in and drive, but I REALLY wanted one.

Now here it is June and I have it up for sale. about to break my heart.

Why am I selling it? 1. It handles rough. Shakes me all over the place. It really hurts my shoulders and back.

2. my mobility problems makes it hard to climb in and out of it as it has 33 inch tires. Love the look of it.

3. My physical therapist says it is probly making my back worse. Due to the previous comments.

4. finally ready for a 4 door vehicle. Parents needing rides a lot more.

I will start looking for a new vehicle in August if I have not already sold my jeep. Cross you fingers I do.

I still want an suv. Love the smaller ones. I need an older  4 dr automatic that is smooth riding and easy to get in and out of. My mom has a station wagon that is low to the ground. Sometimes it hurts my legs trying to stand up from the seat. My legs tend to shake when I first put weight on them from sitting. also of course price is a factor.

Sorry so long. Any ideas?

The edit was to fix your subject line!

Post Edited By Moderator (Sherrine) : 6/16/2011 12:22:58 PM (GMT-6)

Posted 6/16/2011 10:32 AM (GMT 0)
I've ridden...ONCE...in a jeep and it is very painful to do.  I have a 2004 Toyota Camry that I absolutely love.  The seats are soooo comfortable, it's easy to get in and out of, and the ride is totally smooth.  It has a huge trunk, too, so that's a bonus.

 

Sherrine

Posted 6/16/2011 10:47 AM (GMT 0)
i would love a smaller suv or crossover. But i am short on funds so if the jeep does not sell before august, dh will have to look over the finances with a fine tooth comb. he is great at budgeting so that is a blessing. We have a blazer that i am driving right now and another one would be good. but when i get something new, i want to make a change from what i have. Make sense. I am like that when i get new glasses or haircut even. I love the look of honda crv or passport. hubby is a big guy so he has to be comfortable in it too. Making decisions together is not our strong suit. we are complete opposites. Fun times ahead!
Posted 6/16/2011 1:35 PM (GMT 0)
The climbing and the shaking thing would make me tired. I have problems getting up into trucks, even.

For a while I had an older station wagon which I loved. Now, a 4-door civic.

Choice of car depends on where you live and your needs. I live in a heavy-traffic metro area, so fuel-efficiency is big on my choices.
Posted 6/16/2011 1:42 PM (GMT 0)
My hubby has an older GMC pickup and I can not drive it it hurts my hands, back, legs, it is so totally uncomfortable. I drive an older mini van and am looking for a newer one. But not to new my gf has a honda and I used it for a couple of days with the gps beeping all the time and the noise everything made in it I hated being inside. Sure it was nice but for me far too noisy.
Posted 6/16/2011 3:11 PM (GMT 0)
We are looking for another car, too. We have a few problems between us, and it is so hard to find something that works for the 2 of us.

I have a Toyota and I absolutely love my baby. But even so, I can't ride in the car w/o pillows behind my back and under my backside. My car is an automatic, cause I can't drive a stick. I also need it to be small, as I can't turn my neck all over to be able to backup or park. I DON'T parallel park - not in this lifetime. I can only use one arm/hand really to clean the snow off the top of my car, so it has to be low.

My DH has a Honda CR-V. It is a nice car, b u t - it is a stick. He has had sticks thru the yrs, but in the past cpl of yrs w/ his health issues, a stick is getting to be toooo much. I still need a set of pillows when I ride in his car. I also need to 'hoist' my leg up into his car. He is not 'allowed' to shovel snow or clean off his car, so it has to be something I can handle.

No easy answers to our problems. We need a cocoon on wheels. lol  Good Luck.

God bless.  Alice.

Posted 6/16/2011 5:07 PM (GMT 0)
Up to recently most of our cars have been ones we have bought from my dad. He would get tired of whatever he had and sell it to us for what he was offered for the trade in offer (and we could make pymts)/. So we have not car shopped in a long while. When we went car shopping way back when it was find what cost the least and would run. Finally with me working and dh working we can actually shop. I drive 15 minutes to work 5 days a week. Not much traffic as i work 2pm -8 pm but the main road close to us is being converted to 4 lanes so you can imagine the shape the road is in. UGH! We now have 4 vehicles: blazer, jeep, very old truck and a motorcycle. I can drive the first 2 only. Guess which 2 broke down last week! Now 950.00 later i am drivig the blazer. DH needs to drive it to save gas as motorcycle needs new tires.

I did not realize there were so many types available. I am afraid that 1 test drive will not be enough to know how it will feel after longer rides. Does that make sense? Man, I feel old. I also do not like the very big vehicles as I do not feel comfortable driving them nor do i like the very small cars. I am so confused. LOL.

Thanks everyone

Posted 6/16/2011 6:21 PM (GMT 0)
You need to get out and start sitting in ones you are interested in.  I always thought the Toyota Camrys were small but they are quite roomy inside.  My other car was a Dodge Intrepid and I have more leg room, front and back, than I did with the Intrepid.  The trunk is wonderful, too, because the back seat folds down so you can get really long things in it.

 

The dashboard is wonderful and I don't have to stretch to use anything on it.  I also have leather seats because they help me slide my butt in and out of the car easier.  If you don't have that, you can put a folded plastic garbage bag on the seat and cover it with a towel.  Your butt will swivel easily this way.  This is what I do when I rent a car that doesn't have leather.  

 

Another great feature of my car is it's 4 cylinders!  Trust me, I'm not a slow poke type of driver.  This things goes like a jackrabbit and I get 27 miles to the gallon.  Can you tell that I love this car?

 

Sherrine

Posted 6/16/2011 6:47 PM (GMT 0)
It became torture for me to get in and out of my corolla, but I am very tall. I bought a Hyundai Santa Fe and it is the perfect height. I also have degenerative disc disease so it is very painful going up and down.  Yeah I think you might have to go out and AAARRRGGGHHH paut your butt in some cars. My 07 drives like a dream with decent gas mileage and plenty of room. Good luck!!

Maggie

Posted 6/16/2011 7:04 PM (GMT 0)
I love my 2000 silverado pick up truck. It has an extended cab aned it is a 4 wheel drive. I have long legs so it is perfect for me to get in and out of. But I think before long we will have to get another vehicle. Though I love this one. I want another pick up truck or suv. I love the extended cab for groceries and taking my dog along. I don't have a topper, but don't want one, as it is harder to see behind you.

Got to have a comfortable ride. Mine still is smooth. I am glad. We got some pretty bumpy roads around here that I fear they are never going to fix. It is bad. But I don't think that the county has the money. I don't know. We are always last anyway to get anything done.

Yes, jeeps are hard to ride in, they are short and high up. So you feel everything. Sorry that it didn't work out. I hope that you get something more comfortable.

Hugs, Karen
Posted 6/17/2011 6:01 PM (GMT 0)
I read a good article about which older suvs are the best on gas... I'll see if I can find it and maybe you can use it as a starting point? Or at least it can get the mental ball rolling...

Really the only way to tell what will be right for you is to try them out.
Posted 6/18/2011 9:11 AM (GMT 0)
I have a 1996 Buick LeSabre that I love! I notice that a lot of people in this area, who park in handicapped zones, have late-90's Buick LeSabres and Park Avenues, too.

We've had 2 LeSabres. Unlike newer vehicles, the seats are soft (make sure it's the fabric version of the seats, as they're softer). It drives like a dream, the steering wheel turns on a dime. The only down side of that, for me at least, is that if I take my eyes off the road for a few seconds, I start to steer in the direction I'm looking! The ride is really comfortable, unless we hit an especially nasty pothole. It's rare I can find a car that doesn't make me ache like CRAZY, but older Buicks fit the bill.

We get good gas mileage, too, considering it's a full-sized car. :)
Posted 6/18/2011 4:32 PM (GMT 0)

hypervee said...
The only down side of that, for me at least, is that if I take my eyes off the road for a few seconds, I start to steer in the direction I'm looking!

That's just driving 101, not your car! One of the first rules is the car will steer where you are looking. It sounds crazy, but it's totally true.
Posted 6/18/2011 4:41 PM (GMT 0)
I had a Vibe for a while and really liked it. I found it very easy to get in and out of and it has plenty of room for passengers. The ride is pretty comfortable as well.

Another option might be a Nissan Versa. I had one as a rental for a week and was very suprised at how nice it was. Also very easy to get in and out of and the seats were very comfortable.

This is all really subjective as you will simple have to go out and try sitting and driving in a bunch of vehicles. I have back problems too and some seats that other people find comfy make me nuts. Good luck with your search. Take care.
Posted 6/19/2011 4:16 AM (GMT 0)
I love my jeep .. actually traded in my nissan sentra spec v for it. I was having pain in my hip from the seat belt in my car, and dont have tht prob in my jeep. now granted it is not lifted, just stock height, and yeah does ride a little rough, but i still love her and wouldnt trade her for the world.

My husbands car is a Suzuki crossover and his seat give me the seatbelt prob too..... feels like its digging in my hip, this is the same hip i had replaced so not sure if fibro makes it more tender or what...
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