There were only two deficiencies in that car (apart from the one that led me eventually to get rid of it): it was noisy, and it had no cruise control… a serious limitation on highway driving for someone whose feet don’t work quite right. Otherwise, I loved that car.

I’d better stop now. Otherwise, I’ll start pining for the good old days. 🙂

There are lot of good little cars, but look for a “95% solution”, a vehicle that handles 95% of your needs. Most SUVs are 5% vehicles.

Steve, this isn’t a hatchback, but the rear seat folds down and you can haul a lot of stuff in the back.

and speaking of larger cars: i’ve always preferred the tiny ones myself, but when my parents offered to give me their old buick, i couldn’t pass it up, being in a financial fix at the time and desperately needing to replace the car i had. the buick was an aircraft carrier compared to what i was used to, but lo and behold, it’s the first car i’ve ever owned where you can RAISE the drivers seat. first time in years i’ve been able to see over the steering wheel.

Swap a hard drive? not a fair test… even I managed to do that! 🙂

hipparchia, the duct tape art site was fun; thanks.

EPA mileage numbers must be determined using only a frame, no seats or other interior, no panels and possibly no bumpers… how else could they come up with those numbers. Your mileage may, uh, vary.

Ellroon, my first car, a 1954 Opel, had upholstery based on a department store remnants table, a maroon leather driver’s seat from a crashed Humber and no front passenger’s seat. It had the European “flipper” turn signals, and a standard transmission with occasional synchro in some gears. Six months worth of insurance cost mor than the car, but it kept me out of trouble.

Badtux, all of the numbers from EPA are bogus, but we don’t have anything that would be called city, even in jest, within 40 miles. The driver’s seat on the Civic adjusts so that my Mother can see out the windshield, which was a problem when she drove GM tanks, like her Pontiacs and Olds. She liked the looks and the seats in the Civic better, and was annoyed at the fuel economy difference. Another problem is that she was going to have to wait for a Fit, while they had Civics in stock.

Unless you have the hybrid Civic you will never get 40mpg on the highway in the Civic. My mother only got 35mpg on the highway in her 1993 Civic, which was 500 pounds lighter and had a smaller engine (1.6L vs. 1.8L) than the newer Civic. The EPA “highway” mileage is a joke.

I haven’t told her making her car identifiable will make it impossible to misbehave….