Jazz and others, your thoughts please

automatic forget it only ever buy old toyotas with automatic transmission.
get a 2000 toyota with older 90s engine and gearbox
any swapatron mechanic can service that.
rav4 are heaps of crap and dont buy a estima or previa either
corolla runx tonace noha only 4 cilinder petrol engine from toyota and 3 and 4 speed automatics from aisin

If you are after an automatic vehicle, my advice would be to stay away from Peugeots. or anything French for that matter. If your price range is $4k and reliability is of high priority, I'd be looking at Toyota Corollas and Starlets. As for the RAV4, it is a practical vehicle, but is thirsty and produces A LOT of road noise. and it handles like a balloon full of porridge.

I agree with others. stay away from the Pug and RAV4 ( thirsty ) . Go for a Corolla , Starlet or similar like a Spacio or Funcargo . they may be ugly but are functional. Good luck .

Those are a very good little car, but as above the auto kills it. They just don't last very long and they are also not a pleasant unit to use, especially on the hilly stuff.

It's a difficult one with your budget and requirements and I think you are doing the right thing by looking "outside the box" for value, especially as you need cruise control.

If you did decide to get that one, it would need quite frequent automatic fluid changes, to try and get it to last. It may do a bit better than most with the smaller engine.

So. what else might suit?

If at all possible, I would try extending the budget just a little bit and getting a Golf Plus. Nice high seats, cruise control is available on many/most, particularly good for a tall person, nice high seats and good space for your walker. I do see them as cheap as 6K.

Grande Punto's have cruise control as do the second generation A class but bother of these also fall around the 6K mark as a starting point.

A Volvo V40 would be worth considering but the seating position may be too low and parts are not as cheap/easy as say VW or Fiat. But still worth a thought as cruise control and a reasonable boot are going to be available on those.

I am wondering if you might fluke an older MK4 Golf with cruise control in your price range. Another thought is to add cruise control, with "drive by wire" cars that had this as an option it can often be added very inexpensively with the parts ordered from ebay etc. You would need to research the particular car. With drive by wire the car already has the hardware it needs to make cruise control work, it's sometimes just a matter of adding the stalk control and enabling it in the car software. I am wondering if this might be a possibility with a MK2 Punto, would be worth researching.

Another ideal car would be a Fiat Panda, but getting one with cruise in your price range would be hard. Would be ideal though in that they have a great auto, high seats and are super economical and low maintenance.

Sorry that's about all my ideas for the moment and they are far from ideal. I think myself personally, given the massive difference an extra 2-3K would make given your criteria, I would be looking hard to see if I could get a grant from somewhere, or even seeing if a car dealer would sell a car to you a bit below cost in return for some publicity or something.

Would be well worth talking to some community groups, the Lions club, Work and Income, checking the criteria for a lottery's grant that sort of thing.

Also, if none of the above will work, I think you may have to seriously consider not buying from a dealer. It's only further constricting an already tiny pool of vehicles that might suit.

Best of luck with it all.

Another car that may be worth considering is a Toyota Vitz/Echo, as older versions do come in at under the 4K mark and have a very good auto. The driving position is also relatively upright. With one or both of the back seats folded down it will easily fit a walking frame. Dont know if they come with cruise control though. Very reliable and actually not bad on longer trips, cheap to run too. My partner had one that was still going strong at 280k kms until a truck wrote it off. Bought another one.

The Funcargo uses much the same mechanicals and is possibly going to be even better buying as they aint pretty!

Vitz/Echo is a horrible car for a tall person. There are various "tall" little Japanese options but they are not necessarily going to be very good on the open road.

I am wondering what your chances would be like getting cruise control in a Honda Civic or CRV. I don't really follow them but might be worth a quick look. The Civic's are a pretty decent car on the open road and tend to be good on fuel. I would also prefer the CRV to the Rav both from a reliability and comfort perspective. Not sure how the Civic would be for a tall person, but would be better than the Vitz (not having a go at the poster above, the more ideas the better, just giving an opinion as I have looked at Vitz's for a tall elderly person in past and they were hopeless).

I am also wondering whether it's worth taking a gamble on a Peugeot like you are looking at given there is not much in the way of better options. I have to head to work but will ponder this for the day and might post back with further ideas later.

Best of luck with your hunt. also, how much time do you have to select a vehicle?

Paddy--"a dealer I know" sells a lot of cars to folks with your issue.
Forgetting any kind of badge for now I can tell you that that shape car will not work for you.You will find them a pita to get in and out of and the frame would have to go in via the hatch.
Vehicles that I know for certain will work for you are as follows
Honda Mobillo spike. the rear seats fold in a way that is perfect for getting walkers in.
Toyota funcargo. almost as good and slightly better hearroom
Toyota Porte-if travelling alone this would be apsolutely perfect.-open the left door-step in with your walker sit in drivers seat and close the door.
Toyota Ractis-newer version of the funcargo.
Toyota sienta--Yes it is a 7 seater but still a small car and folded seats gives similar room to the spike.
Toyota BB --funky looks and a good seat height.
With all of these higher milage isn't an issue
There are other options but Ive listed vehicles that may fit into your budget and I know for definite have worked for other disabled folks.
Im sorry none come with cruise control.
I STRONGLY recommend getting a pre purchase inspection carried out on anything you decide to buy
Servicing wise. Given your budget you are likely to be talking second time round and kiwi's aren't well known for being fastidious with their servicing.
SOO--I would budget to give the car a really good birthday. Change all fluids so its got a starting point where you know stuff was done.
From there regular oil and filter changes and a general check over will be all you need to do every 10000km or at least yearly and the other service items come up.

Sorry matey--a vitz doesn't work with a walker.
I'll repharase-getting a walker in isn't easy.--doable but not easy.
and the ones in the OP's budget will be old shape so not easy for a tall person to get into.
Funcargo--YES

Jazz, your 1 st statement is pure crap, I'm 6' tall and very comfortable in my Vitz, plenty of legroom too. We just did a trip Invercargill to Nelson return, very comfy on a long trip, good seat's. My partner has just bought a 2005 Funcargo,54,000 k, $5500, great wee car as well

Jazz has the knowledge. Though, a looked after serviced French car can be very fine. We ran a Citroen ZX Wagon auto many miles and years and now friends have it still going strong. Wonderful open road car with wonderful comfort. So do look into history first, and maybe buy long warranty. It's a nz new car with long ownership so if good service history inc trans flushes it is nice car for the money. And you'll be putting auto through little stress, no Auckland traffic jams to wear it out.
Also, as you are mostly open road with, I guees, gentle pops in to town, don't be too scared of bigger engine. It will be less stressed on open road, less fatigue for you, and on gentle loads still economical. Plus you'll get more car for money, cruise, auto etc.
im thinking Ford Focus hatch maybe. Either 1.6 or 2 litre. Nice car on open road, easy parts and servicing, available for 4k.

Well of course he's making a generalisation. I'm 6,2 and used to drive and race minis and a midget. But these days with bad back I need space and extra. I've been in these little toyotas when quick rentals and would never stay in it for long.
The poster has disability and uses walking frame. Plus they will be mostly open road. These little things are wrong cars for that.

Yes I would go with kazbanz on this one, He sell's lots of cars and always backs them up.When you are in the market so to speak like kaz you do learn alot, what works what dosn't, What's reliable and different aspects of car performance and versatility. he has some good advise. As above the vitz,'/ Eco is a very reliable car, if it has the features I don't know. Plenty of cars listed above would do the job. That pug looks good, if you were a gambling sort of person with luck on your side,yea. Cheap car if it goes 2-5 years with no problems. Yes you need higher seating.

Me again, two things you say stand out and maybe some are not listening too. Open road, and must have cruise. They stand out cause I'm stuck at home with broken back right now and cruise is a god send, and open road needs are very different. I bought a 95 Fairmont as a temp measure! These oddball jappers being mentioned aren't open road cars, they're City cars, and won't have cruise.
So I looked at focus, Corolla, mondeeo etc and thing is, only newer ones have cruise, and at $4k they have much more miles than the pug you're looking at. But does pug have cruise?
If not back to drawing board. Are you happy to get something bigger than you need to get cruise and open road comfort? Biggervengines are better at economy on open roads use.

Thanks for your comments, guys. I'm around 6'3'' give or take a bendy back now and have spinal injuries from neck to lower back, pelvis and leg injuries. Seating position matters. Cruise control would be nice but not a deal breaker. Auto is essential as is the walking frame thingy. Not having to contort into a shape my body hasn't voluntarily reached in 49 yrs to get in, use and exit a vehicle also matters. I need to be kinda physically able to get around, albeit at a shuffle, after doing some driving.

And my $4k budget is the absolute max, alas. As it is, my cat will be going with out pocket money for some time to come. And she doesn't know yet.

Um, without upsetting too many rules here, is there an easy way to contact Kaz and maybe see his yards website?

My current car is a POS end of life old Fairlane, 3.9l auto. It drinks fuel faster than Arabs can harvest it and the walking frame won't go in the boot and has to be folded to get onto the back seat. In the 3 years or so I've had it, I have never had a backseat passenger and I've never enjoyed driving around town, due to its size. Turning my head can be problematic sometimes so I'm hoping smaller is more gooda.

Thanks again, all the input is very useful. I'm still confused, but in a more organised manner now, lol.

google millars car centre, they have lots of what you are looking for and they also bring them in if you have time to wait.

I reckon the likes of a Toyota Ipsum would be ideal for your situation they are ideal for tall folk and have bags of room in them.
They travel like a normal car too and make a good long distance cruiser, I've traveled in my friends one,year 2000 it is.
I'm 6'2" and a fair bit older(retired) than you O.P, not as able now either and I find it to be ideal for me for good periods of time on open road.
I personally have a 2001 Toyota Avalon again for the room it provides for me being( broad shouldered, strong build) but with buggered joints etc?
I use it a lot on long drives as well as locally, but I have a Corolla Coupe ( big doors) for hacking about locally most of the time.
The Ipsums have a bullet proof 2 litre engine and most are auto.trans which is robust as well.
There's a number of the Ipsum's on here for sale right in your price range, well worth trying one in my honest opinion.

Later Ipsums have a 2.4 litre engine.

Be wary of small Japanese cars with 4 speed auto's. Some can be surprisingly thirsty (especially for the hilly stuff you are doing) and as tamarillo says most are not designed for the sort of hilly open road use you have in mind. Even a larger 1.6 Auto Corolla is going to be a bit of a thirsty mongrel of a thing in that sort of country (I know having had two of them). Which is a shame because some of those little cube type Japanese vehicles can otherwise be quite practical space wise. Comfort may be a bit of an issue with some too, not just in terms of getting comfortable in the seat but suspension/ride for the sort of open road running you are doing. I will take a punt and assume you would be after as little jarring/bumping as possible.

So, I would suggest before you make a final decision, either come back for some further advice and/or try the vehicle in mind on some big hills and a decent long run.

Just a note to something Tamarillo said (and the guy makes a LOT of sense) the Mondeo he suggests could be a good car, but get the 2.5 Mondeo "Ghia". The 2.0 has a particularly awful auto when it comes to big hills, I have driven one a lot over the Kaimai's (similar to the hills you are talking about) and it was horrible. The 2.5 has the better 5 speed auto (if I remember rightly) which should be much better. The larger engine would also help in this department and the "Ghia" more than likely has cruise control as standard. My other thought though was, if you can't fit your walker nicely in the Falcon you would probably have to have the Mondeo in a wagon which may be too big. If you think it could suit though, give it some thought.

There is also another advantage to consider with a slightly larger car. On those big hills cruise control in a little car isn't really going to work so well (may not bother you to turn it off for the hills though). With a larger car and more torque it will work much better.

I think what Tamarillo said about that transmission in the Peugeot and the type of running you are doing makes sense too. Ideally you want to drive one in some hills to make sure you are happy with it from a functioning point of view. However from a longevity point of view I agree, you might get a better run than most do from those.

I would keep an eye out for Citroen Xsara Picasso's too. They have the high seating you are looking for and I would think your walker would fit in well. I discounted them initially due to the transmission, but on reflection they may be worth a look. You can often have a very nice one in your price range.

Lastly, I would tend to avoid any CVT Nissan's in your price range. The transmissions just don't last long enough, in your price range chances are, you are going to have expensive trouble, and soon.

That Picasso makes sense - NZ new so should have proven service history. If it checks out well it can be great little car. Doubt if has cruise but that's your call, I love it.
Mondeo 2 litre is fine if you're not a speedster. Simple old style auto box and hatch is big and rear seats fold. Don't think budget gets later car with 5 speed.

poppajn-matey Honestly I swear to all that you think is holey.The vitz is a great little car but for someone with a crook back its not good to get in and out of. Bending you do without even thinking about it CAN BE a nightmare sor a fuzed back person.
it leaves a horrible taste in my mouth to say it but even a fiat multipla would be a better fit.-Im not saying better mechanically but fit wise definitely
A person with a crook back has a unique set of requirements in a vehicle.
Ease of getting in and out has to be pretty much top. Followed by good comfort whilst driving then good all round visibility with minimal head movement.
The funcargo and the porte have VERY tall doors and a longer chassis.
Mty thinking with the Porte would be to get a 1500cc one with lekkie door.
Leave the left seat in the very rearmost position and bingo step in through the double size door into your seat.

Without wanting to argue over little details. I don't think you need to go for a later one to get the 5 speed. Pretty sure the 2.5's have the 5 speed tiptronic in the MK2 form. I am not opposed to a 4 speed auto in principle, I just find that particular auto was an absolute abomination with big hills. There seems to be a massive leap down to the next cog and they ring their nuts off like you would expect a Morris 1100 auto to.

I am only concerned as the OP may drive one in the city and then not realise the problem until they get it home to the taihape hills. If it was a Honda accord 4 speed auto, or a Volvo V40 4 speed or some such it would be fine IMO, just not so much that particular car.

To put it in to perspective, we literally had dozens in the work fleet and only one auto. the first/last one ordered, and I (being the youngest) as always delegated to drive the horrible thing. In other words, it was so bad that even automatic loving bankers wouldn't have a bar of them!

Otherwise I would be right with you, I thought they were pretty good and the 5 speed 2.0 engine combo was great.

That said, if the OP try's one on some big hills and thinks it's fine, go for gold! All I am saying is don't buy one of those with that engine/auto combo without first trying it on a BIG hill like you have in mind.

Sorry to push the point tamarillo, I couldn't agree more with everything else you are saying. Just worried as I never realised they were so bad until I drove one on some big hills.

OP, the Multipla is out because they come in manual only, just in case you were wondering.

Wary of buying any automatic euro(except mercs),unless cheap second hand parts readily available.Had problems with a pug and only stick to manual fiats.My sisters Renault auto crapped out at 70k,cost her nearly the value of the car to fix.

I've got a lot to think about - I really appreciate all the input and genuine ideas of potential options for me.

If I can get a vehicle I can comfortably drive and arrive able to get out without help and participate in whatever is happening 'there' I don't mind if the trip takes a bit longer than everyone elses. And if the vehicle drinks less than the Fairmont then its a super saver economy vehicle to me after that.

At the risk of everyone's wrath, considering how I use a vehicle and what I basically need from one, is the RAV really that far down the List?

I don't mind road noise, I don't mind basic and hardly ever have a passenger to converse with. Then, I can just yell 'Eh?' Music capacity is just about immaterial as long as I can get the National Programme and I don't even own a mobile 'phone so I don't need all sorts of 'connectivity'. How thirsty is thirsty, with an 'average' old RAV. I know, I can feel your pain because I'm still asking about them but whenever I'm out and about with my walking frame around town, I notice the RAVs and think yeah, that's about the package that best fits me. And I notice other 'useful sized more modern cars and think yeah, that would fit me too. A lot seem to me anyway, to have bloody small tyres, 15'' rims I suppose. Being able to soak out some bumps before I feel them in my neck and back would be paradise as I think Jazz wisely commented on.

So I have a lot to sleep and ponder upon I guess. Just, maintaining my independence as long as I can again, is huge for me. Going somewhere not very fast necessarily, being able to get the walker out and toddle off and 'do something' is what this all about for me.

You have all given me a lot to think about and that's brilliant from where I'm sitting. Your collective wisdom and understanding of basic needs has opened mine eyes. Cheers for that. But, about the RAV? Really? Bugger.

Hi again paddy,

In order to assess the RAV 4 I think it might be easier to consider each of your criteria carefully. The "trap" with the rav in my opinion, and it's one so many fall in to, is it "looks" like the rights sort of thing for people with similar needs to yourself, but doesn't necessarily provide.

So, given your criteria, let's discuss each point.

Economy
The RAV is a very inefficient vehicle. People see the size of the 2 door one and see that is't a 2.0 and tend to make assumptions that it will be fairly economical. The truth of the matter though, is especially in automatic they are very thirsty. To the point that I don't think you will notice any real appreciable difference for your running vs your Fairmont. If you want to see for yourself, go and have a look at the website called "fuely" and compare real world experiences between your model Fairmont/Falcon and the early RAV's. Another way of looking at it, is compared the Peugeot above, you are probably not that far off twice the fuel consumption with the RAV for your running. (certainly with the similar manual Peugeot/Citroen's I have had, not sure how much extra an auto will use, but you get the idea)

Comfort
In fairness it's been about a decade since I personally had much to do with the old model RAV. However from what I remember they were not a comfortable vehicle to travel in. The assumption you are likely making is you are looking at the big wheels/tyres on your Falcon thinking that's where it's soft ride comes from and then assuming the same of the big wheels/tyres on the RAV. The reality though is that your Falcon is also a heavy car set up with soft suspension with the specific intention of soaking up bumps in Australia roads over long distance (as opposed to brilliant cornering or off roading).

The Rav is a short wheelbase vehicle set up to provide a compromise between drivability on the road and some off road capability. The end result is a ride thats quite stiff and in no where near as good as what you are used to for your purpose.

Cruise control
Don't think you will find one with it.

Affordability
There are always loads for sale in your price range which is a big bonus. However they tend to be quite old and often high milage, so you would need to be discerning to find a good one.

Reliability
Toyota's are by default considered very reliable, and some like the Corolla's of the 90's were very good at this. The RAV though due to the type of vehicle it is, age, km's and the sort of people who have owned them, not so much. Let's call it average at best. Items like tyres are also potentially more expensive than some of your other options. Most mechanics though will be familiar with the Rav which is of some advantage

Seat height.
This is probably the RAV's only key advantage IMO. Yes, it has high seats and people with mobility issues do tend to like them for this reason. However, the RAV is not the only option around with high seats.

Space for your walker.
Yes, I think you will get your walker in. However the tailgate is a big bulky door hinge type arrangement with a heavy spare wheel mounted on it. Not entirely convinced that you will find that very nice to deal with.

So. in my opinion. I think you would want to sit down and consider all points carefully. The RAV in short wasn't designed for what you want to do, most people I think get excited about the popularity of the brand/model/seat height and don't really consider that there might be better options.

If in doubt, take one for a test drive. Most things should be self evident with a thorough first hand test, it's only really the lack of economy you would need to take our word for.