Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
Comments
ZX2,Focus, Echo, Corolla,Civic, Sentra, Protege,
Integra, but my right foot hits BOTH gas and Brake pedals on Lumina and , what I really want, Mazda Millenia..is there a safe way to weld a bracket or??? to separate these pedals on the Millenia..it's a great "new/used" car for the $$ as it depreciates horribly, had a good warranty, and they never break, in standard, non Miller-cycle form..any Ideas??/ in the Manual for my '61 Chev, it states that the dealership would move the seattrack rearward if you were too tall/large, ..can't something be done with these pedals...thanks!
I am 6'3 and my 2000 Impala is the best fitting car I have ever been in...
My wife is amazed when I make a comment like"oops I put the seat TOO FAR back! This has never happened in other cars I have owned. In fact usually I have to recline the seat back at a specific angle as well as having the seat pushed all the way back... and that is usally not enough...
Honest.
I had occasion a few weeks ago to sit in a PT Cruiser and it has more head and kneeroom than any of the above, and it is much smaller than my cars.
nolfet: Why do the bifocals cause you to ahve to sit straight up? I wear bifocals also and don't have nay problem because of them.
bmwarron: Sorry, but BMW's DO NOT have enough room for everyone; that's why I bought a Mercedes! There isn't one BMW that fits me because of a lack of headroom.
Nor can I fit into ANY Infiniti, ANY Lexus (except for the RX300 without sunroof), ANY Nissan, S-class Mercedes, or ANY Accura. Most due to the mandatory sunroofs but some for lack of kneeroom due to the steering wheel being too low (cuts into my legs just above the knees - Nissan).
Cars that fit? The ones I now own, the PT Cruiser, Taurus, Intrepid, Accord, Mazda 626, C, E, and M-class Mercedes, S-type Jaguar (first Jag I've fit into in 25 years!), and RAV-4 (and a few other SUV's also).
There are times when I wish I hadn't been so well fed as a kid; maybe I'd be a few inches shorter and wouldn't have to worry about fitting into cars (or not bumping my head...)!!
Until that time
Dave
SO--am I relegated to a minivan or truck? Does ANYONE else have this problem, and if you do, how do you solve it? I'm 6'7" and with long legs and a long torso. Forget Intrigue, Passat, 9-5, and most of the other cars listed here--they have too little headroom or my leg rubs the console. AARGH! I am truly frustrated, and I just can't see driving a Sienna or a Tundra (let alone an Excursion!) as a daily commuter. Thanks for any advice.
gentlegiant
I think the problem is that they're afraid of shorter people being too close to the airbag. I wonder if older cars let you get closer to the wheel?
I've tried SUVs and the non-bucket seating helps but I can't stand the handling. So far the only car or near-car (low CG) I like is the PT Cruiser.
-Morg
The Ford Taurus works well. Also, I was surprised at the fit of the Ford Focus, given its small size.
I know the Camry, Honda, and Mazda. Their consoles irritate my right leg.
The big bulky American cars with bench seats are comfortable, but they are big and bulky!
I'll consider a Chevy Impala 2000 when they become available on the used market. Has anyone had experience with the reliability on the Impala?
I want to try the VW Passat and Olds Intrigue based on the reviews shared.
I don't want to spend more than $12,000 on a one or two-year old car. I would appreciate insights on a car that does not knock your right leg in the driver's position.
Thanks,
Bob
rpbohn@msn.com
I had the opportunity to sit in a 5 series BMW a few days ago. The passenger seat is where I had a left knee bumping the curved dashboard. Driver's seating was much better. Rear seat room with the driver seat back was very tight. Not bad getting in & out though.
Today I drove a 2000 Passat GLX with my daughter sitting behind me. I found that if i put the seat all the way back - her knees pushed into the seat, so I moved it forward enough for her comfort and I found that it was also good for me. I like the ability to raise the height of the seat - it supported my legs better & gave her more room also. Headroom was not a problem as there was plenty with alot extra, even with the moonroof. I was able to position the tilt/telescoping wheel so it was good for me. As of now, my experience with the Passat today moved it to the top of my possibilities. The seat was more comfortable than the Intrigue I sat in before. The Intrigue seat was not wide enough for my rear.
When we got back from the test ride, I had my daughter sit in the back of a Jetta. She felt like a jacknife that was partially folded. No leg room or headroom, the Passat was miles better.
Interested in what others have to say and am also in maintenance pluses & mninuses of various cars as I would plan to keep the new vehicle 6 years or so.
It might be a good time for you with your 6'5" height - how long is your inseam? to try a BMW. I have a 34" inseam and I could put the front seat back until it almost touched the rear seat - too much leg room for me. The tilt/telescopic wheel could be set-up so it was right for me. The 528i sedan I drove - was what I would like sometime. When I turned off the ignition, the wheel raised automatically to make getting in/out easier.
You may want to test drive some just to get a feel for what they are and then maybe a recent used one would fit your budget. We have a guy in our area who buys BMW's at the auction, checks them over & then sells them $500 over his cost & provides a 1 year warranty. I found his prices to be much better than what you possibly get from a dealer for the same year - Save $6-8K.
Keep a check on this site for other comments that can help you decide.
this also gives the long bodied guys a little more head room because you sit under the highest point of the roof line.
The LS model has the bucket seats with center console and "floor" shifter. If you want a little more extra room, you must opt for the "Base" model with the bench seat and column shifter setup.
In both cases, I highly recommend the 3.8L V-6 over the standard 3.4L V-6. Aside from the better performance (180hp vs. 200hp) the car comes loaded with extra safety features such as 4-wheel disc ABS brakes, All Speeds electronic traction control, 4-wheel tire air pressure sensors, quicker ratio steering response and the firmer (But still comfortable) "Ride and Handling" suspension.
The fuel economy on the 3800 Series II V-6 engine is 20mpg in the city and 30mpg in the Highway using regular unleaded 87 gas.
If you have a long daily commute, this is one of the best car choices out there.
Anyway, I bought the Volvo S80 because I fit in it. That thing is amazing. Even with the electric sun roof (which in my experience usually consumes that vital inch-and-a-half) I still have enough headroom to keep the seat back tilted reasonably forward and pass my hand between my head and the roof. I can leave my seat less than all the way back, the steering wheel tilts and slides in-out, even the back seat has head room and reasonable leg room. You know I'd sound silly saying these things under any other topic but I know you know what I mean. One note of caution; I strongly suggest you carefully checkout the glare on the front window if you are considering the light interior colors with a light dash. I really wish I'd gotten the charcoal dash because the glare is bad and the taller you sit the worse it is.
I have a friend who's the same height as me and he just bought a VW Passat without a sunroof. It too has great headroom and nice adjustments. And, as they say in Europe, "at a much more Democratic price".
Enjoy the ride,
fwj
Someone mentioned the Chrysler 300M and you might look at the Dodge Intrepid (for lots less money). I used a 98 for a couple months last year and it was good on both leg room and console space.
Also "glenvdw", you might look at the E-class Mercedes. I bought a 1996 and the console and steering wheel clearances are fine and the headroom is better than on the new S-class also. But if your legs are long, it will be a problem for your right knee; the drivers right knee bolster hangs down a lot closer than the left knee or passenger bolster.
For used cars, we've got a 97 Concorde that has decent head, leg and knee room as did a LeSabre we traded last year. But I couldn't recommend the Buick for repair frequency reasons.
I sat in a PT Cruiser and was amazed at the space for my frame proportions. I find I fit in smaller cars better than most luxury cars. I fit fine in the Camry, Accord, and Neon. Go figure...
"bmwguy" says he has a 34" inseam and fits into BMW's. How tall are you, bmwguy? I can't fit into ANY BMW because of a lack of headroom with their mandatory sunroofs. Forget the XJ series Jaguars (except for the S-type, snug, but I fit) and Infiniti prior to the new I30 (haven't tried it yet).
I'd love to be able to get the seat lowered or moved backward on some cars I lust after, but my wife is tiny and she needs the seat to be UP and FORWARD so I cannot have seat surgery..
Everytime I get discouraged about the cars I can't drive, I read this topic. I guess misery loves company, but it is heartening to see that I'm not the only lone voice in the wilderness.
We're in the market for a new car soon, so based on what I'm reading in here, I'll look at the Passat, Taurus, Focus, Catera, and a few others fairly soon. Thanks for the ideas...
My sister has an Avalon which I must say is much roomier than the Catera, but not quite as nice (in my opinion) but be wary at first with the Catera it does take a little work with the seat to get it just right but once there it's worth it!
Honda Accord LX 4-door. Pretty good headroom, good leg room except for a little projection from the center console right at my knee. I could not tolerate that for more than short commuting trips. Strong V6, quiet and smooth.
Passat. Didn't drive it, but with a sunroof, this car is out of the question. W/o a sunroof it might be pretty good.
Mazda 626. Again, without a sunroof this is OK for me. I did drive it and it felt good for my size. Not as powerful or quiet as the Accord, but felt peppy. Of course it is about $3K less than Accord.
Mazda Tribute. Not a sedan but this sucker HAS ROOM! Even with a sunroof, I felt like I had room to spare. And with the driver seat adjusted for me, I could still sit in the rear seat right behind the driver. Awesome acceleration with the 200HP V6.
Hope this helps some of you..
I have a friend who had an Intgera hatchback for quite a number of years. He is about 6'2". The car had a manual transmission. He said that he always had to watch whenever he got in the car because invariably he would bang his right knee on the part under the vent on the driver's side. He now drives a Subaru station-wagon looking thing.
I too am glad to see that others go through the same thing I go through. At least short people can sit on a telephone book!
I'm 6' 3" and cannot fit into a Passat with a sunroof. It did not have the power seat, so maybe that's the difference..
Lots of bigger cars with sunroofs lose too much headroom for me to drive, like M-B S and E cars, BMW 5's, Volvos and Saabs. Let's not even get into the Japanese cars with sunroofs (well, you go ahead--the big Acuras or Hondas with sunroofs could have 2 more inches and it would be a squeeze!). The only car I've sat in with more headroom than the Passat is a new beetle. Audi A6 comes pretty close to the Passat, I think. Little VW/Audi cars, like A4 and Jetta, are short inside.
Since I'm rather short-trunked, I don't have to worry about brushing my head...
I did find that the LS cruise control allows constant adjustment of the speed up and down. I used it to control the gas on the open highway.
Tankfrank
Tankfrank