New car for big and tall guy
July 19, 2015 11:34 AM Subscribe
My old Buick has reached the end of the road. Please help this tall fat guy find a new ride!
My beloved '01 Buick LeSabre has finally reached the point (after 8 years and 80+k miles under my ownership) where what I'd need to put into it to fix it is more than the car is worth. Car shopping sucks, though, so I'm looking for MeFi's advice on the best cars to look at for a 6'2", 340 guy.
What I'm looking for in general:
1) ~25-30k max new
2) Preferably a sedan or hatchback
3) Hybrid would be nice but is not necessary
4) Bench seats, or some other variant of wide un-hip-crushing front seat
I've not gotten out to test drive many cars yet. I liked the kit of a Ford Taurus, but it utterly fails in category #4.
http://ask.metafilter.com/179581/Help-a-fat-guy-buy-a-new-car has given me some info but is 4 years old. Any new recommendations? Thanks!
My beloved '01 Buick LeSabre has finally reached the point (after 8 years and 80+k miles under my ownership) where what I'd need to put into it to fix it is more than the car is worth. Car shopping sucks, though, so I'm looking for MeFi's advice on the best cars to look at for a 6'2", 340 guy.
What I'm looking for in general:
1) ~25-30k max new
2) Preferably a sedan or hatchback
3) Hybrid would be nice but is not necessary
4) Bench seats, or some other variant of wide un-hip-crushing front seat
I've not gotten out to test drive many cars yet. I liked the kit of a Ford Taurus, but it utterly fails in category #4.
http://ask.metafilter.com/179581/Help-a-fat-guy-buy-a-new-car has given me some info but is 4 years old. Any new recommendations? Thanks!
My spouse and I are in your size range and we do fine with a Toyota Matrix and a Kia wagon.
I have driven quite a few makes and models when I travel for work and I don't think I've encountered a bench seat yet.
Quite a few years ago now, I remember hearing a radio show where author and noted fat guy Daniel Pinkwater was in the market for a car, and he spent several hours staked out in parking lots watching fat people get in and out of their cars. He said that it looked like the new a VW beetle was easiest. Based on my experience driving rental cars, I'd have to agree--it was comfy, fun to drive, easy in and out. If I didn't have to haul teenagers around I'd definitely get one as my next car.
posted by Sublimity at 3:59 PM on July 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
I have driven quite a few makes and models when I travel for work and I don't think I've encountered a bench seat yet.
Quite a few years ago now, I remember hearing a radio show where author and noted fat guy Daniel Pinkwater was in the market for a car, and he spent several hours staked out in parking lots watching fat people get in and out of their cars. He said that it looked like the new a VW beetle was easiest. Based on my experience driving rental cars, I'd have to agree--it was comfy, fun to drive, easy in and out. If I didn't have to haul teenagers around I'd definitely get one as my next car.
posted by Sublimity at 3:59 PM on July 19, 2015 [1 favorite]
My husband is 6' and around 330. He's happily driving a 2013 Chevy Malibu. The seats are not bench seats but they seem pretty roomy. As far as his build his weight is pretty evenly distributed over his body except for a big belly. He's big all over but not especially wide/fat in the hips, so if your build tends to be disproportionately bigger in the hip/thigh area his experience may not predict yours. But he's really happy with the car.
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:43 PM on July 19, 2015
posted by Serene Empress Dork at 5:43 PM on July 19, 2015
My husband and I are also big people, and our 2010 Prius fits us well enough. It's not a bench front seat, but it's accommodating. I'd definitely try out some used Prius models if I were you.
posted by wintersweet at 5:44 PM on July 19, 2015
posted by wintersweet at 5:44 PM on July 19, 2015
Brah, you either need a really BIG car, like a Benz S Class, or a BMW 7 series, with something like that you'd really be rollin like a big boss. But that blows req #1.
Now as we focus in on your req #4, you know you're limited here. Limited to a small number of rides. How small, you ask? It's a pretty small list. Ok, fine, there's only one car on the list. It hasn't been made in a few years.
https://www.cars.com/articles/2012/04/2014-chevy-impala-marks-end-of-front-bench-seats-in-cars/
Dunno if this is the news you wanted, but you gotta get yourself a 2-3 yr old Impala.
The upshot is it's not THAT bad of a car, and resale value is prob way low compared to other cars in the class.
Enjoy your new(used) Impala! :)
posted by MjrMjr at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2015
Now as we focus in on your req #4, you know you're limited here. Limited to a small number of rides. How small, you ask? It's a pretty small list. Ok, fine, there's only one car on the list. It hasn't been made in a few years.
https://www.cars.com/articles/2012/04/2014-chevy-impala-marks-end-of-front-bench-seats-in-cars/
Dunno if this is the news you wanted, but you gotta get yourself a 2-3 yr old Impala.
The upshot is it's not THAT bad of a car, and resale value is prob way low compared to other cars in the class.
Enjoy your new(used) Impala! :)
posted by MjrMjr at 5:55 PM on July 19, 2015
Would second the Impala, assuming you're sure to get one with the bench (buckets were an option, though in my experience there's really not much difference between the two). Gets pretty good gas milage too even with some somewhat spirited driving. I've driven a few of those vintage as rentals and they were all quite nice and comfortable (for road trips, so several thousand miles, so it's not like I rented it to commute to my job where I don't have a commute). I would hesitantly say to also look at the Ford Fusion; mine (an SE) was ~$28k or so and I fit pretty well in it, though I'm not quite as heavy as you. That said a friend of mine is probably heavier - and a few inches taller - than you and didn't seem to have a problem with the seats. (Plus it does have enough room that even with the seats fully back you can still fit a roughly 5'10"-6' person behind them.) However, the ride is somewhat stiff (which I actually prefer but have known people who didn't like that) and if you didn't like the Taurus' seats I'm not sure you'd care for the Fusion's as they're not too far off.
posted by mrg at 6:57 PM on July 19, 2015
posted by mrg at 6:57 PM on July 19, 2015
I second the VW New Beetle. As a Person of Width, I can vouch for it's nice wide driver's seat. Due to it's high, round roof and roomy front leg room it is also suitable for the talls.
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:47 PM on July 19, 2015
posted by a humble nudibranch at 9:47 PM on July 19, 2015
Yeah, I knew a fairly hefty guy who was at least 6'5", and he was quite happy with his New Beetle. Definitely worth a test drive!
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:09 PM on July 19, 2015
posted by St. Hubbins at 10:09 PM on July 19, 2015
I'm a fairly big guy at 6'1" and 235lbs. I'm just gonna throw it out there, a vw bug isn't a good look for a very large man.
Otoh, if a larger man is at a point of DGAF at all about looks, or has to buy strictly on $ vs utility, I respect that.
posted by MjrMjr at 3:25 PM on July 20, 2015
Otoh, if a larger man is at a point of DGAF at all about looks, or has to buy strictly on $ vs utility, I respect that.
posted by MjrMjr at 3:25 PM on July 20, 2015
What you are looking for in seating is something that does not have too much side bolstering. That rules out actual sports cars and the "sporty" models of most normal cars.
I think you should look at Toyotas generally, since they typically have less side bolstering than Honda in my experience, so if you want Japanese, they are the better option. Stay away from late-model Jettas. I don't know if other VWs have the same seats, but the ones on the Jetta are a bit cramped for wide people. Perfectly comfortable otherwise, though.
I'd also recommend a look at the Ford Fusion. In the Titanium trim they are stupid nice, although they do lack ventilated seats, which the Taurus Limited does have. More importantly, the seats are comfortable and supportive, but not constraining. They are a bit fiddly to get them where you want them, but once you find the sweet spot, they are good for long days in the car. I've driven a good number of sedans recently, and if I were buying, the Fusion would be at the top of my list.
I did not like the new Impala, at all. I'm not generally anti-GM, but that car just did not work for me. Better than a Kia, though. The seats in those things murder me, although they do lack any sort of side bolstering, so might merit a look if that is your primary concern.
Long story short, you don't need bench seats to avoid having the side of the seat dig into your kidneys, but you do need to avoid anything particularly performance oriented. That's not to say you can't get a car with lots of power and good handling, you just want one that isn't primarily marketed that way. For example, the Taurus would be OK except that you must stay away from the SHO trim. Lancer, OK. Lancer Evo, absolutely not. I feel like taco filling in that thing even after having lost 14 inches of girth.
posted by wierdo at 6:24 PM on July 20, 2015
I think you should look at Toyotas generally, since they typically have less side bolstering than Honda in my experience, so if you want Japanese, they are the better option. Stay away from late-model Jettas. I don't know if other VWs have the same seats, but the ones on the Jetta are a bit cramped for wide people. Perfectly comfortable otherwise, though.
I'd also recommend a look at the Ford Fusion. In the Titanium trim they are stupid nice, although they do lack ventilated seats, which the Taurus Limited does have. More importantly, the seats are comfortable and supportive, but not constraining. They are a bit fiddly to get them where you want them, but once you find the sweet spot, they are good for long days in the car. I've driven a good number of sedans recently, and if I were buying, the Fusion would be at the top of my list.
I did not like the new Impala, at all. I'm not generally anti-GM, but that car just did not work for me. Better than a Kia, though. The seats in those things murder me, although they do lack any sort of side bolstering, so might merit a look if that is your primary concern.
Long story short, you don't need bench seats to avoid having the side of the seat dig into your kidneys, but you do need to avoid anything particularly performance oriented. That's not to say you can't get a car with lots of power and good handling, you just want one that isn't primarily marketed that way. For example, the Taurus would be OK except that you must stay away from the SHO trim. Lancer, OK. Lancer Evo, absolutely not. I feel like taco filling in that thing even after having lost 14 inches of girth.
posted by wierdo at 6:24 PM on July 20, 2015
I should note I haven't actually sat in a '15 Taurus. I had the option this week but didn't want to take the gas mileage hit on the bigger car. I was using it as an example of different trims having different seating, not recommending it despite you saying it doesn't work for you.
posted by wierdo at 6:26 PM on July 20, 2015
posted by wierdo at 6:26 PM on July 20, 2015
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by heathrowga at 12:48 PM on July 19, 2015