WTB - used car for tall kid / new driver

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

Friend's son is in high school, recently got his license, they're in the market for a used car for him.

He's tall, 6' 6", and needs tons of leg room, so a Smart Car is out.

Has to be an automatic transmission.

Budget is $5k-ish.

Thanks!

[CAL. .30 M1 2,101]

57 minutes ago, DirtyDigz said:

Friend's son is in high school, recently got his license, they're in the market for a used car for him.

He's tall, 6' 6", and needs tons of leg room, so a Smart Car is out.

Has to be an automatic transmission.

Budget is $5k-ish.

Thanks!

 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

7 minutes ago, USRifle30Cal said:

 

Not comfortable for a tall person.  Ask me how I know. 

[W2MC 1,699]

Mercury Grand Marquis / Ford Crown Victoria

Most full-sized pickup trucks

[W2MC 1,699]

or there's always this:

 

 

 

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

2 hours ago, USRifle30Cal said:

 

I’ll relay the Subaru, thanks.  Your location?

[dajonga 396]

My 6'3" 18-year-old son drives a hand-me-down 2010 Scion xB.

It has easily been the best car I have ever owned. It is basically a Toyota Camry drivetrain with a boxy body on top. Look for 2006-2012 model years. The previous version of the xB was really small.

My wife bought it new in 2010 and drove it 100k miles. I took it over in 2015 and drove it another 120k. My son has had it for a year and a few months. It is currently at 230,000 miles. Nothing on the car, other than replaceables (brakes, rotors, battery, spark plugs, tires and 1 coil pack) has ever gone wrong with the car. It simply will not stop running.

It has a surprising amount of head/legroom and used ones can be had right in that $5k price range. Probably 95% of xBs have automatic transmissions. I have recommended this car to everyone that asks. If Toyota still made it, I would buy another in a second.

[1LtCAP 4,263]

3 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

Not comfortable for a tall person.  Ask me how I know. 

i'm 6'2 and have zero problems in subarus

 

[CAL. .30 M1 2,101]

8 hours ago, DirtyDigz said:

I’ll relay the Subaru, thanks.  Your location?

Vernon nj area....

[Ray Ray 3,566]

7 hours ago, 1LtCAP said:

i'm 6'2 and have zero problems in subarus

 

I sit too low and I can't move my knees.  Painful

[DirtyDigz 1,812]

44 minutes ago, USRifle30Cal said:

Vernon nj area....

Thanks.  They're interested.  I'm going to PM you my cell #, would like the VIN and interior pictures.

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

Just because he's tall doesn't mean that you can't have a small, fuel-efficient car. The Toyota Matrix and its sister vehicle the Pontiac Vibe are able to accommodate tall people with both headroom and legroom. The Matrix can also be had with AWD. When I was in the biz, I had many dealers tell me that they sold the Vibe because it was the only car that would fit their outsized customers. Certainly can be had in the price range quoted.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[Pizza Bob 1,488]

15 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

Not comfortable for a tall person.  Ask me how I know. 

Girlfriend had a 2004 Forester XT for 10 years. I always found that the seat cushions were too short - not enough under-thigh support and I'm not that tall.

Adios,

Pizza Bob

[Sota 1,191]

he needs to troll the used car lots and see what he fits in.

[1LtCAP 4,263]

16 hours ago, Ray Ray said:

I sit too low and I can't move my knees.  Painful

that's weird. I mean...really, I don't have any issues in smart cars either. they seem to have surprisingly large amount of leg room. 

[Sota 1,191]

could be a difference in leg vs. torso lengths.

I'm slightly long in the torso, and shorter in leg length, for my height (5'10".)  it means my head rubs the headliner in many cars, and I have to have the seat closer to the steering wheel than I'd like.

[Fred2 367]

Motorcycle.

 

No headroom issues there.

[raz-0 1,259]

I'm 6'7" 37" inseam. 

2005 generation subaru legacy based cars are ok for driver without sunroof or with sunroof and power seats. Subaru in general puts passenger seat at max height and gives it less room. (Note VW also does the max height and less room thing). 

All generations of kia soul should have a bunch of room. Depending on how leggy you might get interference between right knee and center console that you might care about in a crash, but it's worth a test sit. A higher mileage 2010 or 11 should be in the budget. 

Roomiest car I have ever sat in? 1995 VW cabriolet. It might have had the long seat rails in, but I could put the seat far enough back that I couldn't reach the pedals. 

Things I fit in that are economical and possibly cheap how comfy the fit is is variable:

kia soul

Toyota matrix/pontiac vibe

toyota camry

toyota carolla 

pontiac grand prix

1st gen nissan murano 

2005 + subaru legacy

2007+ subaru forester

2013+ nissan sentra

 

Most Japanese sedans probably will fit depending on your opinion of if you have to drive with your knees under the middle of the steering wheel (you don't).  Korean cars are similar to the Japanese ones in their approach to fitting a wide range of people. 

Most American vehicles prior to about ~2010 are designed like shit if you are under 5'6 and over 6'2". Some exceptions, but the majority are crap unless you are buying something from the 70s and earlier where big and boxy was in for interiors.

European vehicles are a mixed bag, but mostly should be ok, and most have an option to get tall seat rails and some other OEM mods because they generally try to sell into the Scandinavian market. 

I will also say that for tall people, you generally want to focus on the knees for fitment, but you want to check range of motion for lateral head movement. In a real crash,  yeah your knees are probably going to get fucked up, but that's not just you. A LOT of cars there's interference if your head snaps sideways, and looking at serious head and neck injuries from a 15mph parking lot collision isn't what you want.  An example of things that flunk that test: 

2007+ fifth gen dodge caravan and chrysler town and country. Super spacious, but just has this protrusion where the roof meets the side and will clip you in the temple in a side impact if you are tall. 

2004-2013 nissan frontier. The green house slopes in, and my shoulders touch the glass, so... yeah. 

 

[Underdog 1,593]

Jeep Wrangler or Kia Optima might work.   

[raz-0 1,259]

1 hour ago, Underdog said:

Jeep Wrangler or Kia Optima might work.   

Wranglers are not particularly good in their layout. Certain generations of it are on the short list of cars I can't actually get into and operate, and it is due to shitty steering wheel placement. 

Jeep renegade is great for tall people. But not cheap enough for the OP's budget. 

[Ray Ray 3,566]

13 hours ago, 1LtCAP said:

that's weird. I mean...really, I don't have any issues in smart cars either. they seem to have surprisingly large amount of leg room. 

I have long legs and longer arms.  I just sit funny.