To the chit chat car advice dept.

Electric cars are ridiculous!

Useless for anyone doing even average mileage, and will never justify the extra cost for low mileage users.

Civics are brilliant (I still have my 2009 Type R GT, with less than 20k miles on it).

May well be too big for the OP's mum so I would suggest a VW Polo "Blue Motion" which benefits from Zero Road Tax....
.
http://www.ebay.co.uk/bhp/vw-polo-bluemotion

current car's engine computer won't play ball with her low use

Has this diagnosis been confirmed by the manufacturer? I'm no Henry Ford but it sounds a tad unlikely.

Anyway, got a lift in a Fiesta the other day and could not believe how smooth the ride was. Admittedly this may be partly due to the driver rather than the car. But if your mum is getting on a bit then probably so are her friends so she should check how easy it is to get in and out of the back.

A more fundamental question is whether she needs a car at all. For less than 2,000 miles a year, she might be better off opening an account with a local cab company.

If neither of you have much idea it's worth shelling out a fiver or so for a magazine called "What Car".

Every model is listed, and with categories and sub categories.

Also you will find prices for new and used, and it's invaluable for your situation.

Sorry Aunty, did not see blue motion post - that looks the one, maybe.

What car does not say about low mileage tho does it? Or does it, I only read what bike.

Cheers MD, it's starting to look like a straight fight between a civic and polo.

Ramruma - she has a taxi account, but does not use it, it's the old independence thing

Rub, whatever car she gets there will always be the issue of the low mileage. If she buys another it will benefit her greatly by getting her children (you + others?) to take her off to the coast or at least a good distance once every 6 weeks/couple of months (in her car of course, not yours). Any car needs a good blowout every now & again

You haven't said (unless I missed it) what is her current car?

That might give a clue as to her needs!

That, Mr Fooks, is it in a nutshell - and should she need to borrow a car whilst I am giving hers a good run, she can borrow mine with which she will be totally familiar.

It's a 3 series Aunty, but it doesn't suit her current needs.

Let me guess - her current car is a diesel?

In which case the garage have just had her eyes out doing a 'forced re-gen' - which costs them nothing.

I think we're nearly there - 4/5 door, petrol, good visibility out the back, small-ish, reliable, silver, comfortable, ease of in/egress - one of those Volvos with the big rear window?

No idea what engine computer ECU and low mileage have got to do with each other. Not even worth owning a car to do 2000 a year unless it's some old classic as a hobby.

"Not even worth owning a car to do 2000 a year unless it's some old classic as a hobby".

That's a crazy statement!

I only do around 3k miles these days (used to do circa 40k miles).

There's such a thing as convenience. Some folks, such as I, are a long way from the nearest bus stop, and perhaps not steady on their feet.
Buses few and far between, and take forever getting any where, as they divert through all nearby villages.

Some folk like to set off when they want, and return when they want, with provisions in the boot.

Don't talk to me about taxis, as I had to suffer this inconvenience four times recently.
First time when one of mine was in for bodywork repairs, and second time when I was having my wheels refurbished.

Total miles circa 40 and fares paid £46.00.
Add to that the hanging around, waiting for the taxis, and it just doesn't stack up!

Have to agree with Aunty Post.
The convenience and freedom that having a car brings is priceless.

Just having a car to do the shopping in would be enough justification in owning one for me.

Hell to the cost. You're a long time dead.

Can't turn their heads 90 degrees?

Stroll on, what age was he talking about 90 -100 years.

I can understand really fat people having difficulty in twisting in their seats to see to reverse though.

I like the design of the one in the link.

Not so much the new KIA Sportage.

They're going backwards with modern designs to my liking.

That applies to most of the modern design of cars.

The bodywork of many of the later designs go up at the back reducing the rear side windows to wide slits.
Which then reduces the size of the rear window. That with having headrests on the back seats means your vision out of the back window to reverse is very restricted.

I'm surprised this hasn't been made an issue by the safety brigade.
I was sitting in a Hyundai I30 in the showroom, and turned to look out the rear window and thought straight away ''I wouldn't feel safe reversing in this.''
If a toddler stepped behind you when you were reversing you wouldn't see them.

I don't know how the car companies get away with it. 
I think all new cars with limited vision for reversing, should come fitted with a reversing camera.

I think, if we admit it, we're all slightly nervous of electric, in the same way we're slightly nervous of reversing unsighted