I can't help you with colour panels all that much, but I believe the built-in models can get panels changed, and maybe the regular ones too, though I can't remember (Member Dadoes will likely have the answer).
In regards to a "Constant-Rinse" wash-arm in the top, none of the versions made by Fisher and Paykel have them, though either the KitchenAid, Whirlpool or Maytag models *Might.* Unless you are cramming the machine to the gills like I try to, you don't really need it, as water gets around and takes care of most the crap on any cups.
Just let her know if she has tall, thin glasses not to put them in the front left or back left corners where cups belong, as the spray here can be blocked by small plates in the rack immediately to the right (there are two rows), and lead to redeposition of food soils. If you load lightly, this is avoided, but I find proper loading usually takes care of the issue. I even made the spray-holes on the wash-arm larger with a knife to help with this issue and squirt the cutlery basket a tad more (Not recommended!)
And if you are wondering about filtration because of my comments, there is a 3-tier system that works:
~ The main filter plate is moderately coarse and stops chunky foods circulating. Newer models have a Filter-Cleaning jet on the wash-arm that helps prevent build-up up garbage (Though If/When it DOES accumulate, it is around the Kidney "Drain Filter")
~ The Drain Filter (Kidney Shaped) is two-tier. There is a "sump" section for the drain pump, where very coarse grid stops chunky foods that are washed into the filter being drained. The rest of the filter is mesh, which captures the fine particulates. This the "deepest" area of the sump. The rear of the machine is shallowest.
My drain filter split in half after 1 year, due to excessive cleaning. The filter still works, and the filter cleaning jet keeps the filter clear in most usage instances. Water flowing back through the filter from the little valleys underneath the Filter-Plate help to flush accumulated "gack" out, and the filter jet push stuff underneath the filter away from the water flow. As my machine has different temperatures for most cycles, I find that running a Heavy cycle regularly (Dishes or not) ensures the filters stay 100% clean. As the U.S. models feature more water changes and wash at much higher temperatures on the "Normal" cycle, I imagine the filters are essentially self-cleaning thanks to the higher temperature.
Aside from my quibbles with the drain filter, I have nothing to complain about regarding my machine. One of the drawers has racks that have knobs of rust on them in one or two places, though you'll find that with almost any machine today. Everything else on the machine is as sound as day-1, machine still looks new inside and almost everything (Excluding super-baked on crap) will come clean on Normal or Heavy cycles. This machine moves far more water than you might expect from an "EnergyStar" machine, as the video in the thread below illustrates. In that thread, I also go into details about my cycle choices, which you/your mother may find useful in your daily usage (Noting that Australian cycling and American cycling on these machines can vary significantly between Models and Series of each model)
http://www.automaticwasher.org/cgi-bin/TD/TD-VIEWTHREAD.cgi?48257_8
Please accept my apologies for going off topic here. I do get carried away on this subject, but I figured this would all be practical information for you. The Use and Care booklet tells you NONE of this, and all my "ideas" seem sound so far
