There’s a certain level of excitement that you get when you’re buying your first car or buying a car that you really, really want. This excitement is sadly lacking for those in the position of buying a car that meets a need and not a want.
Like when you’re buying a family car. You aren’t in it for the creature comforts, sound systems, or horsepower. Instead, your focus is functionality. You need to think about whether the car can hold all your kids, is compatible with your car seat arrangement, and comes with safety features that will protect your family while you’re on the road together.
Essentially, you’re looking for something big enough, reliable, with the ability to shuttle everyone around safely and sanely.
To help you out, here are our top 7 factors to consider before you buy a family car.
- The Thing About Economy
Part of buying a family car and setting a budget includes checking out what the monthly costs of your vehicle could be. Basically, you need to see how economical the vehicle you want will be.
This includes reviewing the car’s fuel consumption (how much petrol or diesel you’ll use), how much the tyres cost, the insurance premium, whether the parts are expensive to import or made locally, and what the maintenance and services costs could be.
- Clearly You Need Space
Trying to figure out what size vehicle you need? Well, the most popular is the SUV (sport utility vehicles) because it is versatile, has a higher ground clearance, and comes in an increasing array of shapes and sizes. Actually that last bit was important because SUVs aren’t standard-sized – there are the ‘mini’ SUVs with just four seats all the way up to those huge, eight-passenger haulers.
Start with counting the number of bums that need to go on seats, and if your children are still in car seats, you’ll need to see if these fit in, too. Then check the boot capacity, because some cars put more room in the seating area, cutting the boot short.
- The Car Seat Conundrum
Speaking of car seats… did you know that most families believe any SUV will fit three car seats across? In reality, this isn’t true. Added to that, some family cars are a lot smaller on the inside than they appear from the outside, so it’s vital that you put any seats you’re still using in the car and then everyone else. Just to make sure that you all fit.
We also suggest that you borrow the next stage car seat and do the same experiment. Toddler seats are a whole other beast, especially when compared to infant car seats.
Another piece of advice when it comes to car seats is to check how many seats in the vehicle have child safety seat anchors.
- It’s A Matter Of Safety
The digitisation of the world means that technology has encroached on all aspects of life, and we couldn’t be more grateful for the impact that it has had on car safety. Newer family cars now come equipped with back-up cameras, parking sensors, adaptive cruise control, and blind-spot warning devices.
The thing is, not all vehicles come with all the safety features available. Certainly older models are less likely to include sensors or automatic emergency braking systems. It’s important to weigh up the cost of a newer car against the risk that you’re reducing.
- All Junk In Your Trunk
We briefly mentioned that you should look at the boot capacity. This is primarily for families who travel together, who are still lugging prams and carry cots around, or who have children with sporting equipment that needs to be carted from match to match. It doesn’t hurt to bring your stroller, car seats, and anything else to a test drive to try out the fit. Some models may even come with inventive storage nooks, like under-floor plastic storage bins for muddy soccer cleats or laptops.
- Easy Cleaning
While cloth-covered seats are standard in most vehicles and gentler on the budget, they’re harder to clean and retain smells for years. Remember that Steri Stumpie your kid spilt in the backseat in 2009? Your nose does. It always will. Upgrading to a wipeable material is something to consider if you plan on holding onto your vehicle for a while.
- Let Us Entertain You
We’ve put this last because entertainment features aren’t essential. But they are nice, and if you haven’t purchased a car in a while, you’ll be shocked at the volume of entertainment options available.
We’re talking integrated seat-back tablets, DVD players, custom headphones, the ability to transform your car into a mobile WiFi hotspot, wireless phone charging pads, and even sound systems that respond to hand signals made in the air. Yes, these are fancy and arguably unnecessary features, but if your family plans on road-tripping around South Africa or if you live in a congested area and deal with hours of traffic, then consider these ‘creature comforts.’
Feel informed?
We hope that this information will help you define what it is that you need and want in a family car, and that you are able to secure the right vehicle for you. Don’t forget that AA Inform is home to a range of useful tools and resources. Not only can you use our website to calculate your fuel consumption for specific trips, you can also get a free car valuation for that family car you might have your eye on.
Click here to get a free report. All that you’ll need to do is enter your name, email address, phone number, and vehicle details. From there, a report will be generated for you and emailed straight to your inbox.
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