What should you be looking for when choosing the perfect family car?
Cars are an important part of family life – many households now have two or three vehicles between them. We owned a small sports car and old second-hand hatchback when we found out we were expecting baby number two. Neither were big enough. All parents know that it is ESSENTIAL to have room for the children, buggies and all the bags and accessories your little one(s) needs.
It can be difficult knowing which car to choose and easy to get drawn towards impractical vehicles – there is so much choice, and each family has different needs. Choosing the wrong model can be an expensive mistake, especially if you end up having to change car within a few years of your original purchase.
Here are some questions you need to ask yourself when you think about buying a new family car:
What do you use your car for?
You need to consider what activities you will be using the car for. Think every day and long-term use. Families are always changing, so it’s hard to know what will be important in a few years’ time. Are you planning to expand your family in the near future? Your daily routine is also important, too. If that includes the school run and sitting in traffic on your work commute, good fuel economy and a smaller car may matter more than having a surplus of storage space. Or, do you have relatives that live far away, which means regular long journeys on the motorway?
First things first, set a vehicle budget.
Whatever your needs you must balance these with what you can afford. Sometimes you may need to make small sacrifices. The latest features may be enticing but are they really necessary and budget friendly? Think about the running cost and insurance alongside the sale price of the vehicle.
Many families are on a tight budget, and finding a car that fits within their budget can be difficult. If you are interested visit Pentagon Ford 0%. This company offers cars with 0% finance, which makes them affordable for any family! The benefits of choosing this option:
-You don’t have to worry about interest payments
-The monthly payments are lower
-You can save money in the long run by not paying interest on a car loan.
Boot space.
Children come with a LOT of stuff. Pets need space. A car may have a large boot area advertised (often measured in litres), but that doesn’t necessarily mean it’s easier to get your buggy inside. Look carefully at the space sizing, shape and accessibility.
Seats and doors.
Bear in mind is how many children you have and how old they are. Younger children need more space. Make sure that your car seats will fit correctly in the seats, and that there is enough leg room for everyone. A lot of cars also come with variations in seat layout. A family of teens that will be learning to drive soon may prefer relatively cheaper car suitable for a new driver. Whether you need a three or five-door door model will depend on your family. If you are going for a larger MPV, you may want to choose a car with sliding doors.
Those little extras.
Are you looking for a built in sat nav and roof rack if you travel often? if you’re juggling work and family, consider vehicles with special safety features like voice command or hands-free calling. Focus on practical child friendly features such as wipe clean upholstery and child lock.
Make Car Safety a Priority.
Look at what fittings the car has for child seats. You will also want to look at airbags and whether they can be adapted for children or disabled, and also whether your car doors can be switched to a child lock. You may also want to think about high-tech models that have rear-view cameras, blind spot monitoring and antilock brakes.
Why pick Fiat for your next car?
For us pricing and reliability are key to a cars market appeal. In terms of affordability FIAT offer motorists a sensible family car at a reasonable price. One of the longest standing brands Italian made Fiat as a company have a reputation for producing sound car. A much as I would love one, the whole family can’t fit into a Fit 500. Instead, the Tipo Station Wagon is number one on our list of new car choices as it is designed for comfort. The estate style car offers space without making the drastic leap to a 4×4. As for the boot, there’s 550 litres of space with the rear seats in place. Not only do they split and fold for longer loads, the seat base also rises out of the way to help create a completely flat floor; not something many competitor estates offer. We would choose a diesel to maximise efficiency, with the 1.6-litre MultiJet II version offering good performance as well as the lowest emissions. It offers a full five-star rating and ticks all our boxes.
Consider your buying options.
New or used? If you can’t afford the new model, used cars that are only a couple years old often still have a warranty and low miles making them a budget friendly option for families.
Spare parts in good quality is here available www.euspares.co.uk
Consider purchasing a car on finance or leasing? The only disadvantage of leasing is that you will never own the car, but if you like to change your car regularly, or have it grow with your family, this could be seen as an advantage.
Compare several different models, put in the research (look into reviews from consumer reports), take the opportunity to test drive a variety of cars and you can find a vehicle that’s both practical and perfect for your family.