What Should You Look For In a Family Car?

If you are eager to replace your set of wheels for something a tad more modern and family-friendly, you need to consider a range of factors. Driving your small brood to swimming lessons on the weekend, doing the school run, and commuting to work using your motor means getting something that is fit for a whole host of journeys. Family cars once used to be a simple five-door hatchback or saloon but there is so much more choice nowadays. Take a look at the sorts of things you should be considering before you take the plunge and trade in your vehicle for a new family car.

Size

If you are a small family, you will probably be able to make do with a relatively small car. However, if you have a football team of little darlings or your offspring are growing in size, you might want to look into a more comfortable and space-friendly motor. SUVs are all the rage at the moment because they offer great space inside and look on trend from the outside. Plenty of makes and models are out there from the diesel guzzling behemoths to the more eco-friendly electric SUVs. If you fancy something fashionable that will turn heads for the right reasons, an SUV could be just what you’re after.

Safety

While you might not have been bothered about safety features when you were young, free, and single, this might now be your priority when choosing a new family set of wheels. You want to know that, should a collision occur, your little ones are as safe as possible in the back seat when ferrying them to dance class at the weekend. Safety features such as advanced braking systems, blind spot sensors, and side-impact bars should be the bare minimum you look for. The Euro NCAP safety ratings provide the gold standard of reviews so check these out before parting with your cash.

Should you be involved in a car accident, make sure that you always have the number of a personal injury attorney with you. They can guide you through the process of making a claim and recovering financially and health-wise. With a safe car, you should be able to walk away from a collision. If you and your spouse divorce, you can always hire a family law attorney such as Langer & Langer, to see who gets said family car.

Running Costs

When you are watching the pennies, you don’t want to be forking out a small fortune on a new car. Venturing to car showrooms can be good to give you an idea of what is on the market, but don’t be tempted to purchase a brand new car that has never been driven before. The moment you drive it away from the dealership it will depreciate in value. Instead, go for a well looked after second-hand car. The used car market is buoyant at the moment, so you should be able to find just what you are looking for.

Just as the United States has our trusty CarFax report, the UK has Just Car Checks that give you a detailed car tax check that includes a free MOT check, DVLA verified full history for any vehicle, and reliable quick service in an easy-to-read report, something every second-hand car owner should have available before buying.

When thinking about the running costs of the car, go for something that won’t cost you the Earth in gas or fuel. Try and find a make of vehicle that does at least forty miles to the gallon. This way, it will cope with all the journeys that you have to make without you having to fill up every couple of days. If you really want to save money on gas, go for one of the latest hybrids or electric cars. These may cost more to purchase initially but they will cost nothing in fuel as you only recharge a battery and you won’t ever have to pay any congestion charges.

When it comes to tax and insurance, this will increase as you look for cars with larger engines and that do more damage to the environment. Opt for a car that is reliable and that can have its parts sourced easily. Gong for a random Far Eastern make and model could lead to costly servicing. If in doubt, opt for Ford, Chevrolet, or Volkswagen to be sure of a reliable and cheap to run set of wheels.

Budget

Ensure that you set yourself a budget. Try and stretch to as much as you can afford and consider buying from a dealer rather than from a private seller. A dealer will add a touch onto the price but for this, you will get at least a three-month warranty, should anything go wrong with the vehicle. If you can, try and have a haggle. Dealers are used to it and it’s part of the fun of buying a new car. If you can’t get money off the purchase price, try and get a full tank of fuel or car mats thrown in.