Buying a Family Car: What You Need to Think About

Buying a family car: what you need to think about

Your family car goes through a lot, so if it’s time to start thinking about a new one, there’s a lot to consider. If you don’t know what to look for under the hood, this guide will help you when it comes to the technical stuff as well as the practical side of space and reliability. PassSmart – the team who writes about cars every day – have written this guide to make your vehicle shopping experience a little simpler!

Finding your dealer

If this car is going to be multi-purpose and used to carry the kids about, you need to make sure you’re buying from a reputable seller. Do your homework and shop around. Ask for personal recommendations, and look online for local dealerships. Although private sellers often offer bargain prices, you’ll have much more peace of mind if you go through a trusted dealer.

Used or new?

It’s up to you whether you want to buy a brand new or used vehicle, but bear in mind that used vehicles are often much better value for money. If you’re looking at used cars, however, it’s worth checking out the car’s history. A quick online check of the license plate will tell you whether it’s ever been stolen or involved in a collision.

You should also get the vehicle checked over by a mechanic or someone who knows their dipstick from their windscreen washer! It might cost you a little extra but it’s definitely worth checking if you want to protect your money in the long run.

Space

Every mom knows how important it is to have space in the car, because kids come with a lot of baggage! Throw the grocery shopping into the mix and you’ve got a seriously large load.

When car shopping, it’s important to have this in mind, and you need to account for any future additions to the family too! Take the kids with you to the dealership and test it out for yourselves.

Reliability

Read reviews online, and look at how reliable other models from the same manufacturer are. If they’re known to have a bad reputation, it’s probably best to avoid them. You don’t want to end up stuck at the side of the road in three months time and paying a fortune in repair bills.

The most trusted, reliable manufacturers will often be more expensive, but it may be worth paying extra if you don’t plan on buying another car for a long time.

This content was written by Isabelle from British company, PassSmart.com; the people who match learner drivers with driving instructors near them.