Car Shopping Tips for new Parents
There are obviously a lot of things to consider when becoming a new parent, and one of those things happens to be a car. There are a lot of options available, but the important thing is to pick the one that’s right for you and your family. Things that you want to consider when looking at a new car is safety, reliability, gas mileage, and if it’s practical.
The dreaded mini-van isn’t the only option for new families, if you like them great, but it’s not your only hope. SUV’s can be just as convenient as a mini-van with just as much room, depending on the SUV. I would stay away from cars, especially 2 door cars. You might think that it would work fine, until you have to take your new baby out of the back seat a few times. The strain on your back alone will have you groaning all the way back to the car lot.
With the new safety features available on cars now, there isn’t a lot of guess work on whether the vehicle is safe enough or not. There are some that are safer than others in crash test, but for the most part the standards are set higher than they used to be. You can check online to see which vehicles did the best in crash tests and which one’s came in at the bottom. It’s also important that you have the proper car seat and it’s buckled in correctly.
Gas prices are a factor in everyone’s life right now, and it is something to think about when buying a new car for your family. Most manufactures have hybrids that they offer in a lot of different models. The hybrids cost more but will save you money at the pump and less strain on your wallet in the long run. Compare the mpg on the vehicle stickers when you’re looking around the car lot, the higher the mpg the better, and you’ll be thankful you did.
There are some options that you might want to spring for when you are buying your new car. It’s easier to buy the vehicle with the options already installed than trying to have them added on later. The fold down screens for the children to watch movies in the back seat is a great option. They also offer the double screen so that each child can watch their own movie. This will keep the children occupied and will make for a lot better road trip. The built in car seats are also a really nice option, and a great feature. This feature keeps you from having to load and unload a car seat every time that you have to take it out or put it back in.
That’s about it, now all you need to do is pick out the one that’s right for you. Keep in mind that you’ll want the vehicle to grow with the family, and some of the things that you don’t need or won’t use right now, might be exactly what you need later on. There is no reason to pick out something that you are going to hate to drive just because it fits your needs. With all of the makes and models available with families in mind, there shouldn’t be a problem finding something that the whole family will love.
