 In the market for a family vehicle? Whether it’s a sport-utility vehicle big enough to seat six on a summer road trip or a small electric car perfect for zipping around town here in Orange City — we’ve tracked down the best tips and advice to help you choose the right type of car for you. Once you narrow down your must-haves, you can take a test drive and hit the road. Go electric?
Choosing an all-electric ride (aka EV) is a good choice if you’ve got an environmental conscience and if you’re looking to save a few bucks on soaring gas prices. The U.S. Department of Energy says that all-electric vehicles don’t emit pollutants from their tailpipes, which means you can feel good knowing your car isn’t adding to the smog supply. Besides looking out for the environment, you’ll also be looking out for your wallet. EVs don’t need the same types of maintenance as a non-electric vehicle—that means no pricey oil changes; transmission fluids and fuel exhaust system maintenance. Want More Seats? If you’re seeking more seats than a station wagon, you may want to test-drive the new “family truckster” crossovers (think Chevrolet Equinox and Toyota Highlander). Many of these cars offer second- and third-row seat options that a wagon may not. Look into this option if extra seats and leg room are a priority for you. The Chevrolet Equinox is a crossover with a second row that slides forward and backward, which means no one has to bicker when your teen wants more leg room. And the Toyota Highlander has reclining seats for up to eight passengers. Safety First. If safety is your number one priority, look into vehicles with blind spot monitoring, a rearview camera and air bags. Blind Spot Monitoring systems (like those found in the Ford Fusion and Jeep Grand Cherokee) either have a light on the side mirrors or an audible alert that will sound when a vehicle is in your blind spot. Another safety feature to add to your safe-car checklist is a backup camera (found in the GMC Terrain and the Subaru Forester), which shows you exactly what’s behind you as you reverse. When searching for a safe ride, you’ll also want to inquire about the car’s airbag technology. Cars like the Chevrolet Cruze and Toyota Camry come standard with 10 air bags, and some SUVs (like the Explorer and Flex) come with air bag-like inflatable seat belts for extra protection. As a bonus, some safety features could save you money on car insurance. Buy Used? With the high prices of new vehicles, a used car may be a smart decision, but you want to be sure you’re not buying a dud. Become an online and in-person sleuth by checking out consumer and industry reviews online to catch yourself up on your potential make and model’s common problems. After a test drive, inspect the car for any leaks, from an oil leak to a leak in the transmission. To be sure you’re not buying a money pit on wheels, have a mechanic inspect the used car. Once the inspection is complete, be sure you are being charged a fair price. Compare prices for the same make, model and year by checking Blue Book values. Looking For a Family Ride? Take note of your family activities before you buy a car—if you go on a lot of road trips, gas mileage may be very important. If you have a larger family, more seats and foot room may be key. And for any family vehicle, safety is always important. Check out options with hands-free calling, rearview cameras, blind spot monitoring and antilock breaks. Buying For a Teen Driver? When shopping for a car for your teen driver, try to get a vehicle with Electronic Stability Control (generically called ESC). It’s a computer system that can help to prevent the car from spinning out, should the car lose control. If you’re looking to invest in a used car for your young driver, be sure the car has side-impact structure and dual front airbags. And before you buy, check out the car’s safety rating from the U.S. government and the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety. Buying a new car is a tricky decision but insuring it doesn't have to be. Just contact our agency at (386) 218-4951 or click here to get a quote and we'll shop your insurance with a variety of carriers to get you the most coverage at the lowest rate.
13 Comments
9/20/2016 03:07:37 pm
Wow, I had no idea that some newer cars have sensors that alert you when there is something in your blind spot! That's really nice, especially since it can make you a much safer driver. As a mom of four little kids, I definitely have safety as my first priority. When I start looking for cars, I'll be sure to narrow down my options to vehicles with those types of sensors. 1/19/2017 12:16:23 pm
You mentioned in your article that when you are choosing a car, you should remember to consider the number of seats and leg room. I have a couple of kids, and it's not uncommon for me to take them and their friends to activities around town. Having some extra seats would be very nice, as it would make those trips a lot easier. Thanks for the great tips. 7/20/2017 07:48:18 am
I am wanting to get myself a brand new car, but need some ideas on what to look for. It's good to know that when it comes to looking into different safety features, that there are some things I might want to consider getting. I like the idea of getting a car that has one of the new backup cameras to help with the reversing process. I am not the smoothest of drivers when it comes to reversing so it will be nice to have something that will basically do the job for me. 8/24/2017 03:04:45 pm
It was nice that you suggested choosing a car that is equipped with safety features. I liked that you mentioned considering a vehicle that has air bags, and perhaps a rear view camera. My sister has been wanting to purchase a bigger car to transport her children in. I'll be sure to tell her to consider these things as she goes and looks at cars for sale. 8/30/2017 04:02:21 am
Yes, it is little bit tricky to find the right car. Because there are so many models of car with unique designs available in the market and it mounts the difficulty level to some extent when we are going to start the process. Sometimes we get motivated by advertising and sometimes we take recommendations from our friends and relatives. But I think the most important thing is before buying a car, we should understand our wants and needs. Second most vital thing is budget. Because when the budget is low, we prefer to buy a used one. So, undoubtedly it is more confusing than it sounds and I can tell that one should follow the above steps, which will help him in finding the right automobile as per his wish and under his budget. 8/31/2017 01:31:20 pm
I agree that safety should be a concern when you are buying a car. It would be especially important to consider this if you have kids of your own. My sister is looking for a new car, so she'll have to consider the safety measures that she has installed already. My wife and I have been wanting to shop for some new cars for ourselves, and hopefully find one that we can upgrade to! I'm glad that you talked about how important safety is when you're getting a new car, and how you may want something like a backup camera, or blind spot systems. I'd love to have some extra safety features in our new car, but I think that we're going to have to do some shopping around and figure out what we can get! 9/29/2017 08:05:24 pm
I agree that safety should come first. I have a wife and two young kids and at this point in my life, nothing is more important than safety. I want my family to travel with peace of mind, knowing that if an accident happens they will be protected. I'll make sure we consider safety when looking for another vehicle. 10/13/2017 02:38:04 am
Every person has a dream of owing a car. But it becomes most toughest job while you are going to choose the car. You may gets confused about choosing of car which one is good for you or what kind of service this car provides you that you need. Before going to pick a car of your own you need to do research from several point of view. First you should consider about your own needs and safety. Go for your budget weather a brand new car available in this budget or not. If not look for a well conditioned used car. According to the requirement you should choose the good one. 2/27/2018 08:06:01 pm
I agree that you would want to consider how many seats you want in a car. Deciding this before you go to the lot would really help you make a good decision as well. I'm looking for a new car, so I'll have to consider how many seats I want. 3/2/2018 04:01:35 pm
It sure was great that you suggested checking the number of seats available in the car we're considering if we plan on buying a car for family travels. I will surely mention this to my parents because I have heard that they plan on buying a new vehicle for us this season. Considering that we are a large family of eight, I do think that seats are of utmost importance in choosing the right car. Thank you for sharing! 5/3/2018 10:07:36 pm
Thank you for sharing a few tips regarding what to consider when it comes to buying a car. Since my family loves going out on long road trips, I liked how you mentioned how important it is to consider the gas mileage of the potential car. I will be sure to keep that in mind. Aside from that, I will also work on my credit scores since it seems to not be good enough yet. Leave a Reply. |
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