It has been five years since you got married. Back then, you’re used to cruising around in a sporty and compact car but with the arrival of your third child recently, you realize that the time has come to upgrade your stylish ride into something more… family-oriented.
After considering all your options, you decide to get a used family car to work around your financial situation. However, shopping for a family car can be a bit tricky if you’ve only started learning the ropes of being a family man or woman.
Here are some things you should consider when buying your first family car.
Plan For the Future
Before going through your plan to buy a family car, you should map things out properly with your partner first. This is important to make sure the car you will be buying can fulfil all your family needs.
From compact sport utility vehicles (SUVs) for small families to minivans that could transport a large family comfortably, there are plenty of choices around if you’re looking for a family car.
If you’re planning to add more children to the family in the future, getting a minivan or a seven-seater SUV would be the perfect choice. But if you’re content with a maximum of three children, a compact SUV should be more than enough for you.
Once you’ve got your choice of family car, you can work on allocating a budget for your purchase. There are a few things you can do to make allocating a budget a lot easier for you.
One of them is by sending your current car to be inspected by CARSOME so you can sell it off and use the money as capital for your future purchase. On top of that, you can also use the loan calculator feature in CARSOME’s car listings to find a family car that suits your monthly payment budget.
Read: Mommyvan: Which 7 Seater Cars are Perfect for Families?
The Need for Child Car Seats
Most people would think that child car seats follow the capacity of passenger seats in a car, but this is not the case. Although there are latches to hook in child car seats, not every seat in the car will have them.
It is important to check properly for seat latches, especially if you plan on adding more family members in the future. You never know if you might need to put three or more car seats at one time in the car.
Besides latches, car seat fit is also an important factor to keep your eye out on when buying family cars. As your child grows, the size of the car seat used will increase and the position they’re mounted in will change as well. It’s best to check if there will be enough clearance to fit all the car seats you’ll be using in the future.
Read: Tips on Buying a Car Seat – Safety, Types, Etc.
Cargo-On-The-Go
Another deciding factor in buying a family car is cargo. When you have babies or children, there are a lot of “extras” that you will need to haul around during travels to keep them comfy and safe. This includes strollers, toys, diaper bags, portable cots, and many more.
It is very important for you to look for a car that could fit these things that you will carry around with you. Ideally, a car with a minimum of 400 litres of boot space can fit a family of four or five comfortably. More space is definitely recommended if your family is large.
Having folding seats could also be a major plus point for the car you’re about to buy. It could easily double or even triple the cargo space whenever needed.
Other than that, the availability of small storage spaces can also do wonders when it comes to stashing small items quickly. For example, cup holders could double as milk bottle holders for emergencies, under-seat spaces could be a place to quickly stash extra shoes or toys for your children during travels.
Comfort for the Little Ones
Looking for comfort is a must when buying a family car. A comfy child will be at their best behaviour and you will also be able to avoid headaches and unwanted screaming during long-distance travels.
A major comfort point to look out for when searching for family cars is the climate control function. Remember the time when you sat on a bus back then with your friends, and it was very hot since the air conditioning couldn’t reach where you were sitting? This changes all that.
A big car requires proper climate control capabilities to ensure every inch of the car is cool and comfortable. This way, everyone at the back will be able to feel the cool breeze of the air conditioning without having to fight for it.
Another comfort point you should consider is leather seats. Kids being kids, they will eventually spill or stain the seats with something. With leather seats, cleaning becomes easier and you also don’t have to worry about ugly marks left behind when your kids get a bit too naughty!
Safety Features
When choosing a family car, it’s very important to consider the safety features that it offers to ensure the car is suitable for your daily drive as well as balik kampung trips with your family.
Most cars these days are equipped with beefed-up safety technology that makes driving safer, so now is a great time to invest in a family car.
Some important safety features that you should look out for include child safety locks, airbags (the more, the better), rearview cameras, adaptive cruise control, blind-spot warning, and the likes.
On top of that, you can also check out the safety rating of the car you’re interested in at ASEAN NCAP’s website here. This allows you to ensure that the car you will be getting has the proper safety standards to keep you and your family safe on the road.
Read: What To Look Out For in A Family Car
Make It CARSOME for Peace of Mind
If you’re set on getting a used car when buying your first family car, why not make it CARSOME? With the largest inventory of quality used cars to browse through, it won’t be difficult to find one that suits your family. On top of that, if you get a CARSOME Certified car, you are guaranteed to get a ride that delivers the CARSOME Promise.
This is our promise to you.
- Five-day money-back guarantee: If you buy a used car from CARSOME and it doesn’t fit your family’s needs, you can return it back to us within five days to get a full refund. No questions asked!
- Professional inspection: All CARSOME cars have passed a thorough 175-point inspection to ensure it is free from major accidents, as well as frame, fire, and flood damage.
- One-year warranty: For your peace of mind, we will provide you with a one year warranty to ensure your car is road-worthy.
- Fixed price: You will only pay the price we display, with no hidden fees.
With that, we hope that this helps you make the right choice in your search for a family car. Don’t forget to grab extra savings by checking out our monthly promotions.
