Choosing the Perfect Family Car

Arriving home on a Friday afternoon or arriving home for the first time with your new baby, weekend trips, or epic camping expeditions, these and so many more memorable events have one thing in common – your family car. The decision to purchase a family car is a big one and with the amount of time you’ll be spending in it and the memories you’ll be creating, it’s risky to take this decision too lightly. To provide some help, we’ve compiled a short list of things to consider when choosing a new or used family car.

How big is your family going to be?

When deciding what size car to purchase it’s important to look beyond how big your family is at this exact point in time. A Micro Car may be the perfect economical solution right now but the ever so loving (slobbery, smelly) dog you rescue from the animal shelter in six months might just change your mind. It’s important to buy a car that can grow with your family- is there enough room for a booster seat, a pram or a small soccer team? Such a simple consideration has the potential to save you lots of time and money by not needing to upgrade your car every time your circumstances change.

Know Your Budget

The Australian car market has become more affordable in recent years with increased competition from new manufacturers in the industry. This is excellent for prices but makes your final decision all the more difficult. Before you even begin searching for a car, we always recommend setting a budget to know what you can and can’t afford. It’s also important when formulating your budget to look beyond the initial purchase price to future running costs and potential problems. The result of a cheap and cheerful purchase can often be not so cheerful. This is why we highly recommend looking for cars at the high end of what your budget allows. Spending a little more up front can save you a lot of money and future headaches in the long run.

What’s the use?

The final category to consider before purchasing a car is what are you actually going to use the car for? If your primary activity is running around the city and attending weekend luncheons, it’s probably best to refine your car search to exclude vehicles large enough to tow a small house. Similarly you don’t want to be stuck with a cute-as-a-button convertible if you’re planning to cross the Nullarbor. A good way to go about this step is to take some time to think about what you actually use your car for, what you hope to use it for in the future, and find a car to match. You’re not necessarily limited to extremes, as a lot of car manufacturers make excellent hybrid vehicles, which tackle beach drives as easily as city errands.

The bottom line

Going through these simple steps can help to refine your car search but at the end of the day it really comes back to knowing what you want and researching a lot. Using a broker can save you a lot of time, particularly if you know what you want and are growing impatient searching everyday for the right car to come along. We can take care of the buying process to find the perfect car to suit your needs.