7 Tips For Finding a Vehicle for your Family (and Why It’s Important)

Shopping for a family vehicle can be stressful. However, finding one that fits your family’s needs is super important. Since vehicles are expensive, I wanted to share my 7 tips for painless vehicle shopping.

Today’s post is sponsored by Cars.com

Why finding a vehicle for your family is important, the jump to two kids

So here is what happened when I had my oldest daughter. My husband and I purchased a hatchback Hyundai Elantra when Bubby was almost two-years old. We wanted something that had good gas mileage, as we traveled a lot to see our parents. Also, we wanted something that could fit the stroller and our pet rabbit. For one child, it was perfect. We could even fit our bunny’s cage in the back. I had room to put a velcro toy bin in the middle of the back seat for Bubby’s travel toys.

When I got pregnant with Sissy, I did not foresee a problem. I used to babysit and had an extra car seat in the back half the time anyways. It was not until about a month before Sissy was born that I saw that we might have issues.

Finding a problem

It started with the stroller. Because I was so active, I wanted a double stroller. Bubby needed one sometimes, and I needed one for the baby. However, when I purchased one, I couldn’t get the box in the car. The nice guy from the store helped me unbox the stroller and put it together. It fit, but there was no room for anything else.

The first time that we traveled as a family for a few days was a tight squeeze for us all. I knew then that long-term this was not going to work for my family. After months of research, I went shopping for a family vehicle upgrade. I decided on a Hyundai Tucson as a suitable replacement for our family vehicle.

The factors helping me choose were storage capacity, fuel efficiency, and price. By researching, I knew how much the vehicle cost, what features were standard, and whether or not everything would fit. By the time Sissy was six months old, I walked into a dealership and traded my sweet little Elantra for the Tucson. We used it for everything from playdates to dance class. We piled our family and exchange students into that vehicle. I could fit a chunk of my store in that thing to get to craft fairs and parties. It was perfect for us…until we decided to have another baby.

 

Another Baby, Another Upgrade

When I got pregnant with Crankles, my husband and I started to realize the vehicle was too small for our growing family. My son is eleven years older than my youngest and tall. When we had exchange students, it worked because the kids were past the ages for all the extra stuff. At the time though, we didn’t want to make a big purchase, so we swapped vehicles. My husband drove a Toyota Rav-4. It has great cargo space, so we thought it would work. However, we should have tested it with a car seat first!

Our first excursion as a family of five was a disaster! The kids were cramped, and so were we. We decided to trade in the Rav-4 for something else within the first month of having our baby.

The process of figuring that out again was so frustrating. Therefore, I was so grateful for tools like Cars.com. Being able to sit at my leisure and compare vehicles to find the one we liked, made it easier to decide. Finally, we decided on what we wanted, a Toyota Highlander (optional third row, roomy, and great for winter driving). Then, we were even able to search on there where we could find one for a good deal. All that research paid off, and we have a vehicle that fits our family perfectly. Even if we have another child, this vehicle still works great!

 

Why Research Helps Shopping for a Family Vehicle

Buying a vehicle can be costly. That is why I think it is important to consider your vehicle in family planning. Having a baby is exciting but somewhat overwhelming. Sometimes, we overlooked things that had an impact on our every day lives.

Purchasing a vehicle is not feasible for everyone. If you are thinking of buying a vehicle and may have another child in the near future, you might want to consider the following.

 

7 Tips for Painless Vehicle Shopping for a Family Vehicle

 

1. Do you have other children, and how squished will everyone be?
2. Did you measure your car seats and/or booster seats to make sure everything fits properly?
3. How often do you travel and where? If you travel a lot, you need enough storage space.
4. How much can you afford to spend on gas? Having a monthly gas budget is important. It is also important to keep that budget in mind when searching for a vehicle.
5. How many miles does the vehicle have? If you are buying new, then it does not apply. However, you can get some great deals on used vehicles. If you do though, consider how many miles are on it. You also need to have an idea about how many miles those makes and models typically get. Also, is it certified? Tools like Cars.com can help you find all that out too.
6. Do you think you might have more children or may be driving other children in your vehicle? I like my Highlander because I can use the third row. If we decide to host more exchange students, I am already prepared in that aspect. Automobile purchases are costly, so choose wisely.
7. Will this vehicle work for the weather in your area? Before moving, we lived in the mountains in Eastern Pennsylvania. We needed something that could handle the harsh winter weather. While I tend to stay home in bad weather, sometimes it is unavoidable. Make sure that your vehicle can do that for you.

Final Thoughts

While I know a big expense, like a vehicle is not always in everyone’s plans, it should be something to consider as you grow your family. By finding your family’s needs and using the right tools, you can find something that works with your budget too and can last for years to come!