The new mum’s guide to buying a car

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Published on Sunday, 22 March 2020 20:19

Last Updated on 22 March 2020

Monica Costa

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Having experienced the miracle of birth, new mums have a great deal of readjustment to look forward to. Some of them elect to get back to work as soon as humanly possible, but even stay-at-home mums need a little bit of mobility, and the vehicle you already have might not be suitable for life when you’ve a child in tow. Even if you’re struggling for cash in the short term, online financing is available to help you get the right vehicle for you.

So what factors should new mums consider when buying a car? Let’s take a look at some of the more important criteria.

Capacity

As soon as you make the switch to the family car market, you’ll begin to notice things like boot space and leg room receive a substantial improvement. The last thing you want is the stress of having to stow shopping underneath the seats, especially when you have a busy schedule to stick to.

Safety

When you’re driving your new baby from place to place, you’ll want to be sure that they’re kept as safe as reasonably possible. This means a vehicle that’s been stress-tested thoroughly, and that’s easy to drive in a safe manner. The safest vehicles in this regard are the larger ones – though small vehicles win out in other categories.

Efficiency

Life as a parent is going to place a financial burden on your household. Anything that can be done to mitigate the impact, then, will be worthwhile. Opting for a more efficient car is among the measures you can take. And the more you use the car, the more worthwhile this measure will ultimately be.

Reliability

Cars which break down frequently are a source of constant stress. When you’re a new mum, you’re going to have plenty of demands on your attention and having to make time to visit your mechanic probably won’t be high on your agenda.

If you’re buying second-hand, then wear-and-tear should be high on your list of things to look out for. Check the mileage and MOT history and be sure to carry out a visual inspection of the car before you part with any cash.

What are the best cars?

Several cars stand out as worth considering. The Ford B-Max is a little bit like the Focus, except chunkier. It comes with sliding doors and plenty of room overhead. If you’ve got the money to spare, then a 4×4 like Audi’s Q5 will also prove attractive: it comes with hill control technology and other niceties, which make the driving experience that much smoother.