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The ultimate guide to buying the right family car

January 9, 2020

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Buying a new family car is a big purchase for any family, so getting it right is pretty important. To help ensure that your car-buying journey runs smoothly, I’ve shared some useful tips on buying the right family car.

Choose a car that works for you

It’s important to take the time to consider exactly what you want and need from a new family car. To start, you should consider the best types of car for your needs. If you have a family of six and need to be able to transport everyone at once, it’s no good considering a small hatchback. 

Once you know what kinds of cars will be best for you, it’s time to start looking at what features and technology you’d like them to have. A good place to start if you already own a car is to consider what you like and dislike about it. You can then use this to create a list of needs and wants that you can use when visiting dealerships.

Exploring your finance options

For most of us, it’s important to set a budget when it comes to large purchases. As most people purchase a family car using some form of finance, this will often mean setting a monthly budget for your car. This might then dictate what car or finance option you choose.

Personal Contract Purchase (PCP) is often an affordable option as you only pay toward a portion of the car’s overall cost. The remainder is paid at the end of the contract if you wish to own the car. With PCP the monthly cost is lower, so many people can get more for their money.

However, for people who know they want to own the car from the beginning Hire Purchase (HP) is often the better option. With HP, the cost of the car is broken down into monthly payments.

The ultimate guide to buying the right family car | A group of people sitting around a car

New or Used

If your budget is tight you may think that you are limited to getting a used family car. However, many car manufacturers offer some of the best deals on their new cars meaning they can work out more affordable.

You should also bear in mind, that new cars come with fewer maintenance costs. You don’t need an MOT for cars under three years old, any issues are likely to be covered by a warranty and servicing costs can often be rolled into monthly costs.

Consider part-exchange

If you already have a family car, you can part-exchange it and use the money towards a deposit on your new vehicle. You may get slightly less by part-exchanging through a dealer, but you don’t have the hassle of trying to sell it. So weighing up on which is best for you is another important consideration.

If you’ve found this blog interesting, you might want to take a look at the full car buying guide. It covers all aspects of car buying to ensure you know what your options are when you purchase your next family car.

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