When Buying a Family Car, Think Ahead to the Places You’ll Go
If you’re planning a family road trip in the near future, there are a few things you’ll want to know. First, family cars make the best road trip vehicles. Secondly, clever planning will take you far. What does this really mean? Read below for your ultimate guide on embarking on a family road trip, from start to finish.
The First Step Begins Before Deciding to Take a Vacation: Choosing Family Cars.
It might sound a bit crazy to think about the trips you plan to take while browsing family cars at the car dealerships. It actually makes sense, especially when browsing kid friendly cars. About 48% of car buyers spend between one and three months browsing before deciding on a vehicle. On the other hand, about 52% are unprepared when they head down to the dealership. They might not know if they want to look at used cars or new cars, and they feel flexible on the make or model.
Failure plan at this beginning stage will cause problems later. Let’s pretend a family purchases a nice used car for a great price. It has great gas mileage and a nice paint job. But when that family goes to load up the back for a road trip, they are dismayed to find that their car just doesn’t have enough room in the back for everyone’s stuff. Family cars are labeled as such for a few reasons, one of which is having enough room.
Planning Ahead Makes Things Easier When You Get There.
When you have small kids in the car a few things become very important: snacks, breaks, and activities. These factors should even be considered above the pressure of getting to a destination by a certain time, if possible. Ignoring these tips will result in hungry, tired, and bored little ones. Remember, the goal of a family vacation is to enjoy spending time together.
Snacks Are Not Optional.
Kids love to eat, but small children especially need lots of snacks throughout the day to stay happy. You’ll find that kids who have a couple nutritious snacks throughout the day are better behaved and less whiny than those kids who did not have a good snack or two. Plan at least two snacks per kid, per day.
Fresh fruit slices, carrots, celery, and crackers are simple snacks that most kids will eat. Also remember to make sure you’ve packed enough water, which means about twice as much as what you normally drink in a day.
Breaks Make Everyone Happy.
Plan for rest stops. It is frankly a terrible idea to keep driving on through until you absolutely must pull over right away. Kids need a chance to get out of the car and stretch their legs. You’ll feel the benefit too, as exercised kids are usually calmer.
Try to map out where you’ll stop on your trip. It will give the kids something to look forward to instead of complaining. The stop will also allow you to maybe switch off driving duty with your partner too.
Activities Are the Stuff Vacations Are Made Of.
Think about why you’re going on this road trip. While there are likely key places you have planned to stop at, consider the appeal of lesser-known gems as well. Tourist traps can be a fun place to look around if your kids enjoy the odd or unusual, and some themed places might provide a few laughs too.
These tips relate back to family cars in that a good one will make them easier. A car with plenty of trunk space can hold an extra cooler full of water bottles and healthy snacks, but also allows for a tote of snack to be stowed in the cargo space. More space also means more leg room, which is something everyone can appreciate.
Many self-touted family cars today have extra features that are designed to make traveling safer. These features might take the form of heated seats, or a back-up camera, or the especially neat Blind Spot technology. Whichever car-buying group you fall into, consider all your options. Your future self may thank you.