Archive for the ‘Cars’ Category

• AutoTrader Focuses on Family

  Date: 2010.03.30 | Category: Cars, Family, Frugality, Websites | Response: 1

  

  AutoTrader has a new section on their website called

  Family Focus

  When family safety is top of mind, this is a must-read.
  It provides the top researched SUVs, minivans and wagons,
  allowing consumers to see what their peers are looking at most often.
  It also includes helpful articles and tips on topics
  like what to keep in the car in case of an emergency,
  what to look for in a family car,
  correct installation of a baby seat and more.

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  You can search within the Family Focus section for exactly what you need.  Along with the results, on the right side of the screen, you can see actual vehicles that are for sale on AutoTrader.com.  Then you can even search in your area using your zipcode.  You can also see which vehicles are the most popular and which are being searched for the most frequently.

  You can browse the Top Most Researched SUVs, Vans & Minivans, and Wagons.

  Here are some great articles I found the “Family Focus” section:

  • What To Keep In You Car In Case Of Emergency
  • 3 Money Saving Tips for Car-Shopping Parents
  • Five Tips for Driving with Kids’ Music
  • Who Says Minivans Aren’t Cool? (Not Me!)
  • Summer Road Trip Tips
  • Mom’s Biggest Driving Mistakes
  • Traveling with Pets

• Multitude Monday: Week 4

  Date: 2010.03.21 | Category: Bunky, Cars, Faith, Family, Grammy, Hubby, One Thousand Gifts, Punky, Spunky, mama | Response: 7

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

  

• The Love of an Automobile

  Date: 2009.10.22 | Category: Cars | Response: 7

  I have always been into cars.  As a kid, I loved the Dodge Neon in Turquoise Metallic.  Turquoise Metallic was even my favorite color for a while.  I was one of those teenage girls with posters of boys on her walls… and posters of cars behind her bedroom door.  Although, I never had a poster of a minivan displayed anywhere.  I didn’t know it then, but one day I would fall in love with them.

  When we were pregnant with Punky, we decided to purchase our first minivan.  We hoped for a large family, and thought we might as well buy the minivan then rather than purchasing it later on.  Then two years later, we purchased this baby:

  

  Oh, minivan, I love you.

  For me, the minivan is ideal for many reasons.  Not only does it have room for groceries, strollers, and all the baby gear of mom of three could need, I can climb to the back, change diapers and nurse my babies all behind tinted windows.  It has keyless entry for both the back doors and the truck, which makes loading carsets and packages much easier.  It has childproof locks on the doors as well.  There are cupholders and storage units throughout the car.  We were fortunate to get a car with StowNGo, which means we have lots of storage space, and we can fold all of the seats into the floor for moving large items.

  For a large family, I definitely recommend a minivan.  Ours is a Chrysler Town and Country, and we love it!

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  I recently read an article called “What to Look for in a Family Vehicle” by AutoTrader.com, which compared SUVs, Minivans and Sedans.  The article gave several good guidelines to use when looking for a new family car.  These included:

  • Size and activity level of the family: Will you need to load different types of gear or equipment into the car or will it just be a means of getting from one place to another?  Do you need a large car or would a smaller sedan also meet your needs?
  • Safety: You should take note of the features with which the car should come equipped, such as electronic stability control, side airbags, anti-lock brakes, and tire pressure monitoring systems.  Also, I would like to add child-proof windows and doors, especially ones that are automatic.
  • Personal Preferences and Convenience: These include cargo size and ease of car seat installation, which vary from type of car to the model of the vehicle.  Consider looking for things such as dark upholstery (which hides spills and messes), keyless entry (which makes life much easier-  I love mine!) and a LATCH system which makes installing car seats easier and safer (it actually attaches the carseat to the frame of the car).

  Here is some helpful information from AutoTrader (I’ve added my two cents in italics):

  SUVs- Attractive, roomy, study, powerful, and responsive, these vehicles have been a very popular choice in recent years.

  • Pros:
    • Often sit up higher, an ideal feature for improved all-around visibility. Minivans have this same feature.
    • Often equipped with four-wheel or all-wheel drive to handle different terrains.  Some minivans and sedans have this same feature.
    • Typically feature family-friendly bonuses, such as rear-set DVD players and enough cup holders for the entire family. Minivans have this feature.
  • Cons:
    • Can be gas guzzlers.  Minivans also use a lot of gas, but, typically, not as much as SUVs their same size.
    • More prone to rollovers, leading to safety concerns.
    • High thresholds may lead to trouble loading items into some SUVs.

  Minivans: When they first appeared on the scene and before SUVs took the stage, minivans were the ultimate family vehicle choice- and are making a comeback.

  • Pros:
    • Less likely than SUVs to roll over in a crash.  Built-in crumple zones help to absorb the impact and protect passengers.
    • Roomy for passengers and allow a great deal of cargo space.  This is my favorite aspect of my minivan.
    • Often equipped with automatic sliding doors, which lessons the stress of loading the car while holding a child.  And automatic truckdoors.
    • Low threshold makes it easier to remove car seats and load groceries.
  • Cons:
    • Generally have a lower resale value than an SUV.  We have found this to be true.

  Family Sedans: As gas prices, rise, so do the attractiveness and sales of sedans- especially smaller more gas-friendly ones.

  • Pros:
    • With a smaller size, family members can be within reach of the driver.  Although, this type of car does not work for families with more than two small children because carseats do not fit in the back seat.
    • Include perks like affordability and nimble handling.
    • Can offer better gas milage.  Definitely true.
  • Cons:
    • Storage space can be more limited.
    • Do not have adequate space for large families or baby gear.

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  I think the two main things to consider before purchasing a family vehicle are the size of your family and the ways in which you will use the vehicle.  If you have a large family, obviously an SUV or Minivan would work best.  If you have three or less children, a sedan would work just fine and it would save you lots of money both upfront and long term.  If you use your car to travel a lot or have a large animal that you take along with you, a larger car would be better.  But before you make an decisions, scout out all the vehicles in your area with your requirements.  Test drive a lot of cars.  Don’t be afraid to haggle.

  My husband is a genius at buying cars.  With the first minivan we purchased, he kept talking the salesman down, and finally, at the end, got another one hundred dollars off just because I was pregnant with Punky.  Then with our current minivan, he did so well, the dealership LOST $1,400 on the sale.  Talk about a deal!