The time has come when we need to buy another car for our growing family. So what did we do to deserve this responsibility? Well, we all enter married life as part of a couple and sometimes that number is increased by one, two or even more! We have to adjust to these changes and one of those areas where we need flexibility is the amount of vehicles we need for our family. One car was more than enough at the start, but then our family grew and before we knew it our kids have learned to drive. To make matters more complicated, our partner has also shown interest in a 2nd vehicle. Let’s look at the best approach to take when we reach this ‘happy’ day!

Budget

Before we look in the classifieds for the vehicle, it is vital that we have calculated how much we are prepared to spend on the vehicle. This amount should include several important factors:

• The cost of the car – Perhaps other family members could chip in a few bucks?
• Insurance – Especially if we are including new drivers – they are never cheap!
• Running costs – The car will probably be used by at least two family members and will be somewhat of a workhorse with many expected miles ahead.
• Warranty – A good idea to have one of these, because a vehicle that is driven by more than one person will suffer more than its share of wear and tear!

Functionality

When we buy a vehicle for ourselves, it is usually quite easy to decide on the style of vehicle. This becomes a little more complicated for a multi-use car, mainly because of the extra preferences involved. If our partner is driving for the first time, they will probably want a small car that is easy to drive and even easier to park. If our kids are girls, they will probably have the same ideas. But if we have boys, then the problems will start to rear their heads. Most boys have a love of cars and that means that they will want something sporty, even for their first ride. We need to nip this desire in the bud and explain the practicality of having a small car before moving up the ladder. The insurance will be a ‘no no’ and it will be us that pay for the fuel and probably speeding fines!

Flexibility

Assuming that everyone agrees on a small car and a suitable one has been bought, the problems of usage will then commence. If the car is going to be used by two family members, it will be best to draw up a rota for sharing. When three members are playing a tug of war with the poor thing, it is probably best to let them decide amongst themselves!

Responsibility

A very important issue is the matter of who pays for fuel and any added expenses that are bound to come along. Try to organise a kitty for unexpected costs and ask the users to pay for their own weekly mileage.

Good Luck!

In an ideal world, these tips would ensure a trouble-free future for the new addition to your family. But in reality you should just take each day as it comes and touch wood at every opportunity!

Johnny Moore, the author of this post, enjoys sharing his thoughts and life experiences through blog articles. He recently bought a car shelter for his favorite car which is a thirty year old family owned vintage car.

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