Car shopping with a large family is no easy feat. When we bought our Ford Expedition in 2021, I thought we were done buying cars for a while. It took us seven months to find the Expedition Max (and I LOVE this SUV), so when we finally bought it I said I would drive it into the ground, but it has decided it has other plans. So here we are looking again for a unicorn. Having a family of 6 people limits us, and we love to camp, so that limits us to very few vehicles that can tow.
Fortunately for my husband, he doesn’t have to do much of the car shopping. I know a lot about cars from growing up with my dad as a mechanic. Researching things is also my jam, especially when we need to make big purchases, so I tend to overdo it with research. I go to the dealership with more knowledge than most salespeople. When we bought our camper, not 1 but 3 dealers asked to hire me as a salesperson because I knew a lot.
Now that we are going through this experience again, I wanted to share some tips for car shopping for a family:
Know what you want before you head to the dealer
Before heading to the dealership, educate yourself on the brands/models you like. Do the research ahead of time. There are so many options out there, but surprisingly, many share the same parts and components. For example, some Toyotas and Subarus share the same engine. A Lincoln and an Expedition are also very similar. Knowing what is a necessity for your family is important. Always search online first. I highly suggest printing the window stickers of our top contenders. Write down their online prices because the prices they offer online are typically better than on the lot.
Test drive everything
This one can be hard if you are like us and have to car shop with kids in tow, but it is important to get the feel of the car. It may look beautiful and be fully loaded with that moonroof, but it may drive rough. Or maybe it might drive smoother than expected! I know so many people buy online without even looking or testing it out, but I highly suggest test driving.
Bring the car seats
If you are trying to buy a smaller car with little ones, I recommend bringing the car seats to make sure they fit properly. The other question to ask – if you are purchasing a vehicle with 3rd-row seats – is if there are car seat anchors. You want the ability to move your children’s car seat configurations, so having these safety restraints is important.
Always bring comparable vehicles
That includes from other dealerships. Print the window stickers, and when you sit with finance be ready to battle for the best price. Stand your ground with the price or interest rate or both. Always walk away if you aren’t getting what you want. You can always walk back to that deal, but typically, usually, there is always a better deal out there. Having prices and window stickers on hand gives you the ammo you need to get the best deal.
Know your finances
Whether you plan to lease or buy, your credit score is the first thing they will ask for. The second thing will be your down payment and/or trade. Typically, dealerships can get the best interest rate because they can work with many different banks at once and they can see specific manufacturer specials. But that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t come prepared. I always suggest testing out some financing calculators, so you have a better idea of what you can afford. This also eliminates the salespeople from selling you something you can’t afford. Just come prepared with your credit score, downpayment, trade amount, monthly payment, interest rate, and comparable vehicle prices.
Research the warranty
This is a topic that still pains my heart. Some brands are neglecting to do work that falls under warranties. This is how we ended up in this situation – looking for a new vehicle. We had dealers refuse to fix our truck under warranty saying they don’t get paid enough for the job. Others told us that parts were back ordered and they didn’t want our vehicle sitting on their lot.
If there is anything I have learned from our experience, it is to research the brand’s warranties. Look at what other customers are saying in reviews. It is beneficial that people share their experiences good or bad so openly on the internet. Cars are not built as they used to be, so be prepared to invest in fixing them if not more than typical.
Wish us luck as we look for a vehicle that can fit our big family and tow our big camper! Are you looking for a car? Are there any car shopping tips you have? Share them in the comments.
