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5 Things to Consider When Buying a Car for Travelling
If you like to travel a lot, you need to be very careful with your choice of vehicle, especially if you have a big family. Travelling long distances will take its toll on a car and getting stranded in a foreign area with few signs of life is something no family wants to experience. So, you’ll first have to find a vehicle you can trust. You also must start thinking about things like fuel consumption and safety. Let’s take a look at the things you have to consider when looking for a car for travelling.
**This is a collaborative post
New or Used?
Some people may be afraid to buy a used vehicle if they intend to use it for long trips and buying a brand-new vehicle will ensure that there is nothing seriously wrong with it. On the other hand, you could get a vehicle that is only a few years old that is still under warranty. It wouldn’t be the best idea to get a vehicle that is out of warranty or about to be out, however. The only exception here is if the car and manufacturer have a stellar track record for reliability and aren’t known for certain recurring issues. This brings us to our next point.
Reliability
You absolutely have to get a car that is known for being reliable. This is data that can be difficult to find on your own if you’re not used to vehicles, but mechanics will be able to give you advice. If you have a regular mechanic, do your research on a few vehicles that you are thinking of buying, and run your choices by them. You should be able to tell by their reactions which ones should be considered, and which ones should be avoided. If you don’t have a mechanic, call a few in your area and you’ll eventually find someone who will be willing to help.
Another thing you should ask is how much repairs typically cost on these vehicles and which ones cost the most for maintenance. Some vehicles will have more expensive parts than others or will be tougher to fix, which will ramp up the costs. Some vehicles may also be more exotic, and since fewer people can service them, the few who do will tend to charge more.
Some people will automatically dismiss electric cars for road trips, but you shouldn’t. Most electric cars have ranges well over 250 miles and if you’re worried about charging speed times, know that electric vehicles these days can be fully charged in less than an hour if you use a rapid charger. If you’re smart with your charging and you know that there will be lots of chargers along the way to your destination and when you get there, then you should not fear running out of battery.
Some people may still prefer fuel, however. If that’s your case, fuel consumption will be important. Try to go for something that will give you between 55 to 70 mpg. Anything over that would be excessive. This is another reason why you should think twice about buying an older vehicle. Not only are they more prone to breakdowns, but they consume much more fuel as well. And, at the price that fuel is now, it just wouldn’t make sense to overspend when you could get a slightly newer, and more efficient car. So, consider this when you think you’re getting a deal by buying a car that is five to seven years old.
Another area where newer vehicles have older ones beat is safety. Safety should be a priority for you no matter your situation, but especially if you have a family. Vehicles with a high safety rating will have tons of added features like blind spot warning, adaptive cruise control, automatic emergency braking, and lane-centering assistance, just to name a few.
In addition, the chances of being severely injured in accidents will be much lower, and these vehicles will also have better handling in general, which will allow you to avoid accidents more efficiently.
Seating space and cargo space should also be near the top of your list of criteria when looking at a vehicle for travel. Make sure that you pick a car with wide comfortable seats, plenty of legroom, and lots of configuration options.
Make sure that it has enough cargo space for the things you usually want to carry and a little more. Don’t rely on cargo space reports either as the shape of the cargo box might not be the best suited for you. This is something you’ll need to examine in person.
