Anybody can find the car shopping process to be hectic and overwhelming. This is because of the different factors that you must take into consideration. You should understand that shopping for and buying the right car goes a long way toward making your life easier. As a mom, you must think about your home and your children when car shopping. For this reason, learning what to consider when car shopping as a parent is important. This guide explains more.

Safety Ratings

Every time you drive as a mum, you want the journey to start and end safely. Therefore, checking the vehicle’s safety rating you wish to buy becomes vital. By checking the safety ratings, you determine the crash tests and how safe your child can be during an accident. Note that you lower the accident chances and costs by checking the safety ratings. With accident costs ranging around $15,000 on the lower end and $63,000 on the higher end, ensuring your family’s safety becomes vital. However, this average cost depends on the accident’s location, as the figures from the New York State Department of Transportation show. Checking the safety ratings gives you confidence in your car shopping process.

Car’s Size and Space

As a mom, you want to comfortably move around with your child or family. For this reason, shopping for a car that can accommodate your family becomes vital. Before choosing the car at the dealership, consider the number of kids and other family members in your home. You should also understand that the car size and space can influence the buying price and the budget you make. Let the car dealer take you through the car options before choosing according to your family’s needs. Before deciding, you should also be keen on the features present in the car, including car seats, child lock, and safety belts.

Your Budget

Like any product you want to buy on the market, have a realistic and sustainable budget when shopping for a car. To a larger extent, your budget determines the car you will drive home at the end of the day. Check your monthly payments and consider your home needs as you assess your budget. Talk to the car dealer to compare and understand your options. Also, compare the different models and brands to determine your budget. Did you know that the valuation of Mercedes Benz’s brand was at 23.36 billion U.S. dollars as per 2019 statistics? You should also compare the prices of the cars at the dealers and consider one within your financial means.

Your Home Needs and Wants

Your needs and wants should be the first things you keep in mind when shopping for a car as a mom. You should choose and buy a car that will serve your family’s immediate and future needs. While you will come across different brands and models of cars that suit your needs in the market, only consider one that suits your family’s needs. As a parent, you should be realistic about your needs. Consider your daily routines and how the car you choose can help make them easy. Understand that your needs determine the roles the car you choose will play. While other factors are vital, evaluate your immediate and future needs and wants before purchasing.

The Repair and Maintenance Needs

As a mom, you want to drive and use the car for as long as possible before handling any repair and maintenance needs. You should, however, note that this depends on whether you want a new or slightly used car. You should bring along an expert to help you evaluate the possible repair and maintenance needs before deciding. Mechanical and auto body repair needs are what you should prepare to handle. With the demand for powder coating expected to increase by 7.6% more than from 2014 to 2020, when the industry dominated in industrial and automotive coating, ensure you learn the repair and maintenance needs. Your mechanic should help you know more.

Choosing and buying the right car when shopping for one as a mom can be a long process. Choosing the right auto insurane can also be complicated, as you find yourself asking many questions. Which insurance is cheapest in my state? What auto insurance companies offer the best roadside assistance? Does my insurance cover accidents?

However, learning what to consider makes the process easy and productive. As a parent, you should follow the above tips to find and buy the best car for your family’s needs.

More and more teens are learning to drive, which means more parents are entrusting their teens with the family car or buying them their own cars. In fact, it’s part of the many reasons why Ford Motor Company’s revenue hit a whopping $127 billion in 2020. But as any parent of a new driver knows, teaching your teen to drive is just the beginning. You also have to teach them how to take care of a car, i.e., the basics of vehicle maintenance. Here are tips to help you get started.

1. Schedule Regular Maintenance Appointments

The first step is to make sure that your teen driver understands the importance of regular maintenance. Schedule appointments with a trusted mechanic or dealership service department and help them understand what types of services their vehicle will need. This can be anything from oil changes and tire rotations to more comprehensive services like brake repairs or engine tune-ups.

Encourage your teen to ask questions and take an active interest in maintaining their vehicle. This will help them better understand how their car works and what they need to do to keep it running smoothly.

2. Check Vehicle’s Fluids

One of the most important aspects of vehicle maintenance is checking and changing fluids. Teach your teen driver how to check their engine oil, coolant level, and power steering fluid. They should also know how to top off these fluids if they’re low.

It’s also important to show them where the dipstick is located and how to check the fluid level. Many newer vehicles have electronic displays that show the current fluid levels, but it’s still good to know how to do it manually.

Finally, teach your teen driver when these fluids need to be changed. Most fluids should be changed every few months or after a certain number of miles, but it’s always best to check the owner’s manual for specific recommendations.

3. Importance of Using OEM Parts

One of the most common mistakes that new drivers make is using aftermarket or cheap replacement parts when their car needs repairs. It’s important to teach your teen driver that using OEM (original equipment manufacturer) parts is always the best option.

This is especially true for foreign brands. For example, BMW cars require an average of 0.9 repair visits per year, with a 15% probability of a severe repair. But if you use aftermarket or fake parts, that number could go up significantly. So, it’s important to make sure your teen driver knows always to use OEM parts when their car needs repairs.

4. How to Read Their Vehicle’s Dashboard

Most modern vehicles have a variety of warning lights on the dashboard that indicate when something is wrong. It’s important to teach your teen driver how to interpret these warning lights and what they need to do if one comes on.

For example, the check engine light is one of the most common warning lights. It can indicate various issues, from a loose gas cap to a more serious problem like an engine misfire. If this light comes on, your teen should know to take their car to a mechanic as soon as possible and not continue driving until the problem is fixed.

There are many other warning lights that your teen should be aware of, so take some time to go over the dashboard with them and explain what each light means.

5. How to Change a Tire

One of the most common problems that drivers face is a flat tire. It’s important to teach your teen driver how to change a tire to be prepared if they ever find themselves in this situation.

Start by showing them how to locate the spare tire and jack in their vehicle. Then, explain how to use the jack to lift the vehicle and remove the lug nuts. Once the flat tire is off, they can put on the spare and lower the vehicle. It’s also good to show them how to check their tires for tread wear and proper inflation.

In the last decade, the average duration of vehicle ownership for new and used cars has risen by 60%. This trend will likely continue as cars become more reliable and people keep them for longer periods. As a result, it’s more important than ever to teach your teen driver the basics of vehicle maintenance. By following the tips above, you can help your teen driver keep their car in good condition and avoid costly repairs in the future.

There are many difficult things about being a parent, and talking to your teen is high on the list. This is a scary topic for many parents, but it is an important one because it could save the life of your teen. There are just about 1.4 billion cars registered in the U.S., and many of those drivers are less than reliable. Car accidents are one of the top causes of death for teenagers. Teenagers do not have the necessary experience to recognize and react to situations appropriately. They are also known to practice dangerous behavior, such as tailgating and speeding. This is why it is important to have these conversations with your teen. It is also essential that you keep some tips in mind during these conversations.

Explain

When talking to your children, you want to be confident and lead with the facts. You want to explain to your teen that a great deal of responsibility comes with a driver’s license. They are responsible for their safety, their passengers, and all the other people on the road. They are also responsible for the condition of the car. You want to explain about the many dangers on the road because driving is dangerous. However, you do not want to simplify it for your teens.

They need to know they take their lives into their hands every time they get in the car. It can be fun and provide them with a great deal of freedom. However, they should not drive distracted by things like their phone, earbuds, or texting. In addition, they should not drive while under the influence of drugs and alcohol. Driving impaired is dangerous and can risk the life of your teen and others. Not only that, they can risk going to jail and losing their license. In Maryland, a first-time DUI offense can cause one year in jail and $1,000 in fines.

Teach

As a parent, you want to teach your teen that driving is a privilege that can be revoked at any time. In addition, there are laws for teenage drivers. You and your teen should review the laws with your teen so you can make sure your teen understands them. This allows you a foundation where you can ground rules and expectations. These are intended to create a foundation for safe behavior for your teen to follow. As the driver, your teen needs to meet the expectations you set. As a parent, it is your job to hold your teen to those expectations.

Lead By Example

As a parent, you want to set a good example. If you tell your teens not to use their phones while they drive, you should stay off your phone. If you are expecting your teen to wear their seatbelt, you must wear yours. Your teen will do what they see you do in the car. Teach your teen safe driving tips, such as how to use their blinkers, lights, and wipers. You want to teach your child to drive defensively, including scan for threats while they are driving. You should teach your teen how to drive in winter weather, especially if you live in an area where this weather is prevalent.

Now that your teen is driving, it is critical that you teach them the rules that they need to know. It would be best if you taught them how to take care of common activities around their car, such as filling it with gas and putting air in the tires. The crude oil demand was projected to increase to 96.5 million barrels each day in 2021. This may impact the price that your teen may pay while driving.

Follow these helpful tips, and your teen will be a driving expert in no time!