Buy the Right Chariot for Your Growing Tribe: Tips for Finding a ...

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Guest Contributor Summer Healy

Here?s my confession: I have always enjoyed used compact cars. From my ?79 Volkswagon bug to the ?99 Hyundai Elantra four door I had held on to for 10 years. While other moms were using freight lifts to load and unload their monster SUVs, I was throwing caution to the wind, buckling in my 6-month-old into the backseat of my ?85 mini cooper. A strong advocate of eco-friendly consumerism, every vehicle I?ve purchased has always been used. Not too long ago, Scientific American published an article that explained why the act of purchasing used, instead of new cars, has helped in cutting down the levels of the atmosphere?s CO2 levels significantly.

When my husband announced that his mother was coming to stay with us for an undetermined amount of time, and I was expecting another little one in the same month, my family insisted, or rather demanded we get a larger vehicle. Outnumbered by my husband and two sons, it was decided; we were getting a family vehicle and it wasn?t going to be a cute compact hatchback or even a four-door sedan. My sons wanted a tank. My husband wanted something that would be fuel efficient. I, for one, had already caved, so my only caveat was that it had to be a used vehicle; I didn?t care if it was as big as a bus, it had to have miles on it and a previous owner. I wasn?t about to give up on the environment and we were in no position, financially, to be leasing a new car. I was already doing my research and looking for a fast bad credit car loan I could fill out online, since we were still catching up in paying back our student loans. While I was doing the financial research online through Consumer Reports and Edmunds.com, my husband went to a few used car lots and took pictures and notes on which family vehicles stood out from all of the rest. Here were a few we both liked:

2007 Ford Mondeo Hatchback

I know what you?re thinking, yes, a family hatchback. This Ford four-door is not an SUV, but it does seat up to 6 comfortably and it has seven standard airbags, which is taking safety to extreme levels and I like extreme safety. Performance-wise, it handles like a dream and it?s super comfy and spacious. These engines tend to be a little noisy, as is the case with most Fords, so consider that a forewarning.

2010 Chevrolet Suburban

Seating nine, sporting a V8 engine and carrying side/curtain airbags, the 2010 Chevrolet Suburban is big enough to carry all of us, while still not seeming to be too much like a monster SUV, which I like a lot. My husband of course likes that it has a V8, but be aware that this engine can drag when you?re hauling a full load and the third row seat does not fold into the floor, so that makes the installation and storage of the seats a little awkward and bulky.

2009 Hyundai Entourage

Stepping away, for a moment, from the domestic manufacturers, we decided to see what Hyundai could offer us with it?s 2009 Entourage. Seating seven, while still maintaining a sense of style and sleek design, the Entourage minivan can carry as much as an SUV, being in the shape of a tank (which I love). According to ConsumerSearch.com, the Entourage is a bit pricier than the Kia Sedona, but also finished with extremely high safety standards, which is a high priority. Still under factory warranty, we absolutely fell in love with this ?almost mini SUV.?

Of course, in the end you can?t buy a car solely based on what reviewers tell you, and that?s why you will need to test drive vehicles to see which one is the dream car for your family. Whether it?s a cute compact four-door, a hatchback or a monster, boat-sized tank safety is the main feature that will matter the most in the long run.

Summer loves to write about the latest tech and auto trends. She may be a woman, but she knows her cars and SUVs, and as a part-time used car salesperson, she knows how to sell you the car you want for the price she wants you to pay.

Source: http://momsgetreal.com/2012/12/buy-the-right-chariot-for-your-growing-tribe-tips-for-finding-a-used-family-vehicle/

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