Car Buying Tips for Your New Baby

If you're soon to have the little pitter patter of feet around your home, now is a good time to start assessing your vehicle requirements. Is your baby's car seat going to fit comfortably in your car, along with your other children? How much boot space do you have? Your little one comes with a lot more baggage then you think, including a pram and baby bag for starters. Will you have enough room for your shopping too? Make a note of these top car accessories to 'baby-proof' your car.

Child Restraints

It's not so much an accessory than it is a necessity, with child restraints the single most important item to have in your car. Make sure to purchase the appropriate child restraint for your child (according to their age and size), with infants to be strapped into rearward-facing car seats.

If you have other children under the age of seven, it's important that you buy booster seats after a law was passed in 2010 that enforces this. It may help to pick out your child restraints first, so you can better assess the amount of space you need in the back seat when purchasing a family car.

Make sure the vehicle you purchase has an easily accessible anchor points for your child seat - this can save you a lot of hassle if you remove your baby seat frequently.

Seat Fabric​

Wisely choosing the seat fabric of your car is a practical move to make, helping to ensure your car is stain-free well after your kids' baby years. 

Cloth is the most common seat fabric around but it can be hard to clean once your baby gets older and starts to eat and drink in the car - placing their grubby hands everywhere, dropping food and spilling milk!! 

You may want to consider getting a leather interior for your family vehicle, as they're easy to wipe clean and maintain, and are not that unaffordable these days.

Window Tint

While car sun shades can help keep the harmful rays off your little one, you might want to think about equipping your vehicle with a permanent option to keep the strong Queensland sun out of your car. 

Tinted windows can also help to keep your car cooler in the summer, making for a more comfortable baby when summer rolls around, and you are returning to your vehicle after leaving it out in the sun. 

According to the Cancer Council Australia, tinted films can reduce the amount of UVA and UVB penetrating through the side glass, so it can be also be a great asset in preventing sun damage.

Fold-down Seats

It's all about practicality and flexibility when purchasing a family-friendly car, so make sure that your vehicle of choice has fold-down seats. This will allow you to adjust room in your car so that you can comfortably fit in your buggy, or make more space for your food shopping.

Rear-facing Car Mirror

Look out for your baby when driving without taking your eyes off the road with a convenient rear-facing car mirror. This will help to provide comfort to not only you but also your baby, as they can see you in the reflection. Some models even come equipped with a night light and music to help soothe your child.

Rear DVD Player

Keep the kids entertained with their favorite TV shows or Movies. An in car rear DVD player is a saving grace for those trips which are just a little too long for the little ones to cope with. Depending on the model, a factory option might be available or in most cases, an aftermarket solution can be installed to give a close to factory look and feel.

Keyless Smart Entry

No need to juggle keys (or find your keys for that matter) and a car seat with the use of a keyless entry system which allows you to simply push a button or touch the car door handle to enter your car.

There are also newer models of cars that come with a push-button ignition start, so you can come and go as you please with ease and only need to have your keys 'somewhere' in your handbag.

At Motorama on Brisbane's southside, we retail new and used cars to suit every family scenario, from practical hatchbacks for first-time parents to people movers for your growing brood!