Bought a new car...

[Jelly Baby]

But i'm worried for various reasons!

I bought my current Zafira last year, panicked bought it as needed a car as my old one had blown up. Its lovely and been a great runner. however i have hit the back of it (some may say why buy another then!) the heater is on it's way out, the windows steam up badly and the rattles are getting so bad it drives me mad every time we go out! The interior is good but very scratched in the boot which i knew when i bought it. I have been looking to upgrade it for some time and looked occasionally like you do but only look properly this week when oh needed a new vehicle and we considered him having mine as wouldn't matter if it got damaged.

So i'm walking to the dentist and there it is sitting there in a local garage just waiting for me!! it's a newer one, it's perfect..18k mileage immaculate inside and out, a diesel whereas my old one was a petrol, a 1.9 sri so more in it and faster. BUT the kids i have dont respect anything and yesterday were stood in wet feet on my seats to which they got told off!

So my questions are..how do you get the kids to behave in the car? and tell me it's ok to buy it as having doubts..one due to it being more money! Always worry that the parents will think they are paying me too much! Just dont see why as i spend so much time in it why i cant have a nicer car but feel guilty!

Thanks

[Carol M]

I got my second Zafira from new and I love it. It is the first ever car I have bought new! The week after I got it main mindee gave notice and I worried as it is such a committment. 2 yrs down the line I still have it and mindees have come and gone. I constantly remind the children about muddy feet and if there is an issue I take their shoes off ( all mindees under 5 tho).
And only another 3 years to pay for it :laughing:
Only you can decide but I'm happy I bought mine.
Carol xx

[Jelly Baby]

Thanks Carol i know your right and worried about this one i have now, think it's just the unreliability of the job! Will take me 4 years to pay off which seem like a lifetime but still have 2 left on this if i kept it so?! i plan on keeping this one though as lovely.

This one is an 08 plate so not new but like i said 18k miles so immaculate, loads of others ive looked at are either miles away or damaged in some way so feel this is the right thing to do!

It is on the school run i have the probs as the older ones take their belts off as soon as we have stopped and start climbing around, i have told them they will keep belts on if they play up! their mum and dad both have very nice cars so find it odd they are like it.

[Ripeberry]

If I was to ever get a new car and was still CM then I would get a set of waterproof car seat covers to keep it pristine :D:thumbsup:

[Chatterbox Childcare]

I treat the car the same as the house - we have rules!

If they don't stop putting their shoes on the seats I take the shoes off - simples

Children (and adults alike) have to respect our property and I am afraid I come down very hard on anyone that doesn't as I cannot afford to go and replace it.

I have a no food and no shoes on seats policy in my car and drinks will only be water!

I sound harsh writing it down but it was all summed up when a parent met me at school with her 2 year old and put him in the car and then proceeded to give him a doughnut (don't go there!) to which I took it off him and gave it to the parent and got a humph as a comment. I proceeded to explain that if all 7 children in my car had a doughnut the car would constantly be a mess. Again she humph and left.

[blue bear]

No eating or drinking in my car not even dh! Children are all taught to leave belts fastened until I say so then they come out one at a time, we live close enough to walk to school so if they jumped around I'd make them walk.
You wouldn't have them jump all over your sofa with shoes on, the cars no different.

[miffy]

Sounds like it was there waiting for you :thumbsup:

Like the others say you decide the rules for how the children behave in the car and stick to them, so if their shoes are muddy take them off before they have chance to wipe them on your seats.

As for parents it's nothing to do with them what you spend your income on so don't worry. In fact, they should be grateful you're buying a nice car to ferry their children around in safely!

Hope you get it and enjoy it

Miffy xx

[Demonjill]

Ah def go for it :thumbsup:Sounds fab

The rules may take them a while to get used to but keep at them and dont stand any nonsense.

This is one of things I worried about when began CM as we can only afford to have 1 car in our family - DH loves cars and already has to sacrifice that I need a more practical car for my job .....

But .... we stll would like our car to be well looked after, shiny, clean inside etc

Our own 2 kids were brought up to respect both our home and cars they would NEVER stand on seats etc so why should mindees be any different??

I am not ashamed to say that I would be very annoyed and hard on ANY mindees who abused my property especially cars/houses that cost alot of money etc:thumbsup:

Good luck im sure it will sort itself out :thumbsup:

[samb]

Sounds great! :thumbsup:

Def be harsher with the rules but also buy seat covers for your own sanity!

[Jelly Baby]

Thanks ladies!

The one i have now was pretty wrecked inside when i bought it, things like the insides of the doors where the seatbelts obviously weren't in the car properly and someone has slammed the door so the metal is dented. one of the mindees did it a couple of weeks ago so just need to make sure i keep an eye more. The twins i have seem to have an obssession with trying to get in the drivers seat and turn my light on and off and push everything they can..drives me mad! Thinking about it why am i bothering!! We bought a mini a few months ago and it was immaculate, within a day someone has bashed it at the supermarket so it now has a small dent near the petrol cap grr..was so so mad..No my outlook is id'e have a nice car if i wasn't in this job so why let the kids stop me have to have rules like you say!