Driving a Bigger Car: How to Prepare Yourself

Upgrading to a bigger car is oh so exciting. Now YOU’RE the big dog on the road! But how can you quickly get familiar with driving a bigger car?

A ride with wider and higher dimensions than you’re used to can pose new challenges when it comes to parking and judging distance. And that’s just for a start.

Here are some tips and tricks to make you more comfortable driving a bigger car.

Get comfortable driving a bigger car

The best thing you can do before taking your baby out on the road is to hop in and become familiar with the layout. Which side are the wipers and the indicators? Where are the aircon and radio controls? Which of all the other buttons and switches does what?

Have some fun playing around and figuring out where everything is so you can find what you need. You don’t want to shift concentration from your driving while you’re trying to find something.

It’s at this moment that you should adjust your seat and mirrors. Make sure you can see well out of each mirror, you’re the right arm and leg length away from the wheel and pedals, and you’re sitting comfortably. The rule of thumb for your external mirrors is that you want to see a sliver of your car.

Now, does everything look and feel good? Great!

New features

A lot of newer cars will come with an array of cool new features and gadgets. Some of which you may never have seen or heard of. While it sounds boring, reading the manual on some of the buttons that are weird and unfamiliar will help you understand driving a bigger car.

Newer cars usually come with some neat car safety features like blind spot monitoring, which lets you know if a vehicle is approaching or in a blind spot. Automatic emergency braking and rear cross traffic alert are probably there to help you too, but if you’re unaware they’re there your heart’s gonna skip a beat.

A lot of the time you can switch certain features on or off, depending on your preference. Tailor your car to your individual needs before you take it out for the first time.

Then make sure the car’s other drivers don’t change things around on you unexpectedly…

Side note: Have you ever wondered if it’s worth it to buy a convertible car? Read this ‘The Pros and Cons Of Convertibles‘ article to find out.

Bigger car, bigger blind spots!

One thing you’ll probably notice right away driving a bigger car is that you have more blind spots.

You’re not the first person to wonder how to best tackle this issue. In the beginning you’re going to find yourself double and triple checking, but you’ll get familiar with it in time. Make sure you’re using the new-yet-simple car technology and other tools available in your nifty ride and also just take it slow in the start.

A lot of bigger cars will have a parking and/or reversing camera. It might even be a 360 degree one, which will take some getting used to. While it might seem counter intuitive in the beginning, don’t fight it. Use these features and gadgets because the designers know the car’s limitations and designed these to help you.

While you’re exploring all the tech, consider installing a dash cam. It’ll help you provide evidence to your car insurance provider if you’re in an accident and there’s a dispute over who’s at fault.

Driving a bigger car better using estimation

When you drive a car for a while it becomes second nature, and you know what you’re capable of. When you hop into a bigger car, you mightn’t realise you’ll never fit into that usual parking spot or get round that corner the same way you used do. Try to stay vigilant in estimating where your bigger, badder car will (and won’t) fit.

This goes hand in hand with how much space you’re taking up on the road. It’ll all become second nature in no time while you’re driving a bigger car but until then give yourself time to learn while being extra wary that you’re now the big dog on the road.

Perhaps get used to your car’s new dimensions and features by test driving it in a calm or deserted area. Try out reversing, parking, and figuring out your turning circle. All of this’ll give you the confidence you need to take your gorgeous big ride onto the streets.

Think you’ve got the biggest car on the road? Check out these massive ones.

Now we’ve gone over the scary stuff, why not plan the ultimate road trip in your big new vehicle? Maybe it’s time for a boys or girls weekend away??

And just in case… car insurance

Accidents happen to the best of us, whether we’re driving a bigger car or not. Get peace of mind with a comprehensive car insurance plan. That way, you’ll have protection against claimable events like accidents, fire and theft.

So if something goes wrong, you won’t have to cover most of the cost of repair or replacement.