Do you choose the family car - or does he?

I usually state my requests - things like a large boot, safety features etc and then he goes off and researches . Having said that the last one he bought was a total surprise and it fitted the bill perfectly so much so that I don't want to sell it and find another !

Advertisers are completely wrong for my household. I handle pretty much all the car matters! Not just the choosing of the car, but also getting the tax/insurance, sorting the MOT/service and even down to the day to day maintainance!

I doubt my beloved DH would know where to start with checking the oil or pressures of the tyres, let alone anything like changing bulbs, bleeding the breaks or tightening the fan belt! On a good day, he might be able to tell you the make and model of our car, but I doubt he knows the engine size.

On the other hand, DH is very good at the cooking and cleaning. We're a bit gender reversed in our household roles.

DH usually has some preferances regarding what car we get, he prefers smaller vehicles which don't have too much power because he feels he can't control them. I go and find something that matches up to his vague preferences, get a couple of options to run by him, then he pretty much agrees with my first choice!

It works pretty well for us.

we choose not have a car

but in all other big purchases I do the research then we decide

I decide on a shortlist of family cars. He goes and test drives them as I find cars boring. He tells me what they're like to drive, and we then decide together.

His car he chose himself, but I decided his budget!

I decided that both our cars have to be automatic, as I don't enjoy driving.

With the car we are probably going to buy this weekend, I saw one parked next to me in the car park, looked at all the important things like space to get a double buggy in the back etc, number of seats etc came home went on Autotrader, emailed DP and then we went to see one yesterday and liked it. He knows about things like the bhp, mpg etc. This one is a mumbus so he has less say in it as long as I am happy with it he says. Now I just have to work out a way to park the thing.

sorry, forgot to add that Honda were fine but Toyota and Ford dealers were less than helpful when I went with ds to see some cars. We now have a honda and didn't revisit Ford or Toyota.

we choose jointly i.e. we both have the power of a veto. Our current car is more my choice than DH's as I really wanted it and he wasn't that fussed.

He cares, I dont - he chooses

Haven't read the whole thread but just seen poledra's post - one salesman was terrible with us.

I was asking questions and he gave his responses to DH. Then I asked whether the model he was showing us was in a different tax band to the one we had asked to look at. He said "yes but it's peanuts" (£100 a year difference or something) and when I said something about environment (we had gone to ask about a prius and he was showing us a gas guzzler) he rolled his eyes at DH FFS. He was trying to sell to DH on basis of powerful car etc and obviously thought I sholdn't be worrying my pretty little head about any of it, and should stop interrupting with my foolish comments. Twat. We didn't go back.

Thing is I know sod all about cars, but DH knows even less!

do advertisers really think this? I thought they had twigged long ago that women had a big say, and often the final say.

With us, we both have ideas, and research together, both go round the showrooms and both test drive. Then discuss it all at length. And then I make a decision

Same with DHs parents.

My parents - my dad does it all but they are terribly traditional in their roles. Amd he is the sort of man who checks the oli and tyres every week without fail on a sunday, while my mum cooks a roast with her apron on. That sort of vibe. Do the advertisers live in the 1950s as well?

Quattro yes yes yes re the Saab salesmen! They are lovely - when shipping for a new car with DD2 in her carseat, the Saab saleman helped me move carseats in adn out of my car to check they would fit, happily disucssed tirque, mpg, bhp etc with me and offered Dh a cup of tea while we went off for a test drive. I really miss my Saab 93 estate (DD3, it's all your fault )

I'm really surprised to see the number of women who got brushed off by salesmen - it was only VW that did that to me.

I definately do most of the work - research, locating possibles etc etc. His input is really only what it looks like and i do all the rest.

no neither of us do, dd does, as it is all about her needs

Absolutely totally me. Our last three cars were bought by my dad so for one reason or another we didn't get a choice but I drive the best car out of the two we have at any one time. The last car we bought ourselves was definitely my choice. I researched, haggled and did all the donkey work. DH doesn't care that much and would drive a Nissan Micra if necessary.

I care very much about cars (I will have an Aston Martin one day), and DH sees them as things that get you from A to B. He also insists on diesel, which I dislike - but as he lets me have my Aga, I will allow him this one. We have a crumbly estate car which I hate, but which I suggested as it serves the multiple purposes that we need it to serve. Thanks to school fees, we will never, ever be able to replace it. Gah.

I researched, posted on Honest John to get feedback on what I decided. Spent months shopping around for best deal. Made call and set up price discussion. He drove, I closed deal. Would have walked if salesman hadn't taken me seriously and he was much too desperate for sale to take any risks.

well being a lone parent I thought it would be me that choose the family car - but if it had anything to do with the car sales man it would some random man walking down the street rather that a mother

Car sales men really do not like having to deal with a lone mother trying to buy a suitable car for her family. In fact they try very hard to get any man to be with her to deal with the sale and try to get hives to not deal with a woman sale.

but seeing as it is just me it is my choice what I purchase and I get to choice all on my own so we have a sporty number

DH does all the research and the ringing round. I comment now and again and have a right of veto (so I think I get off lightly here ).

Generally though we agree in the requirements. And he is much better at getting a good deal than I would be - so it works well for us.

I chose it, paid for most of it (with my lovely convertible BMW) have my name on the piece of paper as the owner and he got all the mail etc after . And he said as he drove it away (I was too sleep deprived to drive)'it is nice, but it's not a BMW is it?' .

We do the research together and make the decision together for all capital purchases, I would find it strange if it was any different.

He chooses.

Cars are boring.

I do, just have in fact, today!

DH could NOT be less interested! Were he 30 years younger he's just say "Car? Like, er whatever"

Me. But as our budget for cars has never been more than £3k I don't imagine advertisers are particularly bothered about what I think.