Do you choose the family car - or does he?

I give the advice and chose a shortlist(I know a fair bit about cars after working for a number of car clients for years), we have a debate based on his likes, jointly make a final decision, and then I pack him off to buy it.

I tell him what I need from the car, he narrows it down, and then we buy what we can afford, which is normally not what either of us wanted
Before DD@s he chose his cars, I drove them but used public transport so was fairly indifferent.

Me, I drive it more.
But agree with elliott. Car salesmen seem to think my XX chromsones make me a lesser being when it comes to buying a car.

We both have our own cars - I hate his and he hates mine! His would be considered the family car as mine is on it's last legs and a pain in the arse 3 door which is a nightmare to get a small child out of the back!

MAybe the reason the advertisers think men make the decisions is that women know that they don't get taken seriously at dealerships - so they tell their partner what they want and send him in to get it!
We make joint decisions, but the car is in my name (historical reasons, we only need one car and I was the first to get one as I needed it for work). Last time we bought I sorted it all out (easier than trying to do it with all four of us around, and it has to be me signing on the dotted line anyway)

It is a jointish decision. We narrow it down together but dh makes the final call. He has much stronger opinions on brands etc and uses it for work (I'm a sahm) so I think that's fair. We'd never get something I hated though.

Very much a joint decision. There is no way I'd just let DH choose and then just rubberstamp it! He'd come up with something totally not to my liking.

We did think for a long time about what features we wanted, before we actually bought something. Then last week I saw a suitable MPV at a price we could accept in a very local and convenient used car dealer. Honestly, I didn't have the energy with little kids to peruse lots of reviews online or elsewhere, to list and compare all possible factors, or traipse around to dealers seeing what they each have.

What I have also discovered, is that when you go to take a look, Car dealers then try to pressure you and generate positive spin about anything slightly negative you observe about the vehicle or the deal on offer, all the while when you've got LOs saying "I need a wee!" "I need a biscuit!" "She stuck her tongue out at me!..."

[Pressure Shopping with LOs in tow, nightmare!!!]

he does. but i have criteria that i would like fulfilled.

we are actually changing our car in the next few weeks (because dh wants to ). i have certain things that i would like the car to have but really it is up to him.

ultimately, i don't care about cars. he does. suits us fine

Took my Mothers advice and gave permission for DH to buy the car he really wanted.
Result is happy DH, marital harmony. And the car is quite nice too.

We have until now had our own cars and each decided on our own car.
We have finally caved to the idea of a family car, and I ultimately decided which model I wanted, then DH found the right deal, usually car supermarket rather than overpriced condescending dealerships-Autoquake, very good
He now has my car as it made more financial sense to hold onto that car but when the time comes he will decide which car to change it for
We both will discuss each car lots,(we both enjiy buying the car) but ultimately one of us has responsibility for the car we drive the majority of the time
Am astonished that no-one has realised this, but it doesn't suprise me
As a buyer, I prefer to do my research at home usually on line comparing 0-60, mpg etc.
When we go to buy, I prefer a best price ie supermarket rather than this stupid wrangling which seems to be a male fighting charade.
And yes, i expect to be treated as someone who has quite a lot of input into the purchase and half the time, the whole say as to which car is purchased

Neither dh or I know or care about cars. We are both of the 'keep it til it dies' mindset.
I researched on the net which cars would fit 3 9mth plus carseats in the back(didn't want 3 rows of seats type)and then we made our choice by seeing which was the cheapest of that narrow range.
I then checked that 'which car' said it wasn't a death trap and found 2 in local showrooms.
Dh also would not know where to start researching stuff on internet so that's why I do it.
We looked at them together, but I let dh do the talking because I'm afraid I think they are more likely to accept his negotiating than mine-I could be wrong, but I don't want to risk losing money as we have very little to spare.

I chose the family/my car because I am Eminently Sensible and if I had to wait for DH to do research etc I'd still be waiting.

He chose his because he wanted a blue growly sporty car.

I listen to him talk about it, and engage in debate/merits of different models. But it's his research and his decision.

I wish DH would make the decision, but he's firmly in the " it's only a car" camp.

DH doesn't "do" cars. To him, they're a tin can that should get him from a to b, without a) breaking down and b) making his back ache. Beyond that he couldn't care less.
I, on the other hand LOVE cars. Always have done. Used to sit in my dad's car from about the age of 5, making brmm brrm noises and studying the manufacturer's handbook.

So, I decide when we're going to trade in and I basically choose what we're going to have. I research them, test drive them, talk to the salesmen about them (once they agree to look at me instead of DH, assuming I can persuade him to come along) and organise the shifting about of funds to pay for them.

Likewise, if there's ever anything that goes wrong with his, he says "It's making a funny noise/a strange light's come on the dashboard. What does that mean?" and I deal with it. He stopped in the snow recently to complain about a high-pitched whine. Called me. Straightaway I could tell (from several miles away) that it was some snow on the bumper covering the parking sensor! He had no idea!

I have no interest in cars and dont do a lot of driving, so DH did all the research, came up with his suggestion, then had to work pretty hard to make me agree since I was against getting a 4x4 to begin with. Then he sorted out getting the thing. Am perfectly happy with this arrangement (and I ended up loving the car)

We're about to buy a car for my new daily commute and this time I've done the research and have a pretty good idea of what to get, but would take DHs suggestions seriously because I'm really not that fussed about it and he has a lot of knowledge in this area.

DH doesn't drive and knows nowt about cars, so I suppose I make the decision.

I research them, choose them, find out where you can get the relevant one, take DH there, test drive together, we agree one, then I pay for them (with our money) but as someone else said I run the whole of our finances too. I don't take much notice of advertising, but do read car pages in the papers, and Which, also talk to friends about theirs.

I then organise servicing, MOTs, tax, insurance also do all the minor maintenance (checking tyre pressures, oil etc) or nag DH to do it sometimes. I know more about car maintenance than him.

I don't drive (am learning) but I had a lot of input into choosing our family car although I left the final choice up to him since he'd be driving it. We've talked vaguely about buying another car for me at some point and I'd choose that one.

Our beloved family car was changed last year.
I wasn't remotely interested in the choice of the car. And I thought we could have kept the old one (which was about 10 yrs old) for another couple of yrs.
I must add that I don't drive and that we use the car only if we go away for the weekend.

We discuss our requirements between us, then usually I look on autotrader/local paper/ebay until the right things come up, at which point we'll go and look at them and he'll tell me if they're mechanically sound.

But our requirements are things like; we need one vehicle that can take us plus two children plus two dogs, one that can tow, one that fits a large number of tools in (he is self-employed tradesman), one that we can do large mileage at low cost, etc, etc - whilst only wanting two vehicles between us - so there aren't many options for us to narrow down from!

I then sort out finance, insurance, etc.

he chose his and I chose mine with help from him. (because I know bog all about cars!) Before I could drive, he chose the car because he was the one driving it. Fair enough. What would be the point me choosing a car that he had to drive?

I chose DH's new car and mine is his old one, so a bit of both.

I have a big say - I like reliable, efficient, sensible cars. DH does not. We are currently shopping for a people carrier

I will do the ground work as to which is the most spacious, best design of seats, cheapest to buy, cheapest to run etc. And I will find the money to pay for it (although it will be money earned by DH as I only work PT, but I look after the family finances). He will come with me to look at them though!

HTH!