Tails from the Trails; Buying Used Cars in Fredericksburg, Va for Your Dog

Dogs are often an important part of the family that should require just as much thought when purchasing a car as your small children. Even if you four legged family member only hops into the car for occasional trips to the vet, your vehicle still needs to be comfortable and safe for them. But what makes one car among all of the used cars in Fredericksburg, Va better than others for your pet? By using our 15 pound Bichon Frise mascot Louie and my 120 lb Saint Bernard Luna, we will determine what car features are most important for dogs of all sizes and shedding levels. A few aspects that we look for among cars on our Buy Here Pay Here lot at Airport Auto Sales are: relatively low floors for easy entry, window tinting for climate control, air vents that reach the rear cargo space, all weather floor mats, fully foldable rear seats, durable cloth or leather interior, and easy access to seat belts for harness latches.

The first concern when looking at used cars in Fredericksburg, Va for you and your dog is the space your dog will need to be comfortable and safe. For a smaller dog like Louie, a sedan can be a safe choice. Dogs his size can easily travel in the backseat of a sedan either with a harness that is latched into a seatbelt or by using a backseat hammock. Bringing your harness with you when looking at prospective purchases will allow you to test latch the harness to seat belts. If you don’t have a seat belt harness, a seat hammock is a great way to keep your pet safely in the back while simultaneously covering the seats. Make sure that the vehicle has removable headrests so you can install a seat covering hammock easily. Allowing dogs that are Louie’s size to sit in the front seat poses as much danger to him as it would a small child. Airbags can be just as, if not more, dangerous than they would be for an infant. Having a small dog offers you several choices on our Buy Here Pay Here lot including sedans such as a Toyota Camry, Nissan Altima, Chevrolet Malibu, or Honda Civic.

If you have ever tried to cram a 120 dog into a sedan you will understand why most of our recommended vehicles for dogs from our Buy Here Pay Here lot are NOT sedans. For dogs larger than 40 pounds a crossover, SUV, or minivan will be a smart investment. I grew up watching a man unload his three Great Danes from his minivan every Sunday at the battlefield park and remember thinking it resembled clowns jumping out of a clown car at a circus. The giant beasts just kept leaping out of the vehicle! The minivan was perfect for him and his three Great Danes because it offered him a low floor that made getting in and out easy for his dogs. With everything but the two front seats down, he was able to create ample space for all three dogs. Minivans such as the Chrysler Pacifica, Honda Odyssey, and Toyota Sienna are incredibly versatile and spacious with their fully folding and removable seats.

When looking at used cars in Fredericksburg, Va for your dog a crossover or SUV is always a safe choice. Vehicles such as the Honda CR-V, Ford Escape, Chevrolet Equinox, Toyota 4Runner, and Jeep Liberty are all pup favorites because they are all well known for ample cargo space and durable interiors. Whether your companion is 15 pound Louie or 120 Luna, dogs can quickly track in a lot of mud and dirt. Making sure that the vehicle comes with all weather floor mats can be a life saver. In terms of seating material, leather is our preferred choice. Perhaps your dog is like Louie and does not shed. You can get away with cloth seating. This just means you’ve never enjoyed the task of vacuuming over one section of a seat for twenty minutes only to realize that dog hair is apparently integral to the thread count now. Leather is best for heavy shedders like Luna as it is easy to vacuum and wipe over. If you cannot find leather, make sure to get a vehicle with a durable cloth that has a high denier. A higher denier will mean less gaps in between the threads. Less gaps means less places for the hair to hide. Hopefully.

Other aspects that are important to look for among crossovers and SUVs on our Buy Here Pay Here lot at Airport Auto Sales is if the cargo space has ample cargo attachment ringlets for securing a portable crate or barriers to. If your dog has problems staying out of the front seat, these can be highly valuable to have. The cargo space also needs to have access to air vents so that the rear does not become too hot. Liftgate height can also be worth noting as the rear height of the Ford Escape and Toyota 4-Runner might be too much of a leap for older or arthritic dogs.

Despite if your companion is smaller and doesn’t shed like Louie or is large like Luna and sheds and drools like a bear, the Buy Here Pay Here lot at Airport Auto Sales has a car for you. Remember to look for durability and safety among used cars in Fredericksburg, Va for you and your furry companion and you will have many tales worth sharing.