Getting test drives at dealers
Discussion
I've never had problems with test drives with used cars - one dealer even looked at the fuel gauge, commented that I wouldn't get far on that & gave me a tenner to put some petrol in.
Current car, Citroen DS3, is the first new car we've ever bought. Popped into a dealer just to have a look at one, as we'd never seen one in the metal. Just about the first thing we were asked was "have you driven one?". Ten minutes later I was driving one!
Current car, Citroen DS3, is the first new car we've ever bought. Popped into a dealer just to have a look at one, as we'd never seen one in the metal. Just about the first thing we were asked was "have you driven one?". Ten minutes later I was driving one!
Age about 20, I was tyre kicking one Sunday afternoon, nothing more and pretty much made it clear to the dealer. He asked me if I was interested I explained looking really would love one but not sure can afford it.
He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
Here you go hands me the keys to an Impreza WRX japanese import I had been spending the last 5 mins drooling over.
I asked where to take it,
He suggested about a 30min route, oh yes, so much fun, I was in an AX GT at the time. So the increase was very noticable, plus the difference in delivery in a laggy thump and away we go after the lightweight was brilliant.
Did I buy?
No I decided would lose my license all too quickly but was very close to signing on the line on the back of his response and attitude.
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
Here you go hands me the keys to an Impreza WRX japanese import I had been spending the last 5 mins drooling over.
I asked where to take it,
He suggested about a 30min route, oh yes, so much fun, I was in an AX GT at the time. So the increase was very noticable, plus the difference in delivery in a laggy thump and away we go after the lightweight was brilliant.
Did I buy?
No I decided would lose my license all too quickly but was very close to signing on the line on the back of his response and attitude.
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
A friend of mine, who had never owned his own car, went to view a Vauxhall Astra VXR. 21 years old, went to the dealership with his mam (!!!), but when he said he was ready to put the £15,000 car on finance if he liked it they were more than happy to let him have a go. He was encouraged to drive with a bit of (considerable) pace and after that he signed on the line and took it. Just be polite and don't look like a time waster and you will get what you want!
y2blade said:
doogz said:
y2blade said:
topboss said:
A lot of dealers will request the deal is concluded subject to test drive before allowing a test drive to take place.
did you make that up?I think so
sorry topboss, I stand corrected
On new cars though, there are ususal specific demo models.
Interestingly someone I know who is very wealthy never buys new cars for exactly this reason (so he says
) - he says he buys used so that he can drive the exact car that he's buying, not some random example of it.G0ldfysh said:
Age about 20, I was tyre kicking one Sunday afternoon, nothing more and pretty much made it clear to the dealer. He asked me if I was interested I explained looking really would love one but not sure can afford it.
He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
Here you go hands me the keys to an Impreza WRX japanese import I had been spending the last 5 mins drooling over.
I asked where to take it,
He suggested about a 30min route, oh yes, so much fun, I was in an AX GT at the time. So the increase was very noticable, plus the difference in delivery in a laggy thump and away we go after the lightweight was brilliant.
Did I buy?
No I decided would lose my license all too quickly but was very close to signing on the line on the back of his response and attitude.
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
Funny, that... He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
Here you go hands me the keys to an Impreza WRX japanese import I had been spending the last 5 mins drooling over.
I asked where to take it,
He suggested about a 30min route, oh yes, so much fun, I was in an AX GT at the time. So the increase was very noticable, plus the difference in delivery in a laggy thump and away we go after the lightweight was brilliant.
Did I buy?
No I decided would lose my license all too quickly but was very close to signing on the line on the back of his response and attitude.
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
G0ldfysh said:
Age about 20, I was tyre kicking one Sunday afternoon, nothing more and pretty much made it clear to the dealer. He asked me if I was interested I explained looking really would love one but not sure can afford it.
He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
That approach is the one that always makes me think I would happily go back if I was in a position to buy. Being offered a test drive when I have been clear I am not looking to buy gives the impression that they are the kind of place that can be bothered. He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
Lucas North said:
VW woman told me they had no demonstrators, even though there was one sat outside, put a brochure in my hand and told me she'd ring me when one came in. Never did get called back.
She's wrong. They are supplied by VW UK. The GTI they lent me had VW Milton Keynes (this is where they are based, I think) plates on it.3 day unaccompanied test drive. I've photos of it kicking about somewhere - it had the nice wheels.
Audi let me have a v6 TT, 2.0TFSI TT, and am A4 with a DSG box (because their 2.0 TT had a manual). All unaccompanied and 4, 3 and 1 day respectively.
ETA: I ended up buying the 2.0 TT.
C
Edited by CraigyMc on Thursday 6th January 16:47
The problem is too many time wasters. If you want a test drive, be specific on the exact car you want to try, research it and ask questions about payment options, servicing etc. If you turn up and say I'm interested in a 330, Golf or an A3, all completely different, they think you're just having a day out and 'fancy a go' in them.
Chris_w666 said:
G0ldfysh said:
Age about 20, I was tyre kicking one Sunday afternoon, nothing more and pretty much made it clear to the dealer. He asked me if I was interested I explained looking really would love one but not sure can afford it.
He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
That approach is the one that always makes me think I would happily go back if I was in a position to buy. Being offered a test drive when I have been clear I am not looking to buy gives the impression that they are the kind of place that can be bothered. He grinned and said 'Driven one yet?'
Nope
No pressure when I got back either stood and chatted about cars in general with the sales guy and that was it.
Shame garage not there when I was a little older and felt more sensible
jsg612 said:
The problem is too many time wasters. If you want a test drive, be specific on the exact car you want to try, research it and ask questions about payment options, servicing etc. If you turn up and say I'm interested in a 330, Golf or an A3, all completely different, they think you're just having a day out and 'fancy a go' in them.
The golf and the A3 are basically the same car...BluePurpleRed said:
How would that ever work?
There are so many places to buy cars from that I would just laugh, shrug and walk out. That's the very point of the dealership right? Letting people at the cars? Even if it doesn't end in a sale sometimes I can't see why a brand would pay ££££ for Rally, F1, Sunday Times, Car magazine adv. spreads to promote themselves and garner positive sentiment and then blow their own foot off like that? Stupid.
The thing is, that's not the point of the dealership, although arguably it should be. Dealers are there to sell cars, not to act as a brand showroom. Due to the franchise structure it is of no use to Dealer X if a customer ends up buying the same car from Dealer Y.There are so many places to buy cars from that I would just laugh, shrug and walk out. That's the very point of the dealership right? Letting people at the cars? Even if it doesn't end in a sale sometimes I can't see why a brand would pay ££££ for Rally, F1, Sunday Times, Car magazine adv. spreads to promote themselves and garner positive sentiment and then blow their own foot off like that? Stupid.
As a consumer, I would love for there to be a different marketing/distribution model whereby showrooms existed for me to look at, sit in and drive the cars with no obligation to buy. An environment where people can experience the cars without sales pressure would in turn create benefits for manufacturers in terms of stronger brand advocacy and the potential to expand their long-term customer base once freed from the need to clinch a deal there and then.
No idea though if this model could be made to work in reality. I must assume that cleverer people than me, people who actually work in the automotive industry, have done the maths on creating showrooms to show rather than sell, and given that none exist, perhaps the numbers don't add up. The other possibility is for manufacturers to sell directly to consumers, bypassing the franchise dealer network entirely and funding showrooms as overhead: but it would take a brave manufacturer though to abandon their dealer network entirely.
plenty said:
As a consumer, I would love for there to be a different marketing/distribution model whereby showrooms existed for me to look at, sit in and drive the cars with no obligation to buy. An environment where people can experience the cars without sales pressure would in turn create benefits for manufacturers in terms of stronger brand advocacy and the potential to expand their long-term customer base once freed from the need to clinch a deal there and then.
What you are talking about there is essentially a motor show, lots of cars lined up with people ready to take your details if you are interested and for you to paw over to your hearts content. They prove very expensive to run events. Not sure how workable this would be for dealers to run their own and indeed for the much larger used market.
Another vote here for making an appointment (either phone if it's a second hand car or on manufacturer website if it's a new car). Never had a problem this way and have usually found they'll let me out on my own if all arranged in advance. Doesn't hurt to talk about numbers a bit as well...
I still ended up buying a car from the only place that *didn't* ignore me on the initial visit though...
I still ended up buying a car from the only place that *didn't* ignore me on the initial visit though...
I always assumed that a test drive was the first thing you did upon reaching a dealership? After all, driving is a cars primary function. The idea of considering buying a car without having first driven it seems ridiculous to me!
Buying a car for any other reason is like buying a microwave because it has a nice digital clock.
Buying a car for any other reason is like buying a microwave because it has a nice digital clock.
I've heard this from many dealers. The last one said I couldn't test-drive it until I bought it because he didn't want to get it dirty, even though I'd arranged the appointment a week in advance and he knew I'd travelled 130 miles to view it! I didn't buy it.
One dealer even told me I couldn't view the car without putting a deposit down over the phone first!
One dealer even told me I couldn't view the car without putting a deposit down over the phone first!
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