How long should a test drive of a new car be?
Discussion
So, (for a fleeting moment), I thought about possibly replacing my 911 with a GTR and so rang and spoke to my local GTR dealer about a test drive. Whenever seriously consider a new car I always want at least a whole day unaccompanied test drive, to help me figure out if it suits my lifestyle, (as generally it will be my only daily driver). However, Nissan it seems don't like to give you a GTR unless it is accompanied by a salesman.
This got me thinking, there have been a few times over the years where various dealers have refused to give me a car for an extended period. Has anyone else had experience of this? Do you think it would stop you buying a car from a dealer?
I think that if you are looking at any car over £30k it is not unreasonable to expect an unaccompanied test drive for at least a day. For me the GTR was ultimately a no go but I was surprised at the dealers attitude. Yes they want me to spend £80k, but no, I can't have a long test drive in it.....
This got me thinking, there have been a few times over the years where various dealers have refused to give me a car for an extended period. Has anyone else had experience of this? Do you think it would stop you buying a car from a dealer?
I think that if you are looking at any car over £30k it is not unreasonable to expect an unaccompanied test drive for at least a day. For me the GTR was ultimately a no go but I was surprised at the dealers attitude. Yes they want me to spend £80k, but no, I can't have a long test drive in it.....
OK I can see your point, let me swap that question around; if Nissan want me to spend £80k why not let me have one for as long as I like? Why should I need to hire one to know if it's what I want? But it's not quite like a hire car, is it?
For me the ownership question with Nissan GTR is harder than with any other brand. Sure its a powerhouse, but with its limited interior quality and the driving style (playstation like performance), can I live with it? Should I pay to find that out? Maybe the answer is yes, but if you want to drive an R8 or 911 (for around the same money), those brands are more than happy to give you a car and leave you to it...
Oh and in the 20 odd years I have been buying cars, I have never had to pay (deposit etc) to test drive any of them.
For me the ownership question with Nissan GTR is harder than with any other brand. Sure its a powerhouse, but with its limited interior quality and the driving style (playstation like performance), can I live with it? Should I pay to find that out? Maybe the answer is yes, but if you want to drive an R8 or 911 (for around the same money), those brands are more than happy to give you a car and leave you to it...
Oh and in the 20 odd years I have been buying cars, I have never had to pay (deposit etc) to test drive any of them.
Edited by findtomdotcom on Saturday 19th April 17:57
Depends on the car.
For fleet demos (5-series, E-class etc), my company usually arranges for 3-day delivered+collected from home testdrives, all they usually ask is that you leave enough fuel in it to get back to the dealership.
For something sporty and not too mass-market I'd not be surprised if they demanded a chaperone and the testdrive was of limited time/mileage given that the car probably needs to end up sold through normal channels rather than being disposed of like anything else as an approved used car.
C
For fleet demos (5-series, E-class etc), my company usually arranges for 3-day delivered+collected from home testdrives, all they usually ask is that you leave enough fuel in it to get back to the dealership.
For something sporty and not too mass-market I'd not be surprised if they demanded a chaperone and the testdrive was of limited time/mileage given that the car probably needs to end up sold through normal channels rather than being disposed of like anything else as an approved used car.
C
findtomdotcom said:
OK I can see your point, let me swap that question around; if Nissan want me to spend £80k why not let me have one for as long as I like? Why should I need to hire one to know if it's what I want? But it's not quite like a hire car, is it?
For me the ownership question with Nissan GTR is harder than with any other brand. Sure its a powerhouse, but with its limited interior quality and the driving style (playstation like performance), can I live with it? Should I pay to find that out? Maybe the answer is yes, but if you want to drive an R8 or 911 (for around the same money), those brands are more than happy to give you a car and leave you to it...
Oh and in the 20 odd years I have been buying cars, I have never had to pay (deposit etc) to test drive any of them.
Your problem is whilst you're genuine and have every intention of buying the car should it pass muster, a hundred other chancers are saying the same thing simply to blag a day's free hire of a supercar(ish).For me the ownership question with Nissan GTR is harder than with any other brand. Sure its a powerhouse, but with its limited interior quality and the driving style (playstation like performance), can I live with it? Should I pay to find that out? Maybe the answer is yes, but if you want to drive an R8 or 911 (for around the same money), those brands are more than happy to give you a car and leave you to it...
Oh and in the 20 odd years I have been buying cars, I have never had to pay (deposit etc) to test drive any of them.
Edited by findtomdotcom on Saturday 19th April 17:57
Nissan are more cautious than say Porsche perhaps because they are normally used to shifting Qashqai's and the like and are used to seeing people happy with a 20 minute test drive.
The extended demo is the final part of the jigsaw. An "if you like it you will buy it"
It's very easy to lend cars hither and yon to all, if the car is not for you (your quote) why go for the 24hr demo thing?
I remember an Audi TT returned from an extended demo, totally unqualified. The customer then said oh I didn't realise it was really only a two seater!
5 mins discussion and showing the customer a showroom car would have established the unsuitablity of the car (lazy salesman)
So this demo car was unavailable for any customers to try from Fri eve through to Sunday morning, miles, fuel, time, insurance all ad costs to the business.
I'm sure if you had approved/driven the car, happy with deal, spec etc but then wanted an extended demo to confirm your decision they would have been only too happy to help (and take your order when you dropped the car back)
It's very easy to lend cars hither and yon to all, if the car is not for you (your quote) why go for the 24hr demo thing?
I remember an Audi TT returned from an extended demo, totally unqualified. The customer then said oh I didn't realise it was really only a two seater!
5 mins discussion and showing the customer a showroom car would have established the unsuitablity of the car (lazy salesman)
So this demo car was unavailable for any customers to try from Fri eve through to Sunday morning, miles, fuel, time, insurance all ad costs to the business.
I'm sure if you had approved/driven the car, happy with deal, spec etc but then wanted an extended demo to confirm your decision they would have been only too happy to help (and take your order when you dropped the car back)
I sell luxury cars in the USA. All test drives are accompanied and generally last 15-30 minutes. I drive first and demonstrate the vehicle and then I hand over to the customer and they drive. That's usually more than adequate. It's very rare that we get asked for an extended test drive and we'll try to accomodate every reasonable request but we do not allow customers to go unaccompanied. I also do not tolerate poor driving. 
The only time I experienced an issue was when a couple walked in on a Saturday with 3 kids and wanted to drive a new Range Rover Sport. When they were advised that not everyone could go as I needed to come along they flounced out with the husband saying that the Porsche dealer would just "give him the keys" (they don't, we own that dealership too). He came back without the kids a couple of weeks later and bought one.
I should add that we don't have designated demos.
The only time I experienced an issue was when a couple walked in on a Saturday with 3 kids and wanted to drive a new Range Rover Sport. When they were advised that not everyone could go as I needed to come along they flounced out with the husband saying that the Porsche dealer would just "give him the keys" (they don't, we own that dealership too). He came back without the kids a couple of weeks later and bought one.
I should add that we don't have designated demos.
Edited by unrepentant on Saturday 19th April 18:39
The theory is that the salesman will help you appreciate the features/benefits of the car. Even over 24 hours it's not hard to see a car in a rather poor light if driven inappropriately or at the wrong time in the wrong place.
I have had engagements at "AFN" Park Lane (7 yrs) and HR Owen Knightsbridge (Cheval Place - 2 years) and the number of idiots/fraudsters/delusionals that present themselves as would be customers is quite astonishing. Right or wrong anyone - other than a proven customer - requesting an extended "demo", will go to the bottom of the pile of "leads". Best to take a standard demo (30 minutes around a potholed town in a GTR should be enough to put you off...) and then if you are still keen sign up for the extended demo that most serious performance car vendors will have on offer. Porsche certainly do/did involving both track and road work, and no sales pressure.
Convince the dealer you are for real by jumping through a couple of hoops first and the red carpet will - or should - be rolled out.
I have had engagements at "AFN" Park Lane (7 yrs) and HR Owen Knightsbridge (Cheval Place - 2 years) and the number of idiots/fraudsters/delusionals that present themselves as would be customers is quite astonishing. Right or wrong anyone - other than a proven customer - requesting an extended "demo", will go to the bottom of the pile of "leads". Best to take a standard demo (30 minutes around a potholed town in a GTR should be enough to put you off...) and then if you are still keen sign up for the extended demo that most serious performance car vendors will have on offer. Porsche certainly do/did involving both track and road work, and no sales pressure.
Convince the dealer you are for real by jumping through a couple of hoops first and the red carpet will - or should - be rolled out.
cuda440 said:
...Convince the dealer you are for real by jumping through a couple of hoops first and the red carpet will - or should - be rolled out.
This^^.I agree with the OP - I wouldn't hand over £80k without a fairly extensive test drive.
OTOH, were I a dealer, I wouldn't want to hand over the keys to an £80k car to any Tom, Dick or Random that happened to chance by.
Maybe Porsche et al can afford to do that because that's all they sell. But for Nissan, selling a GTR is somewhat outside of their normal remit.
Or maybe that's just another way of saying that Nissan maybe aren't the people to buy a performance car from...
Lets assume the car is mechanically perfect with a decent warranty. So problems should be minimised. So serious questions
1) What do you expect to find out that you don't like in say 5 hours that you can't work out in 30ish mins. (only thing I can imagine is you have health issues bad back)
2) Why do you need to be un accompanied?
I mean if you were buying an estate, you may want to bring your bike/surfboard/large dog to check dimensons. That makes sense.
I can also see the dealers pov about letting someone out alone in a fast expensive car. Maybe leave them your 911, keys and logbook to help allay their fears?
EDIT TO ADD
I spent less time choosing my last bed, and I spend months in that
1) What do you expect to find out that you don't like in say 5 hours that you can't work out in 30ish mins. (only thing I can imagine is you have health issues bad back)
2) Why do you need to be un accompanied?
I mean if you were buying an estate, you may want to bring your bike/surfboard/large dog to check dimensons. That makes sense.
I can also see the dealers pov about letting someone out alone in a fast expensive car. Maybe leave them your 911, keys and logbook to help allay their fears?
EDIT TO ADD
I spent less time choosing my last bed, and I spend months in that
Edited by Rich_W on Saturday 19th April 20:05
I've always wondered about "extended test drives" and how many of those get converted into sales. I recall reading on here about someone wanting a test ride of a Ducati 899 Panigale demonstrator, only to be told it was unavailable on a weekend-long extended test. That seems like a good deal to me, enough time to go for a couple of nice rides, go round all your mates houses and have a good poke about and appraise it, then give it back just when the novelty is wearing a bit thin, by which point you're probably wondering what the competition is like and enquiring about test rides on those.
I'm not surprised OP isn't getting his way all the time on the extended tests, I'm sure most dealers are wise to the fact that an "extended test drive" is just a convenient way of blagging a nice motor to take the mrs somewhere nice for the night.
I'm not surprised OP isn't getting his way all the time on the extended tests, I'm sure most dealers are wise to the fact that an "extended test drive" is just a convenient way of blagging a nice motor to take the mrs somewhere nice for the night.
I've never asked for a car for the whole day, but I've had a few test drives and on a few occasions I've been let out on my own with them - Volvo were excellent, I bought a C30 when I was 20 and the salesman, another young lad, was approachable and cool with the idea of letting me off on my own with the car for as long as I needed. I bought another car from the same dealership (a new V40) five years later and as a repeat customer I was treat just as well again.
Porsche here in Aberdeen were also good, they let me out in a Cayman with my girlfriend - it was a a second test drive, the salesman came with me the first time and when I went back with the missus a few days later (pre-arranged) they let me out with the car and told me to take my time, I was very impressed as I was only 24 at the time, unfortunately the same missus brow beat me out of signing myself up as we had just bought our first house and we needed the money for other things - but I'll be back for one some day, I swear it!
I think, if it is clear that the potential buyer is able to follow through with the sale as it seems to be in this case, the dealer should be more lenient with test drives ETC - obliviously it's not easy with all the wanna be test pilots out there though. Tough call IMO.
Porsche here in Aberdeen were also good, they let me out in a Cayman with my girlfriend - it was a a second test drive, the salesman came with me the first time and when I went back with the missus a few days later (pre-arranged) they let me out with the car and told me to take my time, I was very impressed as I was only 24 at the time, unfortunately the same missus brow beat me out of signing myself up as we had just bought our first house and we needed the money for other things - but I'll be back for one some day, I swear it!
I think, if it is clear that the potential buyer is able to follow through with the sale as it seems to be in this case, the dealer should be more lenient with test drives ETC - obliviously it's not easy with all the wanna be test pilots out there though. Tough call IMO.
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