How long should a test drive of a new car be?
Discussion
Axionknight said:
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 hope the salesman was written up for poor qualifying. Letting someone have not one test drive but two when they have neither the intent nor the means to buy (as you have clearly stated was the situation) is very weak.i got a nissan Navara last month, yes I know different
but the test drive with the sales man was not an issue, we were gone about 40 mins, including motorway, a car park, petrol station, A & B roads and a small village so I could test it as much as I wanted, I just did not load the back up
I was happy wih the pick up and got it
as for the service from Nissan after the deal was done, thats a different matter, but then again Jaguar were no better when i got my Jag a few years back, in fact 1 dealer said I could not afford their cars must have though bloke in jeans and a hoodie is on the dole or something.....
but the test drive with the sales man was not an issue, we were gone about 40 mins, including motorway, a car park, petrol station, A & B roads and a small village so I could test it as much as I wanted, I just did not load the back up
I was happy wih the pick up and got it
as for the service from Nissan after the deal was done, thats a different matter, but then again Jaguar were no better when i got my Jag a few years back, in fact 1 dealer said I could not afford their cars must have though bloke in jeans and a hoodie is on the dole or something.....
Friend of mine blagged a GS300 when new for a month. He was a member of the Institute of Directors - obviously a discerning motorist with plenty of disposable - and some fool at Lexus had this laser targeted marketing plan...took it to Italy for a month, did 3k miles, dropped it back at the dealers and never received so much as a follow up call!!
unrepentant said:
I hope the salesman was written up for poor qualifying. Letting someone have not one test drive but two when they have neither the intent nor the means to buy (as you have clearly stated was the situation) is very weak.
He didn't say he couldn't buy it, he said he was convinced by his mrs that the money would be better spent anywhere. You make him sound like a pisstaker.I'm guessing its how you approach it, a lot of the Maser,ferrari, aston forums talk of extended drives, but then most are existing customers trying to be tempted into the latest models.
Id imagine turning up in your 911, having a 20minute drive, then sitting down and chatting specs etc, then asking for an extended drive would be a lot easier way to get one.
Id imagine turning up in your 911, having a 20minute drive, then sitting down and chatting specs etc, then asking for an extended drive would be a lot easier way to get one.
Rich_W said:
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)
I once bought a car after a 30 minute test drive. It was 30 minutes of awesome. It was fast, it handled well, it was full of gadgets, it was fast, it sounded amazing. It was 30 minutes of total fun. I knew I had to have one. I bought one.I sold it 3 months later because it just wasn't the right sort of car at all. On a long motorway journey it wasn't comfortable. When the performance novelty wore off the lack of refinement was a pain, etc etc.
It's really quite difficult to make a properly informed purchase off the back of a 30 minute spin round the block with a salesman. But it sells cars - and I guess had I had it for the day I'd never have bought one - so, yea. I'm not even sure what my point is now
Vauxhall, went to test drive a Corsa VXR, salesman wouldn't even leave me alone with the car as I was 21, this for some reason put me in a high risk? Test drive was 2 or 3 miles, asked not to accelerate too sharply, slow down on bends.
Audi, went to see an S3, same story as Vauxhall, had to sign an extra waiver due to age, £1000 excess for any damage on test drive, sales guy very dismissive and generally disinterested, wasn't allowed to reverse out of the car park at the showroom and had to wait to be shown the car once they had got it out.
Bike retailer in Barnet, wouldn't allow test ride without £500 deposit, both parts of licence and keys to my bike in their possession.
Friendly local bike garage, test ride whatever you like, even a staff bike to see what suits you, take as long as you need, really good service there in general though.
Audi, went to see an S3, same story as Vauxhall, had to sign an extra waiver due to age, £1000 excess for any damage on test drive, sales guy very dismissive and generally disinterested, wasn't allowed to reverse out of the car park at the showroom and had to wait to be shown the car once they had got it out.
Bike retailer in Barnet, wouldn't allow test ride without £500 deposit, both parts of licence and keys to my bike in their possession.
Friendly local bike garage, test ride whatever you like, even a staff bike to see what suits you, take as long as you need, really good service there in general though.
It is really interesting reading the various comments and views.
I too have bought cars that I had a 50 min test drive in, loved on the test drive and hated to own (C63 anyone)? A proper test drive would have given me the chance to play with the tech, (and discover half of it didn't work with iPhone), and truly understand what the car is like to live with as an everyday driver.
I love cars and spend lots of time deciding which ones I want to spend my, (time and) money on. I would go as far as saying it is my hobby (and I buy the one I like).
I understand what some of you say about just handing a car over to a stranger and agree you should build a relationship with dealers (most of which I have as I have bought a car from them at one point or another). But, as a dealer if you had a guy you don't know turn up in a 911 looking to buy a GTR, he is well spoken, in his forties and obviously a professional, knows cars and knows what he is looking at, would you really deny him an extended test drive?
The truth is I called the dealer, discussed the car and drive on the phone, traveled the 60 miles to the dealership to see the car. Had a 20 min test drive with the dealer, decided that I just wasn't sure about how I felt about the interior and image. So I asked (again), for a day with the car (happy to leave my 911 with them) but again was told it just wasn't possible. Would having the car for longer have helped? For me I think it would, I buy with my heart so I need to feel it does what I want it to do (and that is complex to explain). I guess everyone is different aren't they.....
I too have bought cars that I had a 50 min test drive in, loved on the test drive and hated to own (C63 anyone)? A proper test drive would have given me the chance to play with the tech, (and discover half of it didn't work with iPhone), and truly understand what the car is like to live with as an everyday driver.
I love cars and spend lots of time deciding which ones I want to spend my, (time and) money on. I would go as far as saying it is my hobby (and I buy the one I like).
I understand what some of you say about just handing a car over to a stranger and agree you should build a relationship with dealers (most of which I have as I have bought a car from them at one point or another). But, as a dealer if you had a guy you don't know turn up in a 911 looking to buy a GTR, he is well spoken, in his forties and obviously a professional, knows cars and knows what he is looking at, would you really deny him an extended test drive?
The truth is I called the dealer, discussed the car and drive on the phone, traveled the 60 miles to the dealership to see the car. Had a 20 min test drive with the dealer, decided that I just wasn't sure about how I felt about the interior and image. So I asked (again), for a day with the car (happy to leave my 911 with them) but again was told it just wasn't possible. Would having the car for longer have helped? For me I think it would, I buy with my heart so I need to feel it does what I want it to do (and that is complex to explain). I guess everyone is different aren't they.....
When I was a wet behind the ears salesman I lent what seemed like a genuine punter a Sharan for the (Easter) weekend.
After he left it back said he was looking at a couple of other makes and would let me know. Upon valeting the kids mess left back we found a receipt for fuel in Dublin!
Roll around to next Easter and I kid you not guess who phones up looking for an extended test drive in a 7 seater!!!
After he left it back said he was looking at a couple of other makes and would let me know. Upon valeting the kids mess left back we found a receipt for fuel in Dublin!
Roll around to next Easter and I kid you not guess who phones up looking for an extended test drive in a 7 seater!!!
Fast Bug said:
When I sold Porsche the only people that got unaccompanied test drives and extended demo's were long standing customers. Someone that's just walked in off the sreet? No chance.
Would you lend £80k to someone you've never met for 24 hours?
I quite often get (unsolicited) emails offering extended test drives from Porsche.Would you lend £80k to someone you've never met for 24 hours?
luckily, a bit of prior research has seen me be happy with all my cars.I thinks this is pretty unreasonable. My dad had a porsche a couple of months ago on an 24hr extended test drive and they didn't want a deposit. I think it's best if you go in face to face to arrange it so they know you are genuine rather than phoning up and requesting an extended drive though, jaguar wanted to do an accompanied test drive first before giving us the car for the day.
Especially if you are willing to leave your 991 with them they can surely see you are genuine. They clearly don't need the sale!
Especially if you are willing to leave your 991 with them they can surely see you are genuine. They clearly don't need the sale!
The average "test drive" before buying a new £200k home in the UK takes less than 20mins.
It could be argued that a 30min "test drive" of an £80k car is more than adequate.
There are so many expert or owner reviews of new or used cars on the Web now -- by word, audio or video from the UK, US, Oz and elsewhere -- it is possible to research pre-purchase almost every single nook and cranny of your preferred choice(s). This negates further the need for a physical 1-day or 1-weekend test drive.
It could be argued that a 30min "test drive" of an £80k car is more than adequate.
There are so many expert or owner reviews of new or used cars on the Web now -- by word, audio or video from the UK, US, Oz and elsewhere -- it is possible to research pre-purchase almost every single nook and cranny of your preferred choice(s). This negates further the need for a physical 1-day or 1-weekend test drive.
Censorious said:
Nissan offered us a whole day with the car before we bought it.
I didn't even have to ask.
Same here - few years back on a new 350Z. I booked the Z for 24 hours and arranged an (unaccompanied) test drive in a Monaro VXR to coincide, so that I could drive them directly back to back. I didn't even have to ask.
Unfortunately for the Nissan dealer, he got his Z back well within the 24hr period offered - shortly after I concluded the Monaro test drive
At the cheaper end of the scale, when I was looking to replace my 2001 9-3 Aero with either a 9-3SS Aero 2.8 V6 or a 9-5 Aero, one of the dealers with a 9-3 V6 said I couldn't have a test drive unless I committed to buying it!
The other I phoned an hour before I went down, told them which car I was looking at and asked if I could have a test drive. Was told "yep, no problem, when are you going to be here?" I told them "about an hour or so". Again, told it wasn't a problem. Got down there and the car was still in the middle of the warehouse surrounded by 20 other cars, and the salesman went off with some other people....I didn't buy from them either.
Eventually ended up going to a guy 90 miles away who let me test drive two 9-5's (manual and auto) and a Mondeo ST220. I drove one of the 9-5's home later that day and part exchanged the old 9-3.
I think maybe qualifying the customer played a part in that one. I was 19 at the time (20 now) and I don't think the local dealers quite took me seriously.
Edit: I should say I wasn't looking for a long test drive as I was already familiar with Saabs, just wanted to see whether Auto vs Manual and 9-3 V6 vs 9-5 Aero were preferable. Turned out just getting a test drive was difficult enough.
The other I phoned an hour before I went down, told them which car I was looking at and asked if I could have a test drive. Was told "yep, no problem, when are you going to be here?" I told them "about an hour or so". Again, told it wasn't a problem. Got down there and the car was still in the middle of the warehouse surrounded by 20 other cars, and the salesman went off with some other people....I didn't buy from them either.
Eventually ended up going to a guy 90 miles away who let me test drive two 9-5's (manual and auto) and a Mondeo ST220. I drove one of the 9-5's home later that day and part exchanged the old 9-3.
I think maybe qualifying the customer played a part in that one. I was 19 at the time (20 now) and I don't think the local dealers quite took me seriously.
Edit: I should say I wasn't looking for a long test drive as I was already familiar with Saabs, just wanted to see whether Auto vs Manual and 9-3 V6 vs 9-5 Aero were preferable. Turned out just getting a test drive was difficult enough.
Edited by CB2152 on Saturday 19th April 23:25
findtomdotcom said:
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 had the same thing when from a Nissan dealer when looking at the then new 350Z, an accompanied 15 mins around the block. The dealer in the next county was more than happy to give me the keys for the day on a Saturday and I put down a deposit as soon as I got back. Try another dealer maybe?Edited by Hangcheck on Saturday 19th April 23:41
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