"Careful sir, this is a very powerful car!"
Discussion
Captainawesome said:
It's all about your fast car 'level'.
Reminds of the guy I met a few weeks ago who was telling me his 1.2 polo was a 'proper little rocket'. No mate, no, it's not.
A surprising amount of people seem to think that the cars speed is directly related to engine size, for instance when I had a celica gt4, it was a 2.0 turbo , running 310bhp , so a quick car by any standard, but the amount of people that would say "oh mines a 2 litre too" or "it's probably a little bit faster than mine then, I've got a 1.9 and that's fast" - almost always some diesel hatchback.Reminds of the guy I met a few weeks ago who was telling me his 1.2 polo was a 'proper little rocket'. No mate, no, it's not.
I went to buy a mk4 golf gti - not the worlds quickest car, about 115bhp? and heavy to boot , turned up in a mk4 golf gt tdi 150 , just before leaving the bloke say's "be careful driving it , it's a very very fast car, much faster than your diesel one" - umm no mate it's not!
Talking about 'fast car level' a lad at work bought a 2007 astra, asked him about it, what it went like compared to his old car etc, "it's fast as f
k!" comes the response , "what size engine has it got?" I said , "a 1.4 , but it's the sport version so it's a lot faster than normal " - oh dear!Sort of.
When I was looking for a Porsche 911, I spent some time with a very helpful, engaging 2nd-hand dealer of Porsche's.
He was good enough to show me round and let me drive a variety of cars he had in stock. When we went out in the first one, he was all a bit like that 'ooh, be careful, these need to be treated with respect, they're drivers cars etc. etc. and then once we'd gone a bit banzai, he started to enquire why I wasn't showing any real signs of excitement or fear..?
Until I said to him 'yeah, it's quite sprightly - but compared to the superbikes I ride, it's as flat as a Witch's tit...'
He said 'oh right, yeah no worries, there's no pleasing you bike riders!'
When I was looking for a Porsche 911, I spent some time with a very helpful, engaging 2nd-hand dealer of Porsche's.
He was good enough to show me round and let me drive a variety of cars he had in stock. When we went out in the first one, he was all a bit like that 'ooh, be careful, these need to be treated with respect, they're drivers cars etc. etc. and then once we'd gone a bit banzai, he started to enquire why I wasn't showing any real signs of excitement or fear..?
Until I said to him 'yeah, it's quite sprightly - but compared to the superbikes I ride, it's as flat as a Witch's tit...'
He said 'oh right, yeah no worries, there's no pleasing you bike riders!'
Supernova190188 said:
Talking about 'fast car level' a lad at work bought a 2007 astra, asked him about it, what it went like compared to his old car etc, "it's fast as fk!" comes the response , "what size engine has it got?" I said , "a 1.4 , but it's the sport version so it's a lot faster than normal " - oh dear!
Do the people who say this genuinely believe it though?k!" comes the response , "what size engine has it got?" I said , "a 1.4 , but it's the sport version so it's a lot faster than normal " - oh dear!My 'fast car level' was a Smart Roadster and then I bought a Z4 and it reaches my expectations perfectly and have never felt the need to exaggerate the performance to others. When asked what it goes like I just say "it's quick enough for me" and they are normally quite happy with that level of description. If I started spouting off 0-60 times, BHP figures, trim level etc I am sure they would think I was a nob... and they would be right.
Watchman said:
Dracoro said:
I remember testing a Caterham SV a good few years ago when thinking of buying that or a Westfield (which I eventually ended up with).
Anyway, I test drove the SV at Caterham as it was near-ish where I was living at the time. Anyway, dealer was nice etc. and as we went for a 10/20 mile test drive he asked what I had driven before etc. and said take it easy for the first few miles while it warms up and get used to it a bit. Anyway, all was going OK gradually getting more confident with the car and starting to enjoy it more and turned round to come back to Caterham. Anyway, there were some B roads going to a DC and I started to push it more, the dealer was obviously happy I wasn't a muppet so started saying "go on sir, give it some gas" which became "oh yes, sir that's it, go go go" as we flew off the roundabout and up the DC. Basically it went from "careful sir" to "give it some beans sir, go for it"
The more I look back at how he was encouraging me to give it some, the more he seemed to be like one of the menswear chaps in the fast show (suit you sir, ooh do you like it sir, go on sir, suit you)
Good salesmanship to an extent (despite not buying from them) as it convinced me to get a lotus 7 type car. After the test drive, I had to have one
When I bought my first Caterham, I was accompanied by their salesman "Mike". Can't recall his surname, but exactly as described above, once he warmed to me he started complimenting my toe-and-heel changes, then advised me to "press on" a bit more.Anyway, I test drove the SV at Caterham as it was near-ish where I was living at the time. Anyway, dealer was nice etc. and as we went for a 10/20 mile test drive he asked what I had driven before etc. and said take it easy for the first few miles while it warms up and get used to it a bit. Anyway, all was going OK gradually getting more confident with the car and starting to enjoy it more and turned round to come back to Caterham. Anyway, there were some B roads going to a DC and I started to push it more, the dealer was obviously happy I wasn't a muppet so started saying "go on sir, give it some gas" which became "oh yes, sir that's it, go go go" as we flew off the roundabout and up the DC. Basically it went from "careful sir" to "give it some beans sir, go for it"
The more I look back at how he was encouraging me to give it some, the more he seemed to be like one of the menswear chaps in the fast show (suit you sir, ooh do you like it sir, go on sir, suit you)
Good salesmanship to an extent (despite not buying from them) as it convinced me to get a lotus 7 type car. After the test drive, I had to have one
That was one of the best days of my life, and he was a lovely gent who acknowledged his job was easy as the cars practically sold themselves. I bought it on the spot..!!
).When I was 21 and buying my first car back in '99, my dad took me to a VW dealer to look at polos which is something I wasn't keen on.
To make the best of a potential bad situation, i asked about the polo gti as it was the only model to appeal to someone under the age of 80. The salesman gave me the line that it was too powerful for a 21 year old despite seeing me turning up in my dad's brand new saab 9000 turbo.
Ended up buying an e36 320i.
Would have been better off with an oap spec polo
To make the best of a potential bad situation, i asked about the polo gti as it was the only model to appeal to someone under the age of 80. The salesman gave me the line that it was too powerful for a 21 year old despite seeing me turning up in my dad's brand new saab 9000 turbo.
Ended up buying an e36 320i.
Would have been better off with an oap spec polo
SpeckledJim said:
Captainawesome said:
^^^^^ This, taking people who have never been a properly quick car is absolutely hilarious. I think we on PH sometimes take it for granted.
I love hearing the screams when all you are doing is accelerating in a straight line......then the silence and occasional squeak in the corners....and then the shaking when they get out.
It's all about your fast car 'level'.
Reminds of the guy I met a few weeks ago who was telling me his 1.2 polo was a 'proper little rocket'. No mate, no, it's not.
This is exactly what I mean. I love hearing the screams when all you are doing is accelerating in a straight line......then the silence and occasional squeak in the corners....and then the shaking when they get out.
It's all about your fast car 'level'.
Reminds of the guy I met a few weeks ago who was telling me his 1.2 polo was a 'proper little rocket'. No mate, no, it's not.
Believe it or not, a salesman who doesn't know you from Adam isn't going to be impressed with this on a test drive. He'll probably be scared.
Since there's a small but real chance you're about to kill him, that's understandable.
funny how a salesman's approach effects if you can be bothered or not to buy a car.
First thing I got told when I went to see a GTR was 'you'll enjoy this..' at the only nissan certified GTR dealership here..
In fact I don't think I've ever been given a disclaimer when going for a test drive - I think it'd put me right off. When I test drove two cars and on the second he gave me a keys and said 'bring it back in ten, enjoy'. Bizarre as I was about 24 at the time, but it sold the car to me.. I find it the biggest turn off if the dealer doesn't know anything about the car they're selling. I went to look at a few C65's the other day and it became evident that the dealer was more comfortable talking about how many car seats you could fit in an A class rather than knowing any actual facts about the car..
First thing I got told when I went to see a GTR was 'you'll enjoy this..' at the only nissan certified GTR dealership here..
In fact I don't think I've ever been given a disclaimer when going for a test drive - I think it'd put me right off. When I test drove two cars and on the second he gave me a keys and said 'bring it back in ten, enjoy'. Bizarre as I was about 24 at the time, but it sold the car to me.. I find it the biggest turn off if the dealer doesn't know anything about the car they're selling. I went to look at a few C65's the other day and it became evident that the dealer was more comfortable talking about how many car seats you could fit in an A class rather than knowing any actual facts about the car..
I've never had this, recently drove f-type v6s and v8s, xkr-s and a couple of vantages.
The jag dealers were egging me on and having as much of a giggle as I was at all the silly noises and the aston guy was as cool as a cucumber and commented along the lines of "most astons don't get driven quite that hard, you definitely should be getting the manual" after the drive.
Perhaps I just exude "driving god"
Or more likely they're just used to it?
The jag dealers were egging me on and having as much of a giggle as I was at all the silly noises and the aston guy was as cool as a cucumber and commented along the lines of "most astons don't get driven quite that hard, you definitely should be getting the manual" after the drive.
Perhaps I just exude "driving god"
Or more likely they're just used to it?
boyse7en said:
Captainawesome said:
...then the silence and occasional squeak in the corners....and then the shaking when they get out.
To be fair, that's not always due to the power of the car. I've reacted like that after being in some pretty slow machinery driven by people who have either no idea of braking distances or are confident that god will preserve them.My wife had the same whilst test driving a 120d for herself a few few years back. As he was telling her how fast these cars are and the RWD handling stories, until he asked her what she normally drives. With the response an 'M5', the rest of the test drive continued without another word said.
I remember in the early ninties when I was a wee'un I went with my dad to look at a 216GTI at a Rover main dealer.
My dad said something like, 'I suppose it goes alright?'
Salesman replies, with a stern, shocked look on his face 'Sir. Have you ever driven a GTI car before?'
Dad replies 'No, but I drive an RS500'
My dad said something like, 'I suppose it goes alright?'
Salesman replies, with a stern, shocked look on his face 'Sir. Have you ever driven a GTI car before?'
Dad replies 'No, but I drive an RS500'
I dropped my old company car 120D (2012) off a BMW for a Service & was given a new 116i as a courtesy car.
I remember the Service guy 'warning' me about the Sport button it had. 'Transforms the car mate, get used to the car before you press that button'. I thought he was being sarcastic, he wasn't.
I remember the Service guy 'warning' me about the Sport button it had. 'Transforms the car mate, get used to the car before you press that button'. I thought he was being sarcastic, he wasn't.
In my early 20s I had a company Civic Type-R. For a while it was in the garage awaiting parts and I needed to hire a car. They had a 2.0 petrol VW Bora with all of 115bhp. They were all for not letting me take it because I was under 25 and this was a powerful car. It probably had worse power to weight than the Polos or whatever else they had. It was also crap.
I too have been warned of the high power of a vehicle. The vehicle in question was a Fiesta Zetec S. It's 1.6 litre engine is claimed to produce a dizzying 118 bhp - quite the jump over my 1.6 litre Honda Civic VTEC Sport, standing at a paltry 110 bhp.
I have since not bought the car, and intsead am looking to invest my money in a nice, safe 1 litre motorcycle (no replacment for displacment so a smaller engine should see me fine...right...?)
I have since not bought the car, and intsead am looking to invest my money in a nice, safe 1 litre motorcycle (no replacment for displacment so a smaller engine should see me fine...right...?)
Edited by thatdude on Thursday 11th September 10:00
Mr E said:
ILoveMondeo said:
Or more likely they're just used to it?
Or have excellent sales patter... ILoveMondeo said:
None, bought a house instead!
Although clearly not that good...Not good enough to get over the rather bitter taste left by one particular chain of dealers which burst the "get a new car" bubble for me.
benm3evo said:
I dropped my old company car 120D (2012) off a BMW for a Service & was given a new 116i as a courtesy car.
I remember the Service guy 'warning' me about the Sport button it had. 'Transforms the car mate, get used to the car before you press that button'. I thought he was being sarcastic, he wasn't.
He MUST have been joking! The 116i is the slowest current generation car that I have driven. It is sad that it exists at all, really.I remember the Service guy 'warning' me about the Sport button it had. 'Transforms the car mate, get used to the car before you press that button'. I thought he was being sarcastic, he wasn't.
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