Test drive etiquette

[TurboHatchback]

I only go to see and test drive cars I am seriously considering buying though typically I will go see a few and only buy one of them. It isn't wasting the sellers time if you might buy it, it is if you never would. I've only ever been refused a test drive once (by a complete cocksocket of a dealer, I don't know how he ever sold anything), he seemed surprised when we wouldn't buy the car afterward. I'll never buy a car without a test drive, I'll never promise to buy a car without a test drive, I'll never put down a deposit before a test drive and any dealer/seller that expects this will not get my custom. I would happily pay £5 or even £10 to cover the fuel for a decent drive though, it surprises me more dealers don't do this.

It's the same when I'm selling cars, I don't mind people trying it and concluding it's not for them though if I think they are a test pilot or I just don't like them then they won't get a drive (this has never happened though). I find the best time to weed out the numpties is before they arrive, the 'wot iz yur best price M8' crew and those incapable of speaking English don't make it as far as a viewing.

[BorkFactor]

I did a similar thing to this when I was helping my mum get a new car. Had a reasonable sized list of cars to look at and try, explained what the situation was to the salesman and they were generally happy to help out.

A couple of them was terrible, trying to force finance deals down our throat before we had even sat in the car, but generally fine with it.

It was Calterdon BMW that were the most helpful we found, guy left us alone to have a look round the car for a while, let us take 2 models out, and said we could take a 24 hour test drive if we liked the car, despite me saying we still had a few more to look at.

I think if you explain the situation to them they should be OK. They will see stuff like this all the time I bet.

[Dave200]

markmullen said:

Dave200 said:

People who choose a career in sales (of any extraction) need to be realistic. You must surely understand that it's a numbers game, and that within those numbers you will always have non-starters, like the OP. It's your job to be intelligent enough to identify and prioritise these people efficiently. Those who fail to do this are typically unsuccessful.

Salespeople moaning about these non-starters is like accountants complaining that people haven't submitted expense receipts. It might annoy you, but it's a part of the job that you signed up for.

(this is coming from someone who has worked in corporate BD)

And because it happens that makes it acceptable? Scrotes commit burglary but I don't like that either. Fights break out in pubs at closing time on a Friday but it doesn't make it acceptable does it.

I am well aware, and quite capable, of qualifying people out, and they wouldn't get a demo, but for each and every one who comes on PH talking about blagging demos of cars they don't want to buy there will be an unhappy genuine buyer who was inadvertently and incorrectly refused a demo because the salesman thought he was a timewaster.

You're a bit new to this 'analogy' thing, aren't you?

My point is that it's your job to identify the 'right' people, and to avoid letting them waste your time - that's what you are paid to do. You can never be 100% accurate, so if that means occasionally offering test drives to people who might not be intending to buy the car, then so be it.

Your job is to provide a service which sells big ticket items to the general public, requiring application of perception and people skills - people don't come begging to make these purchases. Moaning on here about the way that the public behaves doesn't endear people to you or your industry.

[Sheepshanks]

BorkFactor said:

I did a similar thing to this when I was helping my mum get a new car. Had a reasonable sized list of cars to look at and try, explained what the situation was to the salesman and they were generally happy to help out.

A couple of them was terrible, trying to force finance deals down our throat before we had even sat in the car, but generally fine with it.

It was Calterdon BMW that were the most helpful we found, guy left us alone to have a look round the car for a while, let us take 2 models out, and said we could take a 24 hour test drive if we liked the car, despite me saying we still had a few more to look at.

I think if you explain the situation to them they should be OK. They will see stuff like this all the time I bet.

The difference there is that you were looking at new, and the OP is looking at used.

[Dave200]

I just don't understand this mentality of expecting 'punters' to put up with a limited service (e.g. "You can only test drive if I've seen your bank balance") just because they are buying a used car.

The whole point of used car dealers is to offer a premium product/service over the private market. If you don't see the value in building a potential relationship by offering such niceties as a 10-minute test drive, you probably don't deserve to be in business.

I went to look at a car last weekend at a small used dealer near Dulwich. When I turned up, it didn't look promising - a packed 'forecourt', and a surly-looking bunch huddled in a portacabin 'office'.
In reality they couldn't have been nicer, even when I said that this was the first one I'd looked at. We chatted for 2min about my trade-in, then he tossed me the keys and left me to poke around, saying "give me a shout if you want to drive it".
This was only a £5k car, and below the average value on the forecourt. His attitude was absolutely spot on, and had the Autotrader photos not been (extremely) flattering, I would have probably bought it.

[Centurion07]

Dave200 said:

I just don't understand this mentality of expecting 'punters' to put up with a limited service (e.g. "You can only test drive if I've seen your bank balance") just because they are buying a used car.

The whole point of used car dealers is to offer a premium product/service over the private market. If you don't see the value in building a potential relationship by offering such niceties as a 10-minute test drive, you probably don't deserve to be in business.

I went to look at a car last weekend at a small used dealer near Dulwich. When I turned up, it didn't look promising - a packed 'forecourt', and a surly-looking bunch huddled in a portacabin 'office'.
In reality they couldn't have been nicer, even when I said that this was the first one I'd looked at. We chatted for 2min about my trade-in, then he tossed me the keys and left me to poke around, saying "give me a shout if you want to drive it".
This was only a £5k car, and below the average value on the forecourt. His attitude was absolutely spot on, and had the Autotrader photos not been (extremely) flattering, I would have probably bought it.

I don't think many are saying that though.

IMO it's worse doing this to a used dealer since they're unlikely to have any demonstrators and have less staff to deal with test drives.

The issue is OP has said he's NOT going to buy THIS car yet still thinks it's ok to go and waste someone's time & resources just for his own convenience of not having to shop around for the RIGHT car and drive that one.

[BorkFactor]

Sheepshanks said:

The difference there is that you were looking at new, and the OP is looking at used.

Apologies, meant "New" as in new to her. The cars we were looking at were second hand, varied from generic used card dealers to main dealers. Only one, who will remain namesless but let's just say are very prevalent in Inverness proved to be a nightmare and exactly the sort of people that give car salesmen a bad name.

[markmullen]

Dave200 said:

Moaning on here about the way that the public behaves doesn't endear people to you or your industry.

My heart bleeds.

OP is a timewaster, I stand by that.

[JB!]

kinda fits in this thread...

Whats the easiest way to get hold of a car for a decent test drive, thinking long weekend?

I don't want to mislead the salesman, but want to spend a decent amount of time behind the wheel before buying (probably used)

Edited by JB! on Thursday 21st May 12:58

[Dave200]

markmullen said:

Dave200 said:

Moaning on here about the way that the public behaves doesn't endear people to you or your industry.

My heart bleeds.

OP is a timewaster, I stand by that.

To be honest, to rack up so many posts during the daytime (when you could/should be selling cars) would suggest you're not short of time to waste...

[markmullen]

Dave200 said:

To be honest, to rack up so many posts during the daytime (when you could/should be selling cars) would suggest you're not short of time to waste...

You're absolutely right, I've only sold five million pound cars in the last five weeks, I really am on my arse.

Alternatively I work in a job where I don't have a boss looking over my shoulder every five minutes as it appears you must have to jump to that conclusion. Maybe some day you'll have a job where you are trusted to get on with it and are judged on results rather than being a busy fool.

[Dave200]

markmullen said:

Dave200 said:

To be honest, to rack up so many posts during the daytime (when you could/should be selling cars) would suggest you're not short of time to waste...

You're absolutely right, I've only sold five million pound cars in the last five weeks, I really am on my arse.

So you're saying that you just facilitate the low volume sale of limited-run, new cars that someone else has done all the effort on marketing?

Sounds like a really tough sales environment; and absolutely nothing like what we're talking about on this thread.

There are days when I wish my job was so easy...

[markmullen]

Dave200 said:

Sounds like a really tough sales environment; and absolutely nothing like what we're talking about on this thread.

I didn't bring in what I do to this thread, you did.

[Ali_T]

TurboHatchback said:

I only go to see and test drive cars I am seriously considering buying though typically I will go see a few and only buy one of them.

This. But I'd add that the attitude of the dealer towards allowing a test drive is part of how I judge their customer services.

Getting a test drive off Audi was like blood from a stone which put me off almost immediately.

BMW arranged a test drive appointment, and I explained I was fitting it in an hour before picking up my son. The salesman failed to appear and sent a lack out with me after having had to wait for 3/4 of an hour so I told said lackie that part of the test drive would be picking up my son because they'd kept me waiting so long!

VW took me on an initial test drive for a whopping 10 minutes. Had to go to another dealer to actually get a genuine impression of the car.

Merc, to their credit, were as accommodating as Alfa and Ford.

But the "you have to put down a deposit to drive it" tactic has me walking away every time. They can go f**k themselves before I pay for a test drive when I want to spend £30-40k with them. Glad I did, though. Had I gone from the press, I'd be bored senseless in a Golf R just now. As it is, I'm in a much derided but absolutely hilarious Alfa and loving every minute of it. And the dealer experience adds to that ownership happiness immensely. Can't praise Western Alfa Edinburgh enough in that respect.

Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 21st May 13:21

Edited by Ali_T on Thursday 21st May 13:21

[Steve_F]

Ali_T said:

As it is, I'm in a much derided but absolutely hilarious Alfa and loving every minute of it. And the dealer experience adds to that ownership happiness immensely. Can't praise Western Alfa Edinburgh enough in that respect.

I walked in to their branch to have a look at a Leon Cupra, it had just sold. Salesman had a chat with me about what I was after, suggested a few (no interest) then moved on to a Brera that had just come in. Hadn't been prep'd was sitting in the wash bay ready to be looked at the next day and was pretty much immaculate. We talked money and I was clear it was over what I was looking at, next thing we were on a test drive anyway. There was definitely a sales pitch to it but it was a really good experience, the right level of sales vs helpfulness.

Never ended up buying it as head won over heart but very impressed with them as a dealership.

[Ari]

Yet again, RIP the cringe thread!

(I won't mention which posts for fear of upsetting the thin skinned).

[berlintaxi]

Ari said:

Yet again, RIP the cringe thread!

(I won't mention which posts for fear of upsetting the thin skinned).

I would think it would be obvious to a blind man on a galloping horse.

[kev1974]

twing said:

All of this x 10. Esp the fuel and the salesman's time, also the added miles on the car. I have, many times, told customers to go and hire one for the day and if he likes it I'll take the cost of the rental off the price. Let's all be honest, a "quick spin" isn't worth a wk.

Where can an ordinary person hire specific car models (other than premium sports cars) these days and be sure you'll get what you want to drive? As far as I know all of Avis, Hertz etc just hire you a "class" of car/size that they'll say on the website is a Ford XXX or whatever but what you get when you turn up could be anything similar.

I used to live near a Ford dealer in Ealing that had loads of cars that they hired out as a side business but that was years ago.

[twing]

kev1974 said:

Where can an ordinary person hire specific car models (other than premium sports cars) these days and be sure you'll get what you want to drive? As far as I know all of Avis, Hertz etc just hire you a "class" of car/size that they'll say on the website is a Ford XXX or whatever but what you get when you turn up could be anything similar.

I used to live near a Ford dealer in Ealing that had loads of cars that they hired out as a side business but that was years ago.

Enterprise

[masermartin]

markmullen said:

You have inadvertently made my point beautifully, despite the obnoxiously sarcastic HTH at the end, the OP has made it clear he is not interested in trying out the car he wants to drive.

HTH

I'm sorry, but even if he isn't interested, it's still not illegal, and those metaphors you gave are still not relevant.

Look, I wouldn't condone trying to get a test drive of a car you wouldn't be prepared to buy if it's right - OP actually doesn't appear to know, he's saying he only doesn't like the colour, but then says his OH would be driving it so maybe colour doesn't matter so much... It seems to me that this is precisely within the "fuzzy area" that, if it's a really good test drive, the OP could say "right, I'll take it, regardless of colour". Does the dealer have confidence that the product will sell itself on a test drive - if yes, then he'll probably give one, if not, he probably won't. If he doesn't give the test drive, he'll definitely not get the sale, and probably not any future sales; if he does, he *might* (but not "definitely" at this stage) get this or a future sale. That's the rub.

I don't doubt that this is a necessary balancing act to screen out timewasters. But it shouldn't be so hard, IMO.