Test drive etiquette
Discussion
markmullen said:
stedale said:
I wonder how many test drives turn into sales?
I wonder how many test drives where the test driver has decided he's not going to buy the car before he even arrives turn into sales.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)
u0362565 said:
Perhaps more simple checks like this are only required for private sales,I'll be going through a franchised dealer. My nieve hope is that a franchised dealer wouldn't knowingly buy a dodgy model to sell on, they could make a mistake, buy and then realise but they undertake rigorous tests I presume?
I really have no clue and am therefore probably a salesman's dream.
When you have decided which particular make and model you want, never, EVER make the mistake of believing a franchised dealer will do rigorous (or indeed any) checks on a second hand vehicle they're selling.I really have no clue and am therefore probably a salesman's dream.
My advice - Turn up and be completely honest. "It's between an Acme Wotsit or a Generic-Co Doodah, and I'd like to drive them both to see which one ..." and here's the thing... if it's a performance brand, you say "... drives the best" and if it's more of a luxury brand say "... is the nicest/most comfortable for long journeys" etc. Pick what you think their brand stands for, so they think they are going to win out in the comparison. More likely to get them to trust in their product to sell itself to you on the test drive. This way, you are appealing to their desire to win the sale.
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.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)
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.
Identified my current shed as a possibility from reviews but had never driven one before. Went to try it with no great expectations and found I liked driving it. It was at the back of the lot but they were quite happy to give me the keys and let me take it out on my own. No pressure selling at all.
The point is that if I hadn't liked driving it then I would have felt no guilt at all walking away. I agree about not testing something you have absolutely no intention of buying but as a few people have said how on earth are you meant to know if you like something without trying it??
As an aside helped a friend look at cars recently and at least half of the places were happy to let us have an unaccompanied test drive so no time wasted.
The point is that if I hadn't liked driving it then I would have felt no guilt at all walking away. I agree about not testing something you have absolutely no intention of buying but as a few people have said how on earth are you meant to know if you like something without trying it??
As an aside helped a friend look at cars recently and at least half of the places were happy to let us have an unaccompanied test drive so no time wasted.
hora said:
Its not fair on the salesman dude. If someone came to your work and asked you to do some work for free..
We often put significant amounts of work into bidding for contracts that we don't eventually win. It's up to the salesman to work out whether the chances of getting the sale justify the investment. If someone has a shortlist of three cars to test and he's definitely going to buy one of them, on the face of it each dealer is probably not going to get the sale. Whether they invest in trying to sell it to him really comes down to whether they have any confidence in their product and their own skills. People with no intention of buying any of the cars are a different matter, and the salesman will no doubt try to filter them out, but relying on mug punters buying a pig in a poke doesn't sound like a great salesman to me.
nullogik said:
Have a family member in the motor trade (used cars). Time wasters or joy riders are a real pain. A typical scenario:
Joy rider comes in and feigns interest in a car right at the back corner of the showroom. You and other staff spend ages digging it out from behind four or five other cars - Murphys Law that some or all will have flat batteries. They then thrash it to death on the test drive - do that when you own it, not when it belongs to someone else. Afterwards finish up the test drive with "I'll think about it" or "I wanted one in red" even though the car in the showroom is obviously another colour and walk away never to be seen or heard of.
Here's a few thoughts on this because, with respect, I might be missing something, but it seems like it's those in the trade that are missing a few things.Joy rider comes in and feigns interest in a car right at the back corner of the showroom. You and other staff spend ages digging it out from behind four or five other cars - Murphys Law that some or all will have flat batteries. They then thrash it to death on the test drive - do that when you own it, not when it belongs to someone else. Afterwards finish up the test drive with "I'll think about it" or "I wanted one in red" even though the car in the showroom is obviously another colour and walk away never to be seen or heard of.
1. Why do cars in the showroom have flat batteries? Surely part of the job of running a sales operation is to ensure that your products are in fact ready for sale.
2. Has the punter asked about the service history? Looked at the paperwork? If they haven't, "Do you want to take a look at the history and paperwork first, while I sort out the trade plates/[some other excuse]?". If they don't want to look at the paperwork, they don't really care about the car. If they are interested in the car, they'll want to see the paperwork/history and frankly it won't matter to them whether they do it now or after the test drive.
3. Ask about the colour/spec. "Is this the spec/colour you're looking for?" Make them explain what they're after. I'm less likely to say "Yes, it's exactly this" if I need to use "No" as my get out later.
4. Take their number. If they know *you* are going to call *them* to chase on whether they're interested, they're less likely to spin you along with the "I'll call you on Monday" spiel. I know I would be.
5. If they still want a test drive - here's a hint: They're most likely interested in buying your car. True, they may have bareface-lied to you. There's not much you can do about this scourge of society, but you will have weeded out the chancers.
That's my primer for the salespeople, as a punter who has twice been refused test drives without firstly placing non-refundable deposits on vehicles. I can't say in either case I would have definitely bought the cars had I had the test drive (you can't know for sure), but I was in the market for that model of that age at (roughly) that price and I certainly wouldn't buy a car without one, so in both instances I went from "potential sale" to "no sale" because of the refused test drive.
To be fair he said probably won't. Which if you're trying say four different models is the truth. 25% chance each!
Helped a friend who has just passed their test recently and wasn't too sure what she wanted, a couple of test drives and we very quickly ruled out some models she had considered. No intention to waste anyone's time but after test driving one I wouldn't have let her anywhere near a 10 year old Clio....
Helped a friend who has just passed their test recently and wasn't too sure what she wanted, a couple of test drives and we very quickly ruled out some models she had considered. No intention to waste anyone's time but after test driving one I wouldn't have let her anywhere near a 10 year old Clio....
Edited by Chris1255 on Wednesday 20th May 14:43
markmullen said:
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.
Both of those are illegal. Trying out a car you're interested in, and then ultimately not buying it, is not. HTH.Was in the position of looking for a new car a few years ago (10) and had narrowed it down to a couple of cars BMW 530i or an MG ZT190, loved the look of the MG but was drawn to the BMW, so went for a test drive at the BMW dealer, they had two with different levels of spec one manual one auto and I didn't want another auto box. The salesman took me for a run in the 530i and explained the refinements in this one then after a few miles pulled in and let me take the wheel. While the car was everything I wanted I did not like the way it drove, another dealer tried to persuade me the 525 was the way to go but again there was just something about the drive I didn't like, so no sale.
Went to my local MG Rover dealer and asked about the ZT190, at this time I had a Rover 75 1.8 as a company car and I did love the way it drove. The dealer handed me the keys to the 190 and said bring it back in the afternoon, the 190 was very nice but I didn't like the interior trim, it looked cheap and tacky compared with the fit and finish of the 75. I also asked about the new ZT260 that had just came out but they said they could not get them as you had to be an X-Power dealer before you could sell them and so he sent me to Trident Garage in Ottershaw. I got a test drive in the ZT260 and it was even better than the ZT190 and once we got back to the garage I placed my order for a new ZT260SE.
For the Landrover I have now I was looking at a Freelander 2 but they had not come to the market yet so the garage booked my wife and myself up for a day out at Landrover Experience at Dunkeld there we made the decision to go for a Range Rover Sport TDV8.
Up until I had driven the BMW I really wanted one but after the test drives, thanks but no thanks. If I had bought a 530i without a test drive I would have been really disappointed once I got it, the ZT260 has been a joy to drive and a thrill everytime I sit in it ... but now it has 400bhp instead of the 239 it had before
Went to my local MG Rover dealer and asked about the ZT190, at this time I had a Rover 75 1.8 as a company car and I did love the way it drove. The dealer handed me the keys to the 190 and said bring it back in the afternoon, the 190 was very nice but I didn't like the interior trim, it looked cheap and tacky compared with the fit and finish of the 75. I also asked about the new ZT260 that had just came out but they said they could not get them as you had to be an X-Power dealer before you could sell them and so he sent me to Trident Garage in Ottershaw. I got a test drive in the ZT260 and it was even better than the ZT190 and once we got back to the garage I placed my order for a new ZT260SE.
For the Landrover I have now I was looking at a Freelander 2 but they had not come to the market yet so the garage booked my wife and myself up for a day out at Landrover Experience at Dunkeld there we made the decision to go for a Range Rover Sport TDV8.
Up until I had driven the BMW I really wanted one but after the test drives, thanks but no thanks. If I had bought a 530i without a test drive I would have been really disappointed once I got it, the ZT260 has been a joy to drive and a thrill everytime I sit in it ... but now it has 400bhp instead of the 239 it had before
masermartin said:
2. Has the punter asked about the service history? Looked at the paperwork? If they haven't, "Do you want to take a look at the history and paperwork first, while I sort out the trade plates/[some other excuse]?". If they don't want to look at the paperwork, they don't really care about the car. If they are interested in the car, they'll want to see the paperwork/history and frankly it won't matter to them whether they do it now or after the test drive.
This might be where I accidentally get it right, as I have never been refused a test drive. Quite often I will have asked a lot of questions (straight forward ones though, such as last service, MOT length etc). Then when I look around the car I like to have the paperwork with me too. The test drive is the last step.I would do that even if there were 2-3 types of car on my radar. Though I would like to think I'd have a preferred option, and that would be the car I was viewing at the time (hence buying it if all checked out).
I have driven over 100 miles to see a car at a dealership advertised as 'immaculate' only to find all sorts of s
t wrong. The tt then offered be pittance for the trade in and said 'I'll be nice, I'll slash £50 off'. Time wasting goes both ways. masermartin said:
Both of those are illegal. Trying out a car you're interested in, and then ultimately not buying it, is not. HTH.
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
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
But how sure is the OP? is he 100% or 95% sure he won't buy? He's said colour is an issue but has he checked to see how common his chosen colour is? Personally if the car was immaculate I'd go for a colour I didn't love vs the right colour but chipped and worn to sHTH
t. Your applying a very binary view of the situation.Judging by the attitudes expressed on this thread, I suggest UK car salesmen should never consider moving to Oz. They would starve.
There is no way most Ozzies would put a car on their consider list without a test drive. If a salesman isn't pushing me to drive it, I assume it must be a dog.
A few years ago I was going to buy the lady a new car. I went & looked at most of the small things with reasonably nearby dealers. I test drove the 5 that suited, eliminating the Ford & GM products, leaving the Mazda 2 Honda Jazz, & the Suzuki as suitable.
After taking her for a test in the Suzuki she decided she would prefer to keep her old Cressida. A couple of years later & the Cressida really was due for retirement. We are 25 kilometres from town, so rang the contenders & asked them to post current colour charts.
The Honda & Mazda salespeople followed up a couple of days later, both offering to bring a car in the ladies colour preference to us. They did, she preferred the Mazda, which we bought. Good sales survive had won a deal. Mazda still invite me to test drive every new model they think they might be able to get me into.
A year ago my son wanted me to check out a year old Ford Ranger for him, while he was at sea. The salesman assured me it was as new. Unfortunately it was 50 kilometres away, & I was too busy to get there to see it. He asked me would I buy it if it was as good as he said it was. I said yes.
He brought it to me, which gave me confidence he thought it was that good. It was, I bought it, & he had to get transport back to the dealership.
Service makes sales around here, & the good salesmen know it.
There is no way most Ozzies would put a car on their consider list without a test drive. If a salesman isn't pushing me to drive it, I assume it must be a dog.
A few years ago I was going to buy the lady a new car. I went & looked at most of the small things with reasonably nearby dealers. I test drove the 5 that suited, eliminating the Ford & GM products, leaving the Mazda 2 Honda Jazz, & the Suzuki as suitable.
After taking her for a test in the Suzuki she decided she would prefer to keep her old Cressida. A couple of years later & the Cressida really was due for retirement. We are 25 kilometres from town, so rang the contenders & asked them to post current colour charts.
The Honda & Mazda salespeople followed up a couple of days later, both offering to bring a car in the ladies colour preference to us. They did, she preferred the Mazda, which we bought. Good sales survive had won a deal. Mazda still invite me to test drive every new model they think they might be able to get me into.
A year ago my son wanted me to check out a year old Ford Ranger for him, while he was at sea. The salesman assured me it was as new. Unfortunately it was 50 kilometres away, & I was too busy to get there to see it. He asked me would I buy it if it was as good as he said it was. I said yes.
He brought it to me, which gave me confidence he thought it was that good. It was, I bought it, & he had to get transport back to the dealership.
Service makes sales around here, & the good salesmen know it.
MDMetal said:
But how sure is the OP? is he 100% or 95% sure he won't buy? He's said colour is an issue but has he checked to see how common his chosen colour is? Personally if the car was immaculate I'd go for a colour I didn't love vs the right colour but chipped and worn to st. Your applying a very binary view of the situation.
I'm applying a binary view based on the OP lacking such confidence that he'll buy the car that he took to the internet to ask advice and stated he was unlikely to buy it, which, in absence of further information, is pretty compelling I'd say.t. Your applying a very binary view of the situation.markmullen said:
I'm applying a binary view based on the OP lacking such confidence that he'll buy the car that he took to the internet to ask advice and stated he was unlikely to buy it, which, in absence of further information, is pretty compelling I'd say.
Weirdly to me it feels like it's someone who hasn't done this before asking advice about the first step of the process. He's not asking how to pretend he wants a Ferrari when he's really shopping for a skoda. Everyone and myself included has said only test things that you'd consider buying (ie model/spec) What more can we say?I really hope you don't work in sales or indeed any job that requires personal communication, at the end of the day selling a car is what a dealer needs to do but if all you do is focus on selling that car the person is stood right in front to them and disregard all else then ultimately your business is going to be lacking. People come back to good dealers they feel confident in, either for the exact model/spec they want or for another car or a friend of a friend. By all means weed out the chancers but if they don't have anyone else around who looks more interested then I'm sure they'd be happy to take a crack at a 1% chance of a sale from someone who is doing their research.
Offering a test drive also, hopefully, builds good will with the customer.
I have test driven cars that I have told the salesman I am extremely unlikely to buy because it has the auto box or whatever. In my exp, the good salesmen say "Well, who knows? Let's give it a try. And we will find one with the manual box if you still want that".
I have test driven cars that I have told the salesman I am extremely unlikely to buy because it has the auto box or whatever. In my exp, the good salesmen say "Well, who knows? Let's give it a try. And we will find one with the manual box if you still want that".
Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff