Pointless Test Drives

[SuperchargedVR6]

Those quick 15-30 min test drives are pointless anyway. What can you possibly glean from a car's character in 30 minutes on chosen roads? I'd want it for at least a day, especially when spending a goodly amount on one!

[HTP99]

yellowjack said:

IanCress said:

RushDom said:

Not quite the same thing, but I had a saleswoman at a large Ford franchise dealership *cough*TrustFord*cough* flatly refuse me a test drive in a 1.0 Zetec Fiesta because I wasn't interested in purchasing a car that day. For clarity, we were looking at leasing a car - not buying a specific used model or anything.

Needless to say, we went to our local independent Ford instead where the salesman handed us the keys and told me and my dad to take as long as we wanted.

Edited by RushDom on Tuesday 17th January 13:37

And was this salesman rewarded with a sale / lease contract?

With respect, WTF has that got to do with the price of fish?

But the big objection I have to your question is the presumption that being given a test drive somehow obliges one to make the purchase there and then. Sometimes a test drive reveals that a car just cannot be lived with. Gearing too long, too short, engine or tyre noise excessive at cruising speed, handling foibles, wind noise, seats that you just cannot adjust to fit your fat carcass. So sometimes the point of a test drive is to trim a shortlist down to a few final contenders. Sometimes, comfort and the way a car drives really are the only differences that matter in the decision to buy.

With respect, IanCress asked if the salesman was rewarded with a sale, he didn't ask if he was rewarded with a sale there and then!

[Steven_RW]

On topic ish..

Selling my E46 M3. Chaps arrive up from Newcastle and we head out for a test drive with potential buyer at the wheel. Off the roundabout on to the motorway sliproad, 2nd gear 8,000 rpm, 3rd gear 8,000 rpm, 4th gear 8,000 rpm... we are now at 140mph on the speedo as he engages 5th and presses the throttle to WOT again..

I decided to pipe up at that point and suggest that we had now proven the engine was in tip top condition. 5th gear and onwards is for the owner of the vehicle only..

Actually, now I think about it, when I went down to see that same car before buying it myself from an independent dealer in Nottingham, he just threw me the keys and I took myself out for a test drive. All very relaxed and bought it on the spot.

RW

[HTP99]

phil4 said:

I've always had a reasonably short accompanied test drive.

Strangely always the sales person driving first for a very short distance.

It's good practice; if you've never driven the car before, it could be a bit daunting taking an a familiar car straight out onto a busy road, also the salesman knows how the car drives, him driving it off first will confirm to him that the car is ok feels all fine, especially if you start kangarooing up the road; it's not the car it's you as the salesman had no such issues.

[andymc]

Steven_RW said:

On topic ish..

Selling my E46 M3. Chaps arrive up from Newcastle and we head out for a test drive with potential buyer at the wheel. Off the roundabout on to the motorway sliproad, 2nd gear 8,000 rpm, 3rd gear 8,000 rpm, 4th gear 8,000 rpm... we are now at 140mph on the speedo as he engages 5th and presses the throttle to WOT again..

I decided to pipe up at that point and suggest that we had now proven the engine was in tip top condition. 5th gear and onwards is for the owner of the vehicle only..

Actually, now I think about it, when I went down to see that same car before buying it myself from an independent dealer in Nottingham, he just threw me the keys and I took myself out for a test drive. All very relaxed and bought it on the spot.

RW

good point, so guys when you sell your cars privately and the buyer rocks up and asks to ring the neck out of the car for 2 hours do you just say ok?

[unrepentant]

Steven_RW said:

Selling my E46 M3. Chaps arrive up from Newcastle and we head out for a test drive with potential buyer at the wheel. Off the roundabout on to the motorway sliproad, 2nd gear 8,000 rpm, 3rd gear 8,000 rpm, 4th gear 8,000 rpm... we are now at 140mph on the speedo as he engages 5th and presses the throttle to WOT again..

With all due respect you're crazy to allow that.

A salutary tale or two;

http://www.meltontimes.co.uk/news/car-salesman-hor...

https://www.google.com/amp/www.foxnews.com/us/2016...

https://www.google.com/amp/ktla.com/2016/02/23/car...

[IanCress]

Muzzer79 said:

It's natural to want to drive a car before committing to it, but put yourself in the used car salesperson's (Primark) shoes. You're stood there and someone says that they want a test drive on a used car they have no intention of buying that day, but want to see what it's like to order one on lease.

This is my point. I'm assuming that the OP didn't go on to buy or lease a vehicle from the salesman that gave him a test drive. I'm further assuming that the OP had actually already lined up a deal, perhaps with a broker he found on the internet. Therefore, he's knowingly wasting the salesman's time, and making it harder for genuine buyers to get a test drive, as everyone gets classed as a user/timewaster.

Realise i'm making a few assumptions and if i'm wrong I apologise.

[Hennerz1994]

HTP99 said:

It's good practice; if you've never driven the car before, it could be a bit daunting taking an a familiar car straight out onto a busy road, also the salesman knows how the car drives, him driving it off first will confirm to him that the car is ok feels all fine, especially if you start kangarooing up the road; it's not the car it's you as the salesman had no such issues.

I use to work at my local Audi dealer for a little bit and I know the sales men has to drive the car off the site as the car was only covered for insurance on the roads not on private property.

[jen-apex]

I work for a well known dealership and my job (amongst a few other things) is to take people out test drives. We drive first to make sure there's nothing wrong with the car and then swap over a short time later. Our branch doesn't have a set route although it's already been mentioned that one of the main benefits of having a test route is the safety of staff. A lot of people who come in are local and know the area well, but I always recommend them to mimic their everyday driving (we don't really have any performance cars) whether that's town, bypass/motorway or back roads. The cars have enough fuel so we just leave them to go where they want, I've never been far but a colleague went a 60 mile round trip, and I still get paid for the drive whether it's to the other side of the country or 100 yards down the road.

[CraigyMc]

The leasing company my employer uses arranges free 72h test drives, with the car delivered and picked up from home.

They generally limit people to three of these before you commit to leasing something.

[AlexHat]

When buying my current car I test drove a couple of the same models (different dealers). The first I turned up and had to wait around before being chucked the keys and sent on my way unaccompanied...with the fuel light lit. Needless to say having no knowledge of how much fuel was left I didn't take a long test drive.

The second dealer was an accompanied test drive, the salesman drove first, then swapped places with me and we drove around for a while so I could get a proper feel for the car. Ended up buying it when we got back to the dealer.

[parabolica]

When I test drove my current car, the dealer had a pre-planned route for the initial TD; however when I was further down the process of agreeing to purchase, I asked for another go but this time on some roads I knew/commuted on, and they were happy for me to take it unaccompanied for an hour or so.

A mate of mine whilst at Uni had a hobby of going out on Saturday and Sundays and asking to test drive as many cars as he could. He was a massive car nut and just liked driving all different kinds of car (worked for a car rental firm so he was in his element) but he did rag them around town. I guess the pre-planned route is an effort to stomp that kind of game out.

[XB70]

Had a look at a used XLR from a dealer here in Dubai. If the "test drive" was 500m and more than 40kph I am being generous. Utter refusal to give longer as "company policy". No problem, keep the car.

Got a few follow up calls asking when I wanted to buy it. Did not seem to get that was not going further until I actually drove the damn thing properly.

Cue a private sale coming up and went for a long decent drive and chatting about Cadillacs. It showed:

- buffeted like crazy (uncomfortably so) with the roof down
- high doors made it feel very cramped
- back pain within 5 minutes or so since due to the limited configuration on the seats
- dials PITA to read (they use a weird font)
- the supercharged V8 is great with a fantastic noise

I really wanted to like it (and always have) but just so uncomfortable to drive. Had I bought it new, and with some of the limited/no test drives I would have been extremely disappointed.

[clarkmagpie]

Corpulent Tosser said:

Best was when I was looking for a TVR and test drove two from a dealer in a town called Hexham, the sales chappie gave me the keys to the first one and said he would get the other fuelled up while I was away, he also gave me a recommended route to take which included open road, twisty country road and back to the dealer through town.

The attitude of the salesman made me want to do business with them, and I did buy a car.

Edited by Corpulent Tosser on Tuesday 17th January 13:56

A great team at HHC.

[Mound Dawg]

Fiat dealer couldn't get me in the car quick enough and sent me off on my own, take as long as you like.

Yes, I bought one.

[Jasandjules]

Had a couple of pointless ones in my time - once in an Elan, driving out of the dealership the interior mirror fell off. Not great, but I'll carry on, still got two. First set of lights I am told to turn right and as I do so, the RHS wing mirror drops and is now hanging by a wire... I'll pass thanks!!

Oh cr*p, this isn't good. An Elan...... About 10ft out of the garage it conked out. Got it restarted, within abother 10ft the alarm system kicked in and shut the car down. Garage mechanic comes out and fiddles under the car somewhere, and we get another 20ft or so and the f***ng think conked out again... Got out, said thanks very much and left. What really annoyed me about this one is I arranged the drive about a week before and asked them to ensure she was in good nick as it was a long drive and if she was ok I'd be driving her home that day....

ETA - thank goodness, thought of one that isn't an Elan (I did have another one!) - An MR2 this time. Firstly I turned up in a TVR Chimaera - the salesman was explaining that his MR2 (MKII non-turbo) would leave my TVR for dead so I'd have to be careful.... Well, he was right, but that's because the handling was utterly ***ed in this thing. Any slight turn resulted in a rear end slide - I had to give it full opposite lock on a roundabout - sod that, drove slowly back and was told "they all handle like that" - sure mate, except for the four I'd owned before.... And all the ones I'd test driven before.

Best test drive was similar to others on here - arrived at mansion in Bristol, car is on the drive. Keys handed over and the chap just said "have fun". This was quite interesting because I lived in Essex at the time so had no idea where the feck I was or where to go. Still, me and the other half go out - luckily not my first time in a Chimaera - about 15 mins later I went back and the salesman said "oh you are back early" - Yeah, well I wanted to get the deal done and get it bought.............

Edited by Jasandjules on Tuesday 17th January 17:32

[Little Pete]

Mine is slightly different, I went to test drive a Toyota RAV4 180 or some such number for Mrs Pete to smoke about in. I had a coffee with the salesman whilst a minion took it for fuel. He told me the test route was through town, out on to country roads then back along a dual carriageway so I could get a good feel for the car. I was very impressed with the service I was getting and was thinking I would do a deal if the price was right.
I hadn't gone more than about a quarter of a mile when I decided I wouldn't buy it! I felt really bad for the salesman but I couldn't bring myself to say anything negative because he'd been so helpful. We must've been out about 25 minutes and it was a cracking route but I just didn't like the thing. I told him I'd think about it over the weekend, then rang him like a coward and said I didn't want it. I felt bad for a while after that.

[manracer]

I'm not making this up but when the new Mustang arrived earlier last year i booked a test drive on a Saturday morning and although i had to wait a while for my allocated salesman to become free, what resulted next was 2 hours of joy. The guy was new, only 21 and as the car only arrived the week before, he hadn't been in it yet so we drove around 15 miles, motorway, dual carriageway as well as mixed A and B roads, when we got back i parked the stang next to a focus RS that wasn't there earlier. As we parked up he said, fancy a spin in that too? And off we went again.... :-)

[unrepentant]

Little Pete said:

Mine is slightly different, I went to test drive a Toyota RAV4 180 or some such number for Mrs Pete to smoke about in. I had a coffee with the salesman whilst a minion took it for fuel. He told me the test route was through town, out on to country roads then back along a dual carriageway so I could get a good feel for the car. I was very impressed with the service I was getting and was thinking I would do a deal if the price was right.
I hadn't gone more than about a quarter of a mile when I decided I wouldn't buy it! I felt really bad for the salesman but I couldn't bring myself to say anything negative because he'd been so helpful. We must've been out about 25 minutes and it was a cracking route but I just didn't like the thing. I told him I'd think about it over the weekend, then rang him like a coward and said I didn't want it. I felt bad for a while after that.

He'd have much preferred you to be honest instead of wasting his time. Nobody takes it personally if a car doesn't suit, that's life. It's the dicking around that pisses people off.

[daemon]

markwm said:

Is this the norm noawadays? Just had a test drive at Land Rover. They obviously had a designated route for accompanied test drives. Every single road I was told to turn on had either speed bumps or speed camera. Complete waste of time

I'd a test drive of a Nissan Murano around my local used car dealers designated route. Was mostly down narrow lanes and through a heavily parked up housing development.

I dont think i even got it warmed up or up to anywhere near the national speed limit.

It just made the car feel too big and unweldy and put me off it.

Not helped by the fact that the salesperson was a young woman who had decided her looks were enough to carry her through life, rather than any ability.