Expensive car dealerships.
Discussion
A friend and I were talking today at work wondering what the rules are when it comes to test drives or simply looking at cars in dealerships such as Porsche, Ferrari, etc.
Now I'm a 23yr old who can nowhere near afford a car like this (yet!) so would the car dealers look at us down there noses and kindly show us the door? Or are they all trained to treat everyone, no matter what age, sex, or appearance, as a potential customer?
Just interested in the answer! Wouldn't mind a drive in a 360
Now I'm a 23yr old who can nowhere near afford a car like this (yet!) so would the car dealers look at us down there noses and kindly show us the door? Or are they all trained to treat everyone, no matter what age, sex, or appearance, as a potential customer?
Just interested in the answer! Wouldn't mind a drive in a 360

well i just bought a tuscan from gatwicktvr...
and im 18 years old and on my Provisional license
(still learning to drive)
(please dont laugh at me or say im going to die)
and i think they treated me with as much respect as anyone else if not more...
when i first spoke to Paul on the phone he was very helpful with all my questions etc and i said im interested in buying a tvr im only 18 and on my provisional etc is it going to be ok with you guys..
and he said yes etc then i said is it ok if i come down wednesday to take a look or buy the tvr i was interested in..
(there where also two other buyers interested in the same car one wanting to trade in his tamora)
so i came with my friend to Surrey from Norwich to have a look at the car.. sat in it.. the guy richard explained everything to me, what does what, how what works.. etc then he took me for a spin in it and it was absolutely great... then they took my friend for a spin as well which he enjoyed wouldn't stop smiling...
they couldnt have been more nicer really..
even went over the road to get me a can of dr.pepper while i was waiting for my friend to come back from the test drive...
looking smart (dressing) helps i think although i didnt care much about how smart i was looking...
just whore a cap, dark clothes...
and im 18 years old and on my Provisional license
(still learning to drive)
(please dont laugh at me or say im going to die)
and i think they treated me with as much respect as anyone else if not more...
when i first spoke to Paul on the phone he was very helpful with all my questions etc and i said im interested in buying a tvr im only 18 and on my provisional etc is it going to be ok with you guys..
and he said yes etc then i said is it ok if i come down wednesday to take a look or buy the tvr i was interested in..
(there where also two other buyers interested in the same car one wanting to trade in his tamora)
so i came with my friend to Surrey from Norwich to have a look at the car.. sat in it.. the guy richard explained everything to me, what does what, how what works.. etc then he took me for a spin in it and it was absolutely great... then they took my friend for a spin as well which he enjoyed wouldn't stop smiling...
they couldnt have been more nicer really..
even went over the road to get me a can of dr.pepper while i was waiting for my friend to come back from the test drive...
looking smart (dressing) helps i think although i didnt care much about how smart i was looking...
just whore a cap, dark clothes...
i gave paul my card to see everything go smoothly and put it through for 1k first because it was a visa electron was not sure if you could card high amounts on it..
so after the 1k deposit basically the car secured for me & they sold the other two guys it was *sold* i think...
btw they took me for a spin after i put a 1k deposit and im sure they felt alot more comfortable after 1k was down anyway..
then i bought the car and its getting delivered on friday
im not sure if i went to a ferrari dealer instead if they would have been so nice...
you have as much of a chance as me i think... as long as you dont mess them around..
so after the 1k deposit basically the car secured for me & they sold the other two guys it was *sold* i think...
btw they took me for a spin after i put a 1k deposit and im sure they felt alot more comfortable after 1k was down anyway..
then i bought the car and its getting delivered on friday
im not sure if i went to a ferrari dealer instead if they would have been so nice...
you have as much of a chance as me i think... as long as you dont mess them around..
I had a look round peter smiths the other weeks they had a nice Ducati 996,they didn't bother me and i didn't bother them just had a bit of a look round and i wasn't made to feel unwelcome.If i had asked to take cars for a drive things would have been diffrent i imagine.
>> Edited by ninjaboy on Tuesday 14th September 18:09
>> Edited by ninjaboy on Tuesday 14th September 18:09
Could not agree more.
Good job getting the Tuscan ! Lucky man!
A couple of points though:
- The Tuscan is fast and lairy ( but you know that !!) but it ain't the best handling car ever made. They can be something of a handful..
- Get some training. Lots of it. Hate to see something unfortunate happen. I'm twice your age and have driven lots of performance cars, yet the handling of the Tuscan scared me ! So be careful. It feels fine at 8/10ths, but really unpredictable at 9/10ths and beyond !!
Be safe and enjoy it !!
sorry to sound like your dad but i've never heard of a new driver getting a Tuscan before and we'd hate to hear it end in tears
Good job getting the Tuscan ! Lucky man!
A couple of points though:
- The Tuscan is fast and lairy ( but you know that !!) but it ain't the best handling car ever made. They can be something of a handful..
- Get some training. Lots of it. Hate to see something unfortunate happen. I'm twice your age and have driven lots of performance cars, yet the handling of the Tuscan scared me ! So be careful. It feels fine at 8/10ths, but really unpredictable at 9/10ths and beyond !!
Be safe and enjoy it !!
sorry to sound like your dad but i've never heard of a new driver getting a Tuscan before and we'd hate to hear it end in tears
If i had had a tuscan at 18 i would almost certainly of killed myself...
but your not me and i wish you all the best with your new car.. and like topstuff said, get some driver training, i did and it helped imeasureably.
As for test drives, don't aim too high, start at the BMW dealer and work up.
What you wear is not important, mention you work in IT or Finance and dealers eyes light up. Be polite and mature, don't giggle like a schoolboy or like i did when a certain somebody on the board took me for a ride in a CSL..
Be calm and ask questions about finance, running costs etc.
Of coarse it helps if you put on your poshest accent, those suckers always fall for that.
but your not me and i wish you all the best with your new car.. and like topstuff said, get some driver training, i did and it helped imeasureably.
As for test drives, don't aim too high, start at the BMW dealer and work up.
What you wear is not important, mention you work in IT or Finance and dealers eyes light up. Be polite and mature, don't giggle like a schoolboy or like i did when a certain somebody on the board took me for a ride in a CSL..
Be calm and ask questions about finance, running costs etc.
Of coarse it helps if you put on your poshest accent, those suckers always fall for that.
Cyberhuss said:
well i just bought a tuscan from gatwicktvr... and im 18 years old and on my Provisional license
How did you manage that? Whatever you do, I'd like to copy it please.
Edited to add: if you fluff the test, I'd like first refusal to be chaffeur please
>> Edited by simpo two on Wednesday 15th September 00:11
james24 said:
Now I'm a 23yr old who can nowhere near afford a car like this (yet!)...... Wouldn't mind a drive in a 360
vixpy1 said:
As for test drives, don't aim too high, start at the BMW dealer and work up.
What you wear is not important, mention you work in IT or Finance and dealers eyes light up. Be polite and mature, don't giggle like a schoolboy...Be calm and ask questions about finance, running costs etc.
Of coarse it helps if you put on your poshest accent, those suckers always fall for that.
No No No No
This kind of attitude really irritates me. If you have no intention of buying a car then don't waste a dealers time. Taking up a salespersons time talking about an imaginary purchase is an appalling thing to do. If you want to try out some perfomance cars without buying then cough up a few quid and join one of the sports car members clubs.
:breathe: and relax.
When I was about 19, I remember almost being thrown out of a Vauxhall dealership by a middle aged salesman for opening a car door, FFS!
About two years later, carrying crash helmet, wearing faded jeans, leather jacket, good quality Spanish riding boots, I walked into a Porsche dealership to be met by the salesman, offered a coffee, sat down and had a good bullshit about Porsches in particular and cars in general. Maybe he spotted the Laverda badge on my jacket, maybe he knew not to judge a book by its cover, but he offered me a test drive, and I was honest enough to say that it would be unfair as I was not going to buy one. I think that he appreciated that, and said to come back anytime.
About two years later, carrying crash helmet, wearing faded jeans, leather jacket, good quality Spanish riding boots, I walked into a Porsche dealership to be met by the salesman, offered a coffee, sat down and had a good bullshit about Porsches in particular and cars in general. Maybe he spotted the Laverda badge on my jacket, maybe he knew not to judge a book by its cover, but he offered me a test drive, and I was honest enough to say that it would be unfair as I was not going to buy one. I think that he appreciated that, and said to come back anytime.
mad jock said:
When I was about 19, I remember almost being thrown out of a Vauxhall dealership by a middle aged salesman for opening a car door, FFS!
About two years later, carrying crash helmet, wearing faded jeans, leather jacket, good quality Spanish riding boots, I walked into a Porsche dealership to be met by the salesman, offered a coffee, sat down and had a good bullshit about Porsches in particular and cars in general. Maybe he spotted the Laverda badge on my jacket, maybe he knew not to judge a book by its cover, but he offered me a test drive, and I was honest enough to say that it would be unfair as I was not going to buy one. I think that he appreciated that, and said to come back anytime.
You haven't got a brother called Neil have you? You sound like a Cullen that I know!
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