Test drive idea
Discussion
hairykrishna said:
Sorry but that's the daftest idea I've heard today. Potential customers won't want to pay for test drives, owners won't (or can't) let random people test drive their cars and dealers won't want a potential customers perception of a car/brand be dictated by some random offering test drives.
Needs a bit of work then?!Shaw Tarse said:
If you were serious about buying a car wouldn't you find time to test drive it during the day?
Yes but if you had the option to pay let's say £10 or £20 to have someone come to your house when you choose or have to take time off work, eat into your weekend time would you not go for that?Emperor Blue said:
hairykrishna said:
Sorry but that's the daftest idea I've heard today. Potential customers won't want to pay for test drives, owners won't (or can't) let random people test drive their cars and dealers won't want a potential customers perception of a car/brand be dictated by some random offering test drives.
Needs a bit of work then?!
Sorry, it just seemed to me to be a solution that nobody involved would want!
hairykrishna said:
Sorry, it just seemed to me to be a solution that nobody involved would want!Car owner can earn some extra money
Consumer gets a test drive at a convenient time with a real owner, not trying to sell to them
Manufacturer knows that the best referrals are word of mouth - nobody could sell their cars better than a happy owner? (and you wouldn't really agree to this if you weren't happy with the car)
Thoughts?
Emperor Blue said:
Shaw Tarse said:
If you were serious about buying a car wouldn't you find time to test drive it during the day?
Yes but if you had the option to pay let's say £10 or £20 to have someone come to your house when you choose or have to take time off work, eat into your weekend time would you not go for that?I wouldn't give up my evening to drive to someones house, let them drive my car and then bore me to death with inane questions for at least £150.
Emperor Blue said:
But you can't generally get a test drive in evenings?
Of course you can! Most dealerships are open until 7.00pm.And a keen salesperson will bring the car around to your home after hours if necessary.
If this was Dragons' Den, I think you know what my answer would be.
Emperor Blue said:
That's definitely a possibility! No such thing as bad feedback but my counter argument would be:
Car owner can earn some extra money
Consumer gets a test drive at a convenient time with a real owner, not trying to sell to them
Manufacturer knows that the best referrals are word of mouth - nobody could sell their cars better than a happy owner? (and you wouldn't really agree to this if you weren't happy with the car)
Thoughts?
The extra money is either going to be very small, or you'll have to charge the potential customers rather a lot though. £10 or £20 as you suggest in one of your other posts certainly isn't going to cover it - I bet insurance overheads alone would be getting on for that much. Once you factor in the costs of the cars being inspected by the manufacturer/dealer to ensure that they're up to scratch etc it's going to cost plenty. You could subsidize it from the manufacturer obviously but I'm not convinced they'll see it as value for money.Car owner can earn some extra money
Consumer gets a test drive at a convenient time with a real owner, not trying to sell to them
Manufacturer knows that the best referrals are word of mouth - nobody could sell their cars better than a happy owner? (and you wouldn't really agree to this if you weren't happy with the car)
Thoughts?
Emperor Blue said:
Shaw Tarse said:
If you were serious about buying a car wouldn't you find time to test drive it during the day?
Yes but if you had the option to pay let's say £10 or £20 to have someone come to your house when you choose or have to take time off work, eat into your weekend time would you not go for that?How much time will it take the car owner to drive to the "interested persons "place?
Roo said:
I work long hours so my evenings are precious to me.
I wouldn't give up my evening to drive to someones house, let them drive my car and then bore me to death with inane questions for at least £150.
Ok that's useful. £150 a night where you could do maybe 4 x 30 minute test drives? £35 - £40 a test drive then?I wouldn't give up my evening to drive to someones house, let them drive my car and then bore me to death with inane questions for at least £150.
SV8Predator said:
Of course you can! Most dealerships are open until 7.00pm.
And a keen salesperson will bring the car around to your home after hours if necessary.
If this was Dragons' Den, I think you know what my answer would be.
I've called 6 major dealers in my local area today. None would even consider it. Looks like I need to make more calls!And a keen salesperson will bring the car around to your home after hours if necessary.
If this was Dragons' Den, I think you know what my answer would be.
Shaw Tarse said:
So what cars are you suggesting?
How much time will it take the car owner to drive to the "interested persons "place?
Would be up to the car owner how far they would want to travel - shorter distance the better obviously but would depend on how many owners were on boardHow much time will it take the car owner to drive to the "interested persons "place?
I've currently got 1 guy covering all of the UK (me!)
Emperor Blue said:
Roo said:
I work long hours so my evenings are precious to me.
I wouldn't give up my evening to drive to someones house, let them drive my car and then bore me to death with inane questions for at least £150.
Ok that's useful. £150 a night where you could do maybe 4 x 30 minute test drives? £35 - £40 a test drive then?I wouldn't give up my evening to drive to someones house, let them drive my car and then bore me to death with inane questions for at least £150.
If someone has paid for you to bring a car to their house for an evening test drive they are going to expect you to be there all evening.
Roo said:
But you wouldn't get four test drives done in an evening.
If someone has paid for you to bring a car to their house for an evening test drive they are going to expect you to be there all evening.
That's a good point. It would have to be made clear how long the test drive would last for. ThanksIf someone has paid for you to bring a car to their house for an evening test drive they are going to expect you to be there all evening.
You've seen stuff on TV about swingers clubs right?
Well it always struck me that it would probably be preferable to actually take the car of the keys you pull from the bowl, rather than the podgy milf that associates itself with those keys.
So there's you much better business idea right there... swingers clubs where you swap cars for an evening instead of wives
If the idea takes off i expect a 60% cut of all profits and i'll look after the wives for you.
Well it always struck me that it would probably be preferable to actually take the car of the keys you pull from the bowl, rather than the podgy milf that associates itself with those keys.
So there's you much better business idea right there... swingers clubs where you swap cars for an evening instead of wives
If the idea takes off i expect a 60% cut of all profits and i'll look after the wives for you.
Emperor Blue said:
Ok that's useful. £150 a night where you could do maybe 4 x 30 minute test drives? £35 - £40 a test drive then?
For somebody with a half decent job and a half decent car it sounds like a lot of effort to earn relatively little money. You lose most of it in time and fuel. If you want to chat about cars to enthusiasts then new car test drivers aren't the right people. That's why people post on ph and go to meets etc. Also bear in mind said car driver has his or her own evening routine to do, commute, eat etc. who would want to deal with a random person who could piss you off. Could I kick them out after 5 mins if I didn't like their driving or just got bored?
I think you are probably coming up with a potential solution to a problem that to most people would not consider a problem.
How many test drives do you think a person needs before buying a car? In general I would say if its to buy a new car, for the average punter, its about 1 to 3.
And dealerships are open late enough in the evening, close to peoples works or open weekends to accomodate this.
If its petrol heads you think your venture would appeal to - then there are lots of options they alreay have (from joining a car club etc).
I can't see the market I have to say.
How many test drives do you think a person needs before buying a car? In general I would say if its to buy a new car, for the average punter, its about 1 to 3.
And dealerships are open late enough in the evening, close to peoples works or open weekends to accomodate this.
If its petrol heads you think your venture would appeal to - then there are lots of options they alreay have (from joining a car club etc).
I can't see the market I have to say.
Rakoosh said:
I think you are probably coming up with a potential solution to a problem that to most people would not consider a problem.
How many test drives do you think a person needs before buying a car? In general I would say if its to buy a new car, for the average punter, its about 1 to 3.
And dealerships are open late enough in the evening, close to peoples works or open weekends to accomodate this.
If its petrol heads you think your venture would appeal to - then there are lots of options they alreay have (from joining a car club etc).
I can't see the market I have to say.
Thank you. Very rational and sensible feedbackHow many test drives do you think a person needs before buying a car? In general I would say if its to buy a new car, for the average punter, its about 1 to 3.
And dealerships are open late enough in the evening, close to peoples works or open weekends to accomodate this.
If its petrol heads you think your venture would appeal to - then there are lots of options they alreay have (from joining a car club etc).
I can't see the market I have to say.
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