Refused extended test drive, is that the norm?
Discussion
Its the first time i asked for an extended test drive, ie couple of hours for the wife and myself to get to know the car properly
Its a £25k car and will be keeping it for at least 3-4 years so wanted a decent drive in it over all surfaces and around our town etc
refused point blank and told they would take me out for 15-20 mins and thats the best they can do.
We have already viewed the car and drove it for 5 mins got price to change etc etc and are happy to do the deal subject to the test drive.
Last dealer we bought a car from offered the car for a weekend without us asking.
Im not slateing car dealers in general, just asking is this the norm?
Its a £25k car and will be keeping it for at least 3-4 years so wanted a decent drive in it over all surfaces and around our town etc
refused point blank and told they would take me out for 15-20 mins and thats the best they can do.
We have already viewed the car and drove it for 5 mins got price to change etc etc and are happy to do the deal subject to the test drive.
Last dealer we bought a car from offered the car for a weekend without us asking.
Im not slateing car dealers in general, just asking is this the norm?
Depends on the dealership and their insurance and attitude.
I've been in some dealer who just give me the keys and tell me to come back in about an hour.
Then others where a salesman insists on coming too, and pointing out all the different bits of the car and taking me on a pre-defined route.
Also, some of them have a salesman who insists on driving the car for the first half mile so it's in a safer place to start from.
Another dealer does extended drives instead of short ones, but insists they are booked in advance.
I think it's different for cars which are demos, used, trade plates or wotnot for different insurance policies.
In my experience, main dealers offer a lot more of a test drive than independents.
I've been in some dealer who just give me the keys and tell me to come back in about an hour.
Then others where a salesman insists on coming too, and pointing out all the different bits of the car and taking me on a pre-defined route.
Also, some of them have a salesman who insists on driving the car for the first half mile so it's in a safer place to start from.
Another dealer does extended drives instead of short ones, but insists they are booked in advance.
I think it's different for cars which are demos, used, trade plates or wotnot for different insurance policies.
In my experience, main dealers offer a lot more of a test drive than independents.
Bet2502 said:
Its the first time i asked for an extended test drive, ie couple of hours for the wife and myself to get to know the car properly
Its a £25k car and will be keeping it for at least 3-4 years so wanted a decent drive in it over all surfaces and around our town etc
refused point blank and told they would take me out for 15-20 mins and thats the best they can do.
We have already viewed the car and drove it for 5 mins got price to change etc etc and are happy to do the deal subject to the test drive.
Last dealer we bought a car from offered the car for a weekend without us asking.
Im not slateing car dealers in general, just asking is this the norm?
What car was it? May give some more insight into why. My personal guess would be that people have either been taking the piss of late, or haven't been test driving at all, hence the dealer not wanting to fulfill your extraordinary request.Its a £25k car and will be keeping it for at least 3-4 years so wanted a decent drive in it over all surfaces and around our town etc
refused point blank and told they would take me out for 15-20 mins and thats the best they can do.
We have already viewed the car and drove it for 5 mins got price to change etc etc and are happy to do the deal subject to the test drive.
Last dealer we bought a car from offered the car for a weekend without us asking.
Im not slateing car dealers in general, just asking is this the norm?
FWIW, I've been refused test drives in cars because I "wouldn't be able to afford the insurance to buy it", despite appearing in higher grouped cars.
Bet2502 said:
Ita a non franchised dealer
There you have it.Most non-franchised will let you drive the car once then you get to decide.
Perhaps they'll offer a second drive if you come back a week later ready to buy, and just want to make sure nobody has swapped the gearbox in the meantime.
If you want to test drive a car to see if you like that model, go to a main dealers.
If you want a test drive to make sure the specific car isn't broken, then the independent will let you go for a short spin.
Not necessarily. I am 6ft5 and on a 20-30 minute test drive a car can feel amazing, comfy, sporty, exactly what I want!
However get up to about 45-60minutes and I can start to get muscle cramp in my right knee thanks to an injury.
I need a minimum of an hour to test drive a car personally, especially when its north of £20k. This is a decision you don't want to take lightly.
However get up to about 45-60minutes and I can start to get muscle cramp in my right knee thanks to an injury.
I need a minimum of an hour to test drive a car personally, especially when its north of £20k. This is a decision you don't want to take lightly.
Tbh,I would have thought 20/30 minutes driving on various types of road would be ample time to decide if you like a car or not, an hour tops....
Obviously better if they will let you have it for the day, but you do get some timewasters....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg
Obviously better if they will let you have it for the day, but you do get some timewasters....
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pIQ-283wKgg
Not to mention that in 60 minutes you can have the car down a garage and swap a few parts over from a knackered one.
It'd only need to happen once of twice to crunch a dealers profit margin.
(not that I have any idea what parts could be swapped)
The main dealers often have group computer systems to try and stop this by spotting people who play silly buggers or people with shody credit rating.
But the independents might not.
It'd only need to happen once of twice to crunch a dealers profit margin.
(not that I have any idea what parts could be swapped
)The main dealers often have group computer systems to try and stop this by spotting people who play silly buggers or people with shody credit rating.
But the independents might not.
I've once made a mistake buying a car that I was only given a five minute test drive in, so am always really keen to go out for a decent period of time. There's definitely a skill to buying cars that I've got better at over the years, and that's working out in 15 minutes if you're going to spend many thousands of pounds on a car you'll be owning and driving for years to come! I have just once been offered and extended test drive, and that was from a Toyota dealership when buying a secondhand Yaris for my ex. The salesman was absolutely fantastic and one of the best I've dealt with (Toyota Waterlooville if anyone's interested - he was the dealership manager I believe). There really is nothing quite like being in a car on your own or with a partner or friend and concentrating on the car, rather than conversation with an overly keen salesman who stinks of aftershave.
TonyHetherington said:
It's a used car. That's quite important I think.
If you're looking at buying new then you would drive the demo vehicle of the dealer. But an extended drive on a used car - essentially racking up mileage on a depreciating asset for the company I can understand their saying no.
^ This. You're not supposed to test drive used cars to see whether you like them or not, you're just supposed to take them for a run to make sure they have no obvious faults.If you're looking at buying new then you would drive the demo vehicle of the dealer. But an extended drive on a used car - essentially racking up mileage on a depreciating asset for the company I can understand their saying no.
I hate the car sales industry but I'm pretty gobsmacked that a used car dealer would loan a car for a weekend.
[quote=RobM77]I've once made a mistake buying a car that I was only given a five minute test drive in, so am always really keen to go out for a decent period of time. There's definitely a skill to buying cars that I've got better at over the years, and that's working out in 15 minutes if you're going to spend many thousands of pounds on a car you'll be owning and driving for years to come!
Too true.
Too true.
Yes - because a lot of buyers are idiots.
A guy wanted to test drive my car I was selling.
I told him he wasn't insured on my policy.
He said "I'm 3rd party on mine"
I said "ok but if you crash it, you've bought it"
"Why would I buy a crashed car ?" he said
Needless to say he didn't get to drive it.
A guy wanted to test drive my car I was selling.
I told him he wasn't insured on my policy.
He said "I'm 3rd party on mine"
I said "ok but if you crash it, you've bought it"
"Why would I buy a crashed car ?" he said
Needless to say he didn't get to drive it.
The Crack Fox said:
Walk away, there will be a thousand other similar cars, being sold my someone who has the intelligence to spot you're not a timewaster. Plus... if they're this unhelpful at this early/critical part of the sale, how unhelpful will they be if you have any problems with the car.
Plenty more out there.
Would you lend your personal car out on an extended test drive if you were selling it?Plenty more out there.
Why is it any different for an independent dealer not to?
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