Tesla test drive.

[So]

We are off to London soon and want to test drive a Tesla. However I am led to believe that the test drive is only 15 minutes.

We would want to go to the Westfield place.

Does anyone know if it is possible to wangle a longer drive? I cannot think that 15 minutes will allow me to make a decision about the car.

I must stress that at this point I am relying upon research my son has done. So apologies for anything I’ve got wrong above.

Many thanks.

[LukeyP_]

According to the website, it is 15 minutes.

[So]

LukeyP_ said:

According to the website, it is 15 minutes.

That's where my son got it from.

That seems like a really short test drive, especially in London.

[Phooey]

We could go together and race each other around Broad Marsh

https://www.tesla.com/en_GB/event/test-drive-model...

"During your appointment you'll receive a presentation outlining the key features of the car, followed by a 20 minute unaccompanied drive in Model 3 on a predetermined route.."

[Up_North]

I got 45 minutes unaccompanied at Leeds.

[Frimley111R]

It'll vary I'm sure. If you can go in the week salespeople will have very little to do and so you'll get more time.

[Fastlane]

I got 20 minutes accompanied around Cribbs Causeway in Bristol...

[anonymous-user]

They have some flexibility so get chatting. I had someone drive an hour to me so I could try the local roads, but its not something they do routinely.

[Electronicpants]

I got 2 hours unaccompanied in Edinburgh. When I turned up I was asked to show my drivers licence, the guy in the car asked if I wanted one or two hours then handed me the keys to a new 100k performance Model S, just as well I'm a sensible guy!

[Heres Johnny]

Any longer and you run the risk of Tesla disabling a feature while in use

On a slightly more serious note you do have to forget everything you know or expect about dealing with a car company when dealing with a Tesla. That seems to be both good and bad in equal measures

[So]

Heres Johnny said:

Any longer and you run the risk of Tesla disabling a feature while in use

On a slightly more serious note you do have to forget everything you know or expect about dealing with a car company when dealing with a Tesla. That seems to be both good and bad in equal measures

I must say that from what I've heard about them I am not overjoyed at the thought of dealing with them.

[stabilio]

So said:

I must say that from what I've heard about them I am not overjoyed at the thought of dealing with them.

Once you get your head around it, its not so bad and I don't miss dealing with the 'traditional' dealer at all.
Without wanting to taint things, I've had no trouble reaching them by phone and booking a service via the app was both quick and easy and got a loaner without even asking.

[JagDroid Man]

Don't know about Westfield, but I test drove a Model S Performance at Solihull-touchwood last week.
Just fill in the online form and turn up at the specified time. You get an hour unaccompanied which is a decent amount of time to play.

[So]

JagDroid Man said:

Don't know about Westfield, but I test drove a Model S Performance at Solihull-touchwood last week.
Just fill in the online form and turn up at the specified time. You get an hour unaccompanied which is a decent amount of time to play.

We got 20 minutes in a model X with a tyre pressure warning light and a very low pressure in the dodgy tyre. The salesman was pleasant enough, but the car unexceptional. It may have been better with four inflated tyres.

[anonymous-user]

What other cars are on the short list?

[jamoor]

So said:

I must say that from what I've heard about them I am not overjoyed at the thought of dealing with them.

TBF try to book a test drive with tesla then do the same with any other manufacturer and see who causes the most ball ache.

[anonymous-user]

jamoor said:

So said:

I must say that from what I've heard about them I am not overjoyed at the thought of dealing with them.

TBF try to book a test drive with tesla then do the same with any other manufacturer and see who causes the most ball ache.

Until 2 years ago when I got rid of my 530, I’d never had any problem getting a BMW for at least a few hours.

They screwed up last time which is why I ended up with an XF because the Jaguar dealer was quite happy to let me have a couple of decent length tests on my own.

Mercedes have never been a problem. I can go to my local dealer and borrow pretty much anything for a day.

The Kia dealer where we’ve ordered our e-Niro was fine, two shortish accompanied drives then a 24 hour loan.

I wouldn’t buy a car without at least a few hours unaccompanied test but the BMW occasion was the first issue I can recall having.

Actually, I tell a lie! Caterham wouldn’t let me have an unaccompanied test when I bought my R400, though I did get 4 runs around their Midlands test route.

[jamoor]

REALIST123 said:

jamoor said:

So said:

I must say that from what I've heard about them I am not overjoyed at the thought of dealing with them.

TBF try to book a test drive with tesla then do the same with any other manufacturer and see who causes the most ball ache.

Until 2 years ago when I got rid of my 530, I’d never had any problem getting a BMW for at least a few hours.

They screwed up last time which is why I ended up with an XF because the Jaguar dealer was quite happy to let me have a couple of decent length tests on my own.

Mercedes have never been a problem. I can go to my local dealer and borrow pretty much anything for a day.

The Kia dealer where we’ve ordered our e-Niro was fine, two shortish accompanied drives then a 24 hour loan.

I wouldn’t buy a car without at least a few hours unaccompanied test but the BMW occasion was the first issue I can recall having.

Actually, I tell a lie! Caterham wouldn’t let me have an unaccompanied test when I bought my R400, though I did get 4 runs around their Midlands test route.

As I said go on their websites and see which causes the least ball ache. The Tesla one requires zero human interaction

[ColdoRS]

We had 45mins unaccompanied at Bristol in a M3 Performance.

It was quite refreshing not to have the hard sell from a shiny suited salesman when tesT driving a potential new car! Went to see a C63 estate the day before and had to shower when I got home, such was the clingyness of the salesman.

Ordered the Tesla online the following day.

[Flying machine]

ColdoRS said:

We had 45mins unaccompanied at Bristol in a M3 Performance.

It was quite refreshing not to have the hard sell from a shiny suited salesman when tesT driving a potential new car! Went to see a C63 estate the day before and had to shower when I got home, such was the clingyness of the salesman.

Ordered the Tesla online the following day.

I agree with this (and what Jamoor said above), it's a very pleasant change from the usual car dealer experience.

I tried to get a test drive from BMW for a 330e, but just had a couple of wasted trips when the car was "definitely available", only to be told that the customer hadn't returned it. They didn't seem that bothered really and I gave up trying. I liked the Tesla test drive experience, and promptly ordered a M3P. I wonder if BMW thought that there was no chance that I'd buy a 330e after I said I was going to order one or the other at the end of the week, hopefully after test driving both.The interior looks good on the new 3 series though, and certainly better than the Tesla.