Test Pilot Dreamers

[deutscher]

A comment on another thread "I have been looking at TTs for 12 months now and have test driven 5 or so," stirred up memories of previous Porsches I've sold.

In the early days if people asked for a test drive, I usually took them on one, even though I seldom let them drive. However, experience and lots of wasted time sharpens you up.

Sick of people going for test drives and then not buying for no good reason has led me to always ask this question: "If we can agree a price now and she drives OK then we've got a deal, yes?"

If I don't get a clear yes, no test drive.

[DanH]

Spot on. If people want lots of test drives, fancy biscuits and coffee then they ought to consider paying the dealer premium for those services...

[fidgits]

Are you a private seller or dealer?

If the former, I can understand where your coming from, but you may find you will lose potential sales, if your the latter, then very likely to lose sales..


The fact is, most used car buyers WONT buy a car without driving it.

This is for a number of factors:
1. To simply see how it drives. If you've never driven that particular car before, you want to make sure you enjoy the drive.
2. To make sure the car is in working order, and find obvious issues (slipping clutch etc)
3. With cars like Porsches, then depending on the specific car and how its been looked after, it may be different to an identical model.

Now, I test drove, 4 996's before I got to the one I bought (I also test drove 1 boxster S - which was harder to achieve than the 996's tbh!) 2 3.4 C2's, 1 3.4 C4 and a 3.6 C2.

Now I seriously considered each of those cars, and was a real potential buyer. I came very close to buying the first, but since it was the first i looked at, and the lack of traction control put me off (but still on the maybe list). The second the test drive meant I didnt want the car - it just didnt feel the same. The C4 I very, very nearly bought it, but I wanted to look at the facelift first, and i struggled to decide between the two, opting instead to keeping looking for the 'one'.

The one I bought, the owner was very accomodating (even if they did serve me black, unsweetened tea claiming it was coffee ) and did the standard test drive (he drove out somewhere and let me drive back). As with the other drives, i was seriously considering the car before the test drive, and from the 3 points above was happy with the car - but i still went away to think about it for 10 minutes, and THEN negotiated based on what i knew about the car.

In a nutshell, if anyone had tried to force me into a deal BEFORE the testdrive, as you suggest, I would've walked away - simply because there are a lot of factors to consider, and I refuse to be made to make a decsion until I've had a chance to process all the different factors.

[deutscher]

I'm private.

I have no interest in providing test drive services.

Let punters make up their mind on the model they want before driving my car. If other people are prepared to offer pointless test drives, that's up to them.

[fidgits]

deutscher said:

I'm private.

I have no interest in providing test drive services.

Let punters make up their mind on the model they want before driving my car. If other people are prepared to offer pointless test drives, that's up to them.

But my point is - if your car is almost what they want, and they'd be willing to buy it - why would you not let them drive it to find out if everythings kosher?

[DanH]

fidgits said:

deutscher said:

I'm private.

I have no interest in providing test drive services.

Let punters make up their mind on the model they want before driving my car. If other people are prepared to offer pointless test drives, that's up to them.

But my point is - if your car is almost what they want, and they'd be willing to buy it - why would you not let them drive it to find out if everythings kosher?

If they are kosher, and know what they want surely the testdrive is a formality at the end after you've talked money and everything is pending on the car being ok?

Entertaining people deciding which model they want isn't what private sellers should have to do. Especially as having some random person ragging you car isn't exactly fun, nevermind the fact that it won't be insured.

[fidgits]

I understand that - and im not aruging that timewasters/test pilots are a pain in the ass...


I'm simply saying - would you buy a car you havent driven? I know I wouldnt. (new cars obviously omitted, but then if you drove it home and it was a dog im pretty sure you'd take it back).

For many people a test drive can be a deciding factor - as for ragging and insurance etc.. well yes, you have to be careful, but are you honestly saying you've never test drove a car from a private seller that you havent bought?

[deutscher]

DanH said:

Entertaining people deciding which model they want isn't what private sellers should have to do. Especially as having some random person ragging you car isn't exactly fun, nevermind the fact that it won't be insured.

[deutscher]

fidgits said:

- would you buy a car you havent driven?

I'm not asking them to, as I said, my question is: "If she drives OK do we have a deal?"

[loach]

You're probably going to end up with timewasters one way or the other - some may not even know that they're timewasters (they'll be the ones turning up to have a go of your C4 Cab Tip to confirm that it's really a C2 Coupe Manual they're after...or vice versa). A lot of people will feel they deserve a go in your car after making their way out to see you, and the most any of us can do is try to sort the wheat from the chaff as best we can on the telephone or internet before anyone turns up and hackles are raised. It'd be foolish to make hard and fast rules because everyone's different. If someone was adamantly refusing me a test drive (dealer or private) I'd walk away even if I was really keen on the car.

[deutscher]

loach said:

If someone was adamantly refusing me a test drive (dealer or private) I'd walk away even if I was really keen on the car.

Of course!! But that's not what I'm saying. In a private sale the test drive should be the final item on the agenda, not a prelude to "I'll think about it," or "I haven't decided if I prefer the C4 more," etc etc!

Edited by deutscher on Tuesday 26th September 17:27

[presuming_ed]

I recall hearing about one dealer (and I forget which) who asks for small sum of cash for his favorite charity before offering the keys to a potential test drive. This strikes me as a fine idea and one which could be adopted by the private seller. This may strip out some of the real dreamers/test pilots. I have had an inordinate amount of wasted time selling cars privately so might try it next time.

[BRoCceRs]

deutscher said:

A comment on another thread "I have been looking at TTs for 12 months now and have test driven 5 or so," stirred up memories of previous Porsches I've sold.

I'm with you, do a little research, drive a couple tops then buy.

The only thing stopping these people buying is lack of funds imo.

[DucatiGary]

fidgits said:

- would you buy a car you havent driven?

I did

got as far as the passenger seat, and boy did she GOOOO!!!!!!!!

[fidgits]

BRoCceRs said:

deutscher said:

A comment on another thread "I have been looking at TTs for 12 months now and have test driven 5 or so," stirred up memories of previous Porsches I've sold.

I'm with you, do a little research, drive a couple tops then buy.

The only thing stopping these people buying is lack of funds imo.

Thats complete BS...

You must really be skint to think everything comes down to 'what you can afford'... some people just like to be sure before parting with their hard earned cash...

[shadowninja]

deutscher said:

fidgits said:

- would you buy a car you havent driven?

I'm not asking them to, as I said, my question is: "If she drives OK do we have a deal?"

What if the reply was "If it's ok, then I want a Porsche dealer to have a look at it before I make an offer."?

I wouldn't buy such a car without a specialist's report.

Edited by shadowninja on Tuesday 26th September 19:11

[DanH]

shadowninja said:

deutscher said:

fidgits said:

- would you buy a car you havent driven?

I'm not asking them to, as I said, my question is: "If she drives OK do we have a deal?"

What if the reply was "If it's ok, then I want a Porsche dealer to have a look at it before I make an offer."?

I wouldn't buy such a car without a specialist's report.

Edited by shadowninja on Tuesday 26th September 19:11

Thats fine as its at the buyers expense and illustrates commitment. It's not a case of trying to hide anything, and it's important to cover the testdrive issue before anyone travels to see the car. If you do it a the final aspect at the end of the deal, you also benefit from the guy having fully comp insurance in place (which he has 14 days to cancel if the deal doesn't go through).

You can see why dealers add value at this level though. It's a nightmare!

[shadowninja]

yeah, to balance things, as seller, I would expect the potential buyer to be asking loads of questions and looking round the car for about an hour before even mentioning a test drive.

[fidgits]

shadowninja said:

yeah, to balance things, as seller, I would expect the potential buyer to be asking loads of questions and looking round the car for about an hour before even mentioning a test drive.

Yeah, i agree with it from that perspective. If they just turned up and asked for a drive you'd tell them where to go - but if they are a genuine buyer its a different story..

[c2look]

presuming_ed said:

I recall hearing about one dealer (and I forget which) who asks for small sum of cash for his favorite charity before offering the keys to a potential test drive.

Portiacraft?