Extended Test Drives
Discussion
stanglish said:
And I'm sure if you had a similar relationship with a high-end car dealer who had some history with you purchasing their high-end products they would happily lend you a high-end car for an extended drive.
... But you don't - you simply walked into a VW dealer enquiring about a high-volume car with a slight reputation for not having the most responsible drivers. To continue the analogy, haven't visited your high-end hi-fi dealer, you have visited Currys and asked for an old-school ghetto blaster to borrow.
2 hours seems pretty reasonable and that is a view shared by most people it seems. If you don't like it then surely the logical option is to go back and just speak to the dealer principal?
I think you'll find VW regard themselves as premium, I think you'll find that although the R is unlimited production it most certainly isn't high volume (subjective), you'll also find that I didn't ask for advice on how to handle the VW dealer, i merely asked if any manufacturers were known to offer extended test drives. IF i decide to pursue an R of course i will visit the dealer, its virtually next door to where I work, which is a long way from home, another reason i don't want a two hour test on a busy saturday. Thanks ... But you don't - you simply walked into a VW dealer enquiring about a high-volume car with a slight reputation for not having the most responsible drivers. To continue the analogy, haven't visited your high-end hi-fi dealer, you have visited Currys and asked for an old-school ghetto blaster to borrow.
2 hours seems pretty reasonable and that is a view shared by most people it seems. If you don't like it then surely the logical option is to go back and just speak to the dealer principal?
oldnbold said:
Op your anger is stopping you looking at this from the dealers point of view. VW are a volume seller, many of their customers are happy with a quick 10 mins around the block before making a decision. They probably only have 1 Golf R on demo but you want them to let you have it for 2 days on the basis of just a phone call.
It's very difficult for any salesman to qualify you over the phone. If you invested some time in a visit to the dealer, showed your genuine interest, talked through the purchase options, had your BMW appraised as a trade in, took the 2 hour test, and built a relationship they might then stretch their policy to allow you to have it for several hours. And of course Golf R's have been extremely cheap as lease deals recently, I wonder how many Golf R test drives they've done only to have the customer go and lease the car elsewhere.
Unfortunately despite the cost this isn't a high end product like your hi fi, a large dealer will be punting out well over 100 unit's per month, if you don't buy someone else will. I had a 12 week wait when I got my golf last year. In fact in the weekend you're having your extended test they might well lose 3 or 4 other sales because the car is unavailable for normal test drives.
I don't have any anger for the dealer, or much else, i have some scorn for some idiots on a forum but that's to be expected, if you swim with the bottom feeders you often encounter some turds.It's very difficult for any salesman to qualify you over the phone. If you invested some time in a visit to the dealer, showed your genuine interest, talked through the purchase options, had your BMW appraised as a trade in, took the 2 hour test, and built a relationship they might then stretch their policy to allow you to have it for several hours. And of course Golf R's have been extremely cheap as lease deals recently, I wonder how many Golf R test drives they've done only to have the customer go and lease the car elsewhere.
Unfortunately despite the cost this isn't a high end product like your hi fi, a large dealer will be punting out well over 100 unit's per month, if you don't buy someone else will. I had a 12 week wait when I got my golf last year. In fact in the weekend you're having your extended test they might well lose 3 or 4 other sales because the car is unavailable for normal test drives.
Edited by oldnbold on Thursday 13th July 17:34
Your suggested course of action would be pretty much my action if i decide to pursue it. The post was just asking about other manufacturers who are known to offer extended test drives. Cheers
Ari said:
He didn't even do that, he phoned them up and tried to order his free £30K hire car...
I actually do get the need for an extended drive. I love my car and have had it for over five years but as I'm getting old and fat I'm starting to get back ache after an hour in it which is a pain in all senses of the word. So I may have to think about changing it and I'd like to drive a potential replacement for two or three hours to make absolutely sure I don't run into the same issue, which would make it pointless.
But I certainly wouldn't expect to just call a dealer I'd never even met and have a car put at my disposal for two days!
There seems to be a fairly large assumption here that I don't know the dealer.....I bought my wife's car there and the business I work for has about 30 cars from there.......I actually do get the need for an extended drive. I love my car and have had it for over five years but as I'm getting old and fat I'm starting to get back ache after an hour in it which is a pain in all senses of the word. So I may have to think about changing it and I'd like to drive a potential replacement for two or three hours to make absolutely sure I don't run into the same issue, which would make it pointless.
But I certainly wouldn't expect to just call a dealer I'd never even met and have a car put at my disposal for two days!
48k said:
Why not actually go in to the dealer and meet face to face and take the offer of a 2 hour test drive ? It will give you a good idea (some would say a very good idea) if the car is for you or not. If you still (seriously) can't decide if it's dull or not having driven it for two hours you have at least started to establish a relationship with the dealer which might put you in a position to negotiate an extended test drive if the dealer can qualify you as a genuinely serious buyer.
Trying to arrange it over the phone is naive in the extreme IMO.
I think iv'e said a number of times now that would be exactly what i'd do......my OP wasn't asking what I should do, it was asking if any other manufacturers offered extended tests........Trying to arrange it over the phone is naive in the extreme IMO.
48k said:
M-SportMatt said:
my OP wasn't asking what I should do, it was asking if any other manufacturers offered extended tests........
This chap seems to know the answer to your question:M-SportMatt said:
Thing is, some car dealers DO offer extended test drives,
unrepentant said:
I went into Tesco yesterday and selected a tin of their finest Spam. I took it to the till and told the lady that I was interested in the Spam but my Uncle George has a dicky tummy (a sad legacy of his time in a Japanese prisoner of war camp) and I needed to be sure it didn't give him the raging trots before I committed to it. I therefore planned to borrow it for a couple of days and would bring it back (in some form) when I had established that fact. Imagine my horror when she not only refused but called security! That's the last Tesco will see of my business.
Some manufacturers do offer extended test drives whereas spam retailers don't.
Unless they let you substitute it for your brain for an hour whilst you post drivel on the internet.....
ETA
Enough!
Edited by Big Al. on Thursday 13th July 19:57
tighnamara said:
Your question on dealers who provide extended test drive is fine and there are / will be dealers out there who will accommodate.
But, I would quit while you are ahead, your coming across as a bit of a t
t with your replies and status in life.
Couldn't care less to be honest, I've thanked anyone that's said anything useful as far as I can see, most have come on to have a pop and ignored the actual question so are treated with the contempt that deserves, I haven't mentioned my status because I'm not sure what you mean, I'm a person just like you. But, I would quit while you are ahead, your coming across as a bit of a t
t with your replies and status in life. tighnamara said:
Read back your posts in a few days when you have calmed down, high end this high end that.
You have came across a lot worse than those who were dissing your extended test drive request.
Are you saying I shouldn't have mentioned the audio equipment? It wasn't me who bought that up, I merely pointed out that it's fairly normal practice after a member suggested it was lunacy to want to test other white goods.....You have came across a lot worse than those who were dissing your extended test drive request.
What possible reflection is it on me that I've bought and used decent hi-fi equivalent, I certainly have not boasted about anything, I'm fairly sure there's plenty on this thread who have more expensive kit than I do....
tighnamara said:
Slightly confused, you have a dealer next door to your work yet you decide to make a telephone call asking for an extended test drive. Why would you not have popped in at lunch time, explained you work next door, mentioned the 30 cars that is taken by your employer then progressed onto the possibility of test drive over a weekend.
You also mention above if you decide to pursue a R you would of course visit the dealer so are you or are you are not yet at a stage where you actually want to pursue the purchase of the R.
I would say stop worrying about posts on here get yourself into the dealer get talking and chances are you may get that extended test drive.
Yep I will pop round when I can spare the time, was just a call to find out really. Next door it maybe but I don't really get chance to take much lunch and I'm in early leaving late. I'm not worried about any of the posts on here lol, was wondering if any other manufacturers did the extended tests that's all. Cheers You also mention above if you decide to pursue a R you would of course visit the dealer so are you or are you are not yet at a stage where you actually want to pursue the purchase of the R.
I would say stop worrying about posts on here get yourself into the dealer get talking and chances are you may get that extended test drive.
Insert Coin said:
This thread has all the classic traits of a Vlad thread, didn't you have a junior supercar for a while and a VW California that you paid for in cash?
Coincidentally Vlad was also called Matt.
Sadly not, although I do like the name VladCoincidentally Vlad was also called Matt.
Other cars include an Escos 400/400 Harvey Gibbs Engine , Shawspeed prepared kit car and an XR2 hill climber.
No junior supercars there......lol
egomeister said:
Ignoring the fact that apples are being compared to oranges, it's funny how some people seem to think because housebuilders don't let you stay for a couple of days that cars should be reduced to this also. My first thoughts were how could housebuilders offer an equivalent of an extended test drive, and what other techniques could be employed to make the pre-sale experience more comprehensive...
I know Matt hasn't expressed the same willingness to rent a car to test that I have (ideally for me, you'd be able to rent from the dealer then perhaps get that value rebated from the purchase if you go ahead), but it seems others would be willing to do this too - coincidentally on the same car I am considering: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It's also amusing that in the last 24 hours I have also seen the thread "what's the shortest you've owned a car" which features some of the same people as this thread: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It seems not getting on with a car you've just bought isn't exactly uncommon, so perhaps there is some merit in this extended test drive thing...
I'd happily pay a fee to the dealer that was rebateable on purchase, perhaps that will come up when I actually go see them. There's definitely merit in the extended test drive because it happens! I'd say some of the posters are in their early/mid twenties and/or someone that's never walked into a dealer and bought a brand new £30-40k car with their own hard earned.......no matter what your means are, its a lot of money to spend.I know Matt hasn't expressed the same willingness to rent a car to test that I have (ideally for me, you'd be able to rent from the dealer then perhaps get that value rebated from the purchase if you go ahead), but it seems others would be willing to do this too - coincidentally on the same car I am considering: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It's also amusing that in the last 24 hours I have also seen the thread "what's the shortest you've owned a car" which features some of the same people as this thread: https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&...
It seems not getting on with a car you've just bought isn't exactly uncommon, so perhaps there is some merit in this extended test drive thing...
Also worth noting is that if its possible to get to know every foible of a car in 1-2 hours why are there press demonstrators and long term tests in all the car mags.............
limpsfield said:
I am McLaren. I give evo and PH a car for 6 months. Do you think I am doing that to give them a long term test drive or, alternatively, because they will write about it every month and give me PR and advertising?
What about Skoda giving them an Octavia or Ford lending Autocar a boggo Focus?Yes its advertising, but the journo's always manage to find new stuff to write about for months and months...or are you stating that yes 2 hours is all it takes to know everything about a car? In which case we disagree
SpeckledJim said:
They aren't giving the cars to magazines for 6 months to find out if it gives a journalist a bad back, or makes their nanna nauseous.
It's to get column inches. Surely that's no surprise?
So whats in it for the magazine then.....bit pointless if there's nothing to write about after the first two hours.......It's to get column inches. Surely that's no surprise?
Buster73 said:
Every excuse not to go in next door and discuss it face to face .
Surely the actions of someone who isn't serious about buying , or worse maybe he's already been qualified as a tyre kicker and knows he'll get knocked back .
Another helpful comment, thanks for your input. Surely the actions of someone who isn't serious about buying , or worse maybe he's already been qualified as a tyre kicker and knows he'll get knocked back .
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