Extended Test Drives
Discussion
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I think there's something to this. Getting the new car on the drive is a real motivator, in advance of the fact. Once you get it on the drive and realise you haven't become James Bond after all, a bit of the spell is broken. If that happens before you've bought it, then no sale.
I just asked something similar after a 20 min test of the Golf R which told me nothing other than VW quality isn't all the media would lead you to believe, nice build but cheap plastics, certainly a step down from our BMW 1-Series.
In the past I had an Evora for an afternoon (I knew the dealer well though) and a MINI Cooper S for a day which was great. I took it to work and the shops and parked it on my drive and it really helped me make a decision on it.
In the past I had an Evora for an afternoon (I knew the dealer well though) and a MINI Cooper S for a day which was great. I took it to work and the shops and parked it on my drive and it really helped me make a decision on it.
anonymous said:
[redacted]
I tend to agree with that. Once you have a car for a week or more, you find all the down-sides you never thought of (turning circle, parkability, etc.). The more you pay for a car the more disappointing it is. This month's Which? Magazine highlights the higher priced cars have more 'faults'. In essence, I think this is the higher expectations that a high cost car brings.Bebee said:
What it looks like inside when dark, how it lights up.
If it calls to you while watching TV, you can't stop think about driving it.
If your back aches.
If your ears are humming.
How it looks in the dusk light.
If you get up early to take it for a ride.
If you haven't been home in ages, wife is calling to see where you are.
Two hours is not long enough to get fully acquainted with a car, a weekend is pushing it, a week is acceptable, it is after all a big purchase that has to be the right purchase and might be long term.
I'd suggest that more cars are sold on the basis of long extended test drives.
So please, pretty please, with sugar on top, give us the f
king car for a week! (££££££)
You're joking, right?If it calls to you while watching TV, you can't stop think about driving it.
If your back aches.
If your ears are humming.
How it looks in the dusk light.
If you get up early to take it for a ride.
If you haven't been home in ages, wife is calling to see where you are.
Two hours is not long enough to get fully acquainted with a car, a weekend is pushing it, a week is acceptable, it is after all a big purchase that has to be the right purchase and might be long term.
I'd suggest that more cars are sold on the basis of long extended test drives.
So please, pretty please, with sugar on top, give us the f
king car for a week! (££££££)Frimley111R said:
I just asked something similar after a 20 min test of the Golf R which told me nothing other than VW quality isn't all the media would lead you to believe, nice build but cheap plastics, certainly a step down from our BMW 1-Series.
.
Really? I've just gone the other way, had a 1 series and was really disappointed with the build quality, particularly the interior plastics which you only had to look at for a permanent ugly scratch to appear. Swoped it for a new Golf Gtd which is far superior in my opinion..
My last car purchase was about 18 months ago, and it was a 2009 Jaguar X-Type. So it was used. 82k used. It wasn't expensive (well under 7k). I rocked up in a clapped out, almost deceased, 02 Saab 9-5, and was offered the Jaguar from the Saturday morning until the Monday.
This was a medium sized independent dealership, with a range of dearer, and much cheaper cars on the lot.
No pressure, and I bought the car.
This was a medium sized independent dealership, with a range of dearer, and much cheaper cars on the lot.
No pressure, and I bought the car.
cmvtec said:
My last car purchase was about 18 months ago, and it was a 2009 Jaguar X-Type. So it was used. 82k used. It wasn't expensive (well under 7k). I rocked up in a clapped out, almost deceased, 02 Saab 9-5, and was offered the Jaguar from the Saturday morning until the Monday.
This was a medium sized independent dealership, with a range of dearer, and much cheaper cars on the lot.
No pressure, and I bought the car.
BullsThis was a medium sized independent dealership, with a range of dearer, and much cheaper cars on the lot.
No pressure, and I bought the car.
t!To have an unaccompanied test drive in a used car would suggest it was taxed and therefore registered in the name of the trader which I find highly unusual.
In all my years in the motor trade, working for several brands, only 1 company has offered unaccompanied test drives. And not one have I ever worked with someone who has chucked the keys to a random without qualification or knowing who the hell they are and said 'knock yourself out tiger, bringing back when the tanks try and the tyres are bald'....
In all my years in the motor trade, working for several brands, only 1 company has offered unaccompanied test drives. And not one have I ever worked with someone who has chucked the keys to a random without qualification or knowing who the hell they are and said 'knock yourself out tiger, bringing back when the tanks try and the tyres are bald'....
Fast Bug said:
In all my years in the motor trade, working for several brands, only 1 company has offered unaccompanied test drives. And not one have I ever worked with someone who has chucked the keys to a random without qualification or knowing who the hell they are and said 'knock yourself out tiger, bringing back when the tanks try and the tyres are bald'....
I have been 20 years in the motor trade, worked for Suzuki cars, VW, MINI, Vauxhall and Renault, all of them it has been company policy not to offer unaccompanied test drives, currently where I work I have been there 13 years, we have bent the rules and offered an unaccompanied test drive but only very rarely and only after alot of qualification and number crunching, you are talking maybe 2 or 3 a year across all salesmen and we are very strict about timings, ie a morning or an afternoon only, however I don't think any have resulted in a sale; of two recent ones, one bought the same model elsewhere as it was £10pm less and the other decided that in fact he couldn't afford it after all!It always makes me chuckle when these threads appear and you get the bulls
tters who claim they just randomly turned up one afternoon and were "chucked the keys" to the sportiest model for sale and were told "don't come back until you've used up all the fuel", it doesn't happen. It does happen although not very often. I was given keys to a 911 turbo for a 30 min unaccompanied drive. only warning- you bend it you've bought it. Admittedly 15 years ago so may not happen now and was an independent. i did not buy that one.
Also had an M3 evo given to me when my car was in for service (328i) the salesman saw me looking at the M3 in the show room. gave me the keys crunched some numbers whllst i was out for the afternoon. Sale made when i returned in the evening!! They did know me though having bought 2 previous cars from them including the 328i. The main issue i find now is the salesperson turnover is significant so its difficult to build that on going relationship.
Also had an M3 evo given to me when my car was in for service (328i) the salesman saw me looking at the M3 in the show room. gave me the keys crunched some numbers whllst i was out for the afternoon. Sale made when i returned in the evening!! They did know me though having bought 2 previous cars from them including the 328i. The main issue i find now is the salesperson turnover is significant so its difficult to build that on going relationship.
Most dealers won't give you extended test drives of their performance models
Theft of the car
Using it to change bits with an inferior model is common
And sheer damage
BMW will happily loan me a 430d gran coupe for a few hours but will not loan me a M2 as a recent customer did over 15k worth of damage to one they had a extended test drive on
The golf r is highly nickable not many dealers will let any man off the street come in and take one for 24hrs on their insurance especially
Theft of the car
Using it to change bits with an inferior model is common
And sheer damage
BMW will happily loan me a 430d gran coupe for a few hours but will not loan me a M2 as a recent customer did over 15k worth of damage to one they had a extended test drive on
The golf r is highly nickable not many dealers will let any man off the street come in and take one for 24hrs on their insurance especially
Fast Bug said:
In all my years in the motor trade, working for several brands, only 1 company has offered unaccompanied test drives. And not one have I ever worked with someone who has chucked the keys to a random without qualification or knowing who the hell they are and said 'knock yourself out tiger, bringing back when the tanks try and the tyres are bald'....
I can think of at least 6 different dealers we have used that have let us have the car unaccompanied, some just for 20 mins, some for a few hours and some for a few days. Bought 6 cars between 3 of them on the back of that so not total timewasters either.Its the accompanied test drives that usually put me off a car as I will drive them like I'm driving the Queen around as I feel I'm being judged so I never find out if the car is fun or involving in any way, and its generally on tedious short routes where you get no impression either.
Much more likely to get a sale out of me if I can feel free in the car to explore it and find and experience its plus points / drive it like it were my own.
Just opening up and interesting old post again on the subject of extended drives. It's something I've found frustrating for a while and more recently when purchasing my Golf R, the dealer literally gave me a 5 minute test drive. I did end up buying the car but only because I'm a petrol head (like most people on Piston Heads) and knew that was what I wanted. I guess if you weren't into cars, then it might be entirely different choosing a new car and wondering how it would fit into your everyday life.
I've read through all 13 pages of this post and there's a lot of differing opinions. I'm interested to know however, if a dealer offered you a test drive of up to say 7 days which you had to pay a fee for (plus fuel used) but that fee was reimbursable if you then went onto purchase the car, is that something people would be interested in?
Cheers
I've read through all 13 pages of this post and there's a lot of differing opinions. I'm interested to know however, if a dealer offered you a test drive of up to say 7 days which you had to pay a fee for (plus fuel used) but that fee was reimbursable if you then went onto purchase the car, is that something people would be interested in?
Cheers
Wax and hide said:
Just opening up and interesting old post again on the subject of extended drives. It's something I've found frustrating for a while and more recently when purchasing my Golf R, the dealer literally gave me a 5 minute test drive. I did end up buying the car but only because I'm a petrol head (like most people on Piston Heads) and knew that was what I wanted. I guess if you weren't into cars, then it might be entirely different choosing a new car and wondering how it would fit into your everyday life.
I've read through all 13 pages of this post and there's a lot of differing opinions. I'm interested to know however, if a dealer offered you a test drive of up to say 7 days which you had to pay a fee for (plus fuel used) but that fee was reimbursable if you then went onto purchase the car, is that something people would be interested in?
Cheers
I'm a car salesman and despite almost every company policy I've offered an unaccompanied test drive to probably around 50% of my customers. It's usually because I can't stand the thought of 20 minutes cooped up in a car with them.I've read through all 13 pages of this post and there's a lot of differing opinions. I'm interested to know however, if a dealer offered you a test drive of up to say 7 days which you had to pay a fee for (plus fuel used) but that fee was reimbursable if you then went onto purchase the car, is that something people would be interested in?
Cheers
Sadly most non PH types decline. Often because they want someone there to hold their hand in case they can't find the indicators, or to make sure they don't get lost. Most don't need to wonder how it will fit into their lives, they know it will do so just the same as the similar car they have been driving for the last 3 years. But if we can go past some shop windows, please, just to see how I look when I'm driving it...
The extended / unaccompanied test drive works best when it's the last piece in the jigsaw, when there's an understanding that if the experience lives up to expectations then there is an order there for the loaning dealer at the figures agreed.
Some may be surprised to learn that dealers have genuinely valued customers. Those who return for a second. third or fourth car, who will give you the last bite at the cherry, those who will pay a little bit more to deal with you than with the cheapest internet dealer, who have a personality for god's sake. Those are the people to whom you will happily chuck a set of keys for the sports model on a Saturday afternoon. They wn't be the ones who complain that service haven't put their valve caps on straight or that theres a dealer 300 miles away on Carwow who is offering the car £250 cheaper.
The motives of those who ask / crave/ demand to have the car on their own can often be spotted quite easily. Some have read about "the steering feel in the first third of the turn in on fast sweeping A-road curves" or " secondary low-speed ride characteristics on poorly maintained urban blacktop" and are desperate to discover what the f*ck that means in their own private time and no doubt return the car none the wiser.
Some others are bolder / more objectionable and will assume a sense of entitlement "I've own a <Competitor Model> and I'm considering trading down to your make. I'll need to try a car for <x multiples of 24 hours> to see if you are deemed worthy of my patronage"
Truth be known, the main benefit to an extended, unaccompanied test drive is to see how you feel when the car is parked outside your house / office. When you walk back to the car in the car park and think "yeah that could be mine" . When you neighbour asks "New car is it?" and you reply "No I've just got it on demo for a few days ( They value me that much, no spin round the block for me )" "Yeah they begged me to try it and let them know what I think of it."
And yet, be honest, you laughed at the bloke who wanted to see what he looked like in the shop window reflection didn't you.
Edited by Wooda80 on Tuesday 22 October 23:54
Wax and hide said:
Just opening up and interesting old post again on the subject of extended drives. It's something I've found frustrating for a while and more recently when purchasing my Golf R, the dealer literally gave me a 5 minute test drive. I did end up buying the car but only because I'm a petrol head (like most people on Piston Heads) and knew that was what I wanted. I guess if you weren't into cars, then it might be entirely different choosing a new car and wondering how it would fit into your everyday life.
I've read through all 13 pages of this post and there's a lot of differing opinions. I'm interested to know however, if a dealer offered you a test drive of up to say 7 days which you had to pay a fee for (plus fuel used) but that fee was reimbursable if you then went onto purchase the car, is that something people would be interested in?
Cheers
To be fair whoever sold you the Golf R had the measure of you because you bought the car anyway? What was the point of the test drive at all?I've read through all 13 pages of this post and there's a lot of differing opinions. I'm interested to know however, if a dealer offered you a test drive of up to say 7 days which you had to pay a fee for (plus fuel used) but that fee was reimbursable if you then went onto purchase the car, is that something people would be interested in?
Cheers
I tend to think on the whole car salespeople, like anyone who does a job day in day out, develops a sixth sense about who is actually a potential customer and who just wants to drive a car they maybe can’t afford.
I think you're probably right although that in itself was a pain as they wouldn't let me test the car I actually wanted to buy as it was blocked in by one other car so I had to drive another one. When I got back from that, they asked if I was going to buy it to which I replied "would you buy a house you hadn't been inside". So, had to get the actual car out and take that for a test drive... complete waste of everyone's time.
Not all, but on the whole... car dealers are absolutely sh*t (up there with estate/recruitment agents) and need to up their game.
Personally, I think extended test drives are going to become more of a necessity especially as electric cars become more prevalent as they're a whole new game!
Not all, but on the whole... car dealers are absolutely sh*t (up there with estate/recruitment agents) and need to up their game.
Personally, I think extended test drives are going to become more of a necessity especially as electric cars become more prevalent as they're a whole new game!
Just to bump the thread :-)
I've just booked an extended Test Drive on a Volvo S60, never done an extended test drive before, I'm maybe looking at a Volvo when my current lease comes out.
You can have the car for 4 days, no mileage limit, they drop the car off to you and pick it up, you have to give them a credit card with pre approved £500 on it incase of any 'mishaps'.
Seems like a really good service from Volvo.
I've just booked an extended Test Drive on a Volvo S60, never done an extended test drive before, I'm maybe looking at a Volvo when my current lease comes out.
You can have the car for 4 days, no mileage limit, they drop the car off to you and pick it up, you have to give them a credit card with pre approved £500 on it incase of any 'mishaps'.
Seems like a really good service from Volvo.
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