Selling a car privately, Let them test drive or not?

[davido140]

Typically I wont ask for a testdrive if I'm buying privately, instead I'll get the owner to take me on an extended drive. Simply because I'm not insured.

I'm 90% certain I'm going to be selling my TVR soon and I'm really not sure what to do abot potential buyers asking for a drive.

I dont really wont to be giving joy rides to tyre kickers, but at the same time I dont want to annoy a potential buyer.

Any suggestions?

Cheers.

[Chris71]

Definitely let serious buyers test drive. I'd never buy a car without driving it and preferably reasonably enthusiastically.

[Number 5]

How strange.

[richyb]

Most people wouldn't buy a car without a test drive IMHO. I certainly wouldn't. You could ask them to get day insurance or similar to protect yourself.

[davido140]

Chris71 said:

Definitely let serious buyers test drive. I'd never buy a car without driving it and preferably reasonably enthusiastically.

What if it's your P&J and they dont have insurance?

Take it on the chin if they stuff it up?

Number 5 said:

How strange.

Dont want to get collared for driving without insurance! Not that strange really..

[Jonny671]

Maybe take some money from them before the drive, if they get funny about the money it'll show their not serious about it.

Could go for a drive with them too, and have a mate follow incase of these stories you hear.

[Steve748]

If they have f/c insurance they will be covered t/p on a car they don't own, just don't let them near the keys and don't get out leaving them in control of the car

[davido140]

Steve748 said:

If they have f/c insurance they will be covered t/p on a car they don't own, just don't let them near the keys and don't get out leaving them in control of the car

Thats actually less common that I'd been led to believe, my policy certainly doesnt allow me to drive anything other than my own cars.

Seems there is no real soution other than "let them drive it"

My worry isnt so much them pinching it, I'll be going along after all. Its more them crashing it! t/p doesnt help much in that situation!

[Super Bad]

davido140 said:

Typically I wont ask for a testdrive if I'm buying privately, instead I'll get the owner to take me on an extended drive. Simply because I'm not insured.

I'm 90% certain I'm going to be selling my TVR soon and I'm really not sure what to do abot potential buyers asking for a drive.

I dont really wont to be giving joy rides to tyre kickers, but at the same time I dont want to annoy a potential buyer.

Any suggestions?

Cheers.

Ask the buyer to Insure themselves temporarily, e.g http://www.dayinsure.com

[T_Pot]

I very much doubt you will sell it without allowing a test drive, BUT put in your ad, drives ONLY to be allowed, upon insurance details being shown and the full asking price as a deposit

if they are serious, they will be happy to oblige and will appreciate your care and concern for the car

[davido140]

T_Pot said:

I very much doubt you will sell it without allowing a test drive, BUT put in your ad, drives ONLY to be allowed, upon insurance details being shown and the full asking price as a deposit

if they are serious, they will be happy to oblige and will appreciate your care and concern for the car

That makes sense, it must be a nightmare selling an expensive car! I'm only after £10750, what would it be like letting people loose in a 50k car!!

[LeeThePeople]

Its only cheap for a days insurance, an honest buyer wont mind paying it if he is serious about purchase. Id never buy a car without driving it and would be put off any seller not letting me drive it too.

[T_Pot]

Never been fortunate enough to purchase a 50k car sadly

[Jasandjules]

I won't buy a car without a test drive, how the hell else do you check it steers and brakes ok? If someone knows it pulls to the left when under braking, then they will counter it... Something you might not find out about until it's too late.

As above, if they are serious they can get insured for the day? Just make sure they know before they arrive - I drove for three hours to view a car once only to be told that he wouldn't let me test drive it, even if I was insured.

I actually offered a fellow a test drive in my first Chimaera and he refused because he was worried about crashing it... He didn't buy the car !

[Chris71]

davido140 said:

Chris71 said:

Definitely let serious buyers test drive. I'd never buy a car without driving it and preferably reasonably enthusiastically.

What if it's your P&J and they dont have insurance?

Take it on the chin if they stuff it up?

No.

Get them to provide evidence of temporary cover or get them to pay for you to add them temporarily on your insurance.

Anyone who's sold cars will empathise with your concerns, but I can't immagine any serious drivers buying a car without driving it first.

That doesn't mean doing doughnuts in Tesco's car park or ragging it from cold but there are some things you can only appreciate from the driver's seat.

[paoloh]

Remember this too. If you let someone drive your car knowing they have no insurance, you will be prosecuted too and have 6 points and a fine.

[davido140]

paoloh said:

Remember this too. If you let someone drive your car knowing they have no insurance, you will be prosecuted too and have 6 points and a fine.

crikey,

Dayinsure.com it is then!

Thanks for the help chaps, I really havent got involved in selling cars privately in the past, typically always traded it in or sold to someone I knew.

[zcacogp]

T_Pot said:

I very much doubt you will sell it without allowing a test drive, BUT put in your ad, drives ONLY to be allowed, upon insurance details being shown and the full asking price as a deposit

if they are serious, they will be happy to oblige and will appreciate your care and concern for the car

Spot on.

When someone comes to look at the car, you will pretty quickly work out whether they are serious or not. Are they asking the right questions? Have they had a GOOD look at the car before asking to go for a drive? Do they look like they could afford it?

Some scruffy kid who turns up with a load of his mates, asking to drive the car that is for sale, should be given some polite excuse.


Oli.

[David911RSR]

I sold a year old RS4 privately last year for 41K, and my wifes 5 year old Golf TD GTi for 7.5K the year before that. I had a few tyre kickers who all wanted a test drive, my answer "great, so you want to buy the car, I'm happy with a 500 quid deposit". Everyone of them came up with an excuse about wanting to look at another car first, needed to speak to the wife and so on.

Both buyers completely understood that I could not let them drive my cars without agreeing to buy them first and providing their own fully comp insurance.

The guy who brought my RS4 didn't insist on a test drive, he was more than happy for me to drive the car.

The Golf buyer asked to drive the car round a car park to check the steering, brakes etc. He was a senior mechanic for one of the WRC teams.

[paintman]

ETA I fully agree with the post above.

Test drive?
Yes. If they produce full driving licence, FC cover AND the asking price as a deposit. Otherwise you do a demonstration drive. If they don't like it then tough.
You are going to be pestered to death by idiots wanting to have a drive who have no intention of buying it. Happens time & again.
And if they turn out not to have a licence/insurance you can get done too.

Be aware of the scam where his mates in the car behind bump you & when you get out to look the thief swaps seats & they all drive off.

Edited by paintman on Friday 20th February 19:07