Aventador test drives unavailable?

[sealtt]

AMDB9 said:

You were very quick to jump to an assumption there. Why not reverse your thinking and think that someone who is willing to splash his inheritance on a Lamborghini for over £300k does not need the money for anything else and already has enough for other things that one may do with £300k? Personally I'd be adding this money to build upon my portfolio of buy to lets but it's his money so guess he can do as he feels but I disagree with your assumption above.

You said that he is "nuts" for thinking about blowing his inheritance in such a way, which would suggest it is not a financially prudent move for him to make. If he is already set up with his mortgage free 2m quid house, a healthy 200k annual income from IG bonds and maybe a bit stashed away somewhere just in case things turn sour with the Mrs, then spending his relatively small inheritance on an Aventador is hardly 'nuts', is it

In any case, I have no experience with Lamborghini - however Ferrari have been more than accommodating, they even took me out to Italy for a new model launch and over to Millbrook for a new model test day before I had even bought a car from them. If that happened to me (the situation you described), I'd be seriously annoyed and would call the dealership to complain to the manager --- if I was a serious buyer that is...

[br d]

BlackCup said:

I knew someone that worked at Lambo and they said they look up your address to see your house and it's value to eliminate time wasters, also checking out the watch is a classic way of sussing out a genuine client.

Sorry mate, that is utter bks.

I've never worn a watch in my life and I've pulled up at dealers completely cold and been offered test drives in all sorts of exotica, including Lambo.

Only time I've ever encountered a snotty 'look you up and down' attitude was from a flash young wker at a BMW dealer who told me "You're joking mate, M3's sell themselves" when I asked for a bit of room on a cash purchase for a new car. I went to another dealer the next town over and got £1800 off exactly the same car!

Edited by br d on Thursday 22 October 16:51

[LG04]

Transit van with ladders on,

Get yerself a fake Franck muller off eBay and your in!

Most dealers are stupid

[sone]

I bought an Aventador without test driving it. It drove exactly how I thought it would which was quite lumpy in traffic with an almost agricultural gearbox at low speeds. Still loved it tho, great once it's wound up and on another level as a spectacle.
Sit in it look at it you don't need to drive it!
If you want a Lambo to drive get a Huracan as quick as an Aventador and almost practical, in the real world a better car in every way. And you'll get a test drive(-:.

[AMDB9]

sealtt said:

AMDB9 said:

You said that he is "nuts" for thinking about blowing his inheritance in such a way, which would suggest it is not a financially prudent move for him to make. If he is already set up with his mortgage free 2m quid house, a healthy 200k annual income from IG bonds and maybe a bit stashed away somewhere just in case things turn sour with the Mrs, then spending his relatively small inheritance on an Aventador is hardly 'nuts', is it

You are jumping to conclusions again buddy. They were my personal views i.e I thought he was "nutts" as I would have done something else if I ran in to half a million quid but he obviously does not need the money for anything else so is looking to buy a very nice car :-)

[TISPKJ]

TomBapps28 said:

I think with the Aventador Roadster that's at Pangbourne is that it is on Sale or Return basis so it is owned by someone hence the reason it cannot be driven.

This is the exact reason.

I did think it a little strange as Craig & Co normally very good.
perhaps they did not explain that bit very well or maybe your friend missed or didnt understand what the SOR bit was all about.

[CRA1G]

I might be the odd one here... but I have never wanted to test drive a new car before purchase... Once I have decided on a model I read up on it then just order it and then look forward to picking it up... I was offered a F360 for the day when they first came out and said no... The i8 for the weekend and declined... I just waited until I owned them with out having to hand them back... It's like dick teasing to me...

[sone]

CRA1G said:

I might be the odd one here... but I have never wanted to test drive a new car before purchase... Once I have decided on a model I read up on it then just order it and then look forward to picking it up... I was offered a F360 for the day when they first came out and said no... The i8 for the weekend and declined... I just waited until I owned them with out having to hand them back... It's like dick teasing to me...

+1
Perhaps apart from the last bit(-:
It takes a while to get to know a car for me, a dash up and down a local dual carriage way tells you nothing!

[patmahe]

sone said:

CRA1G said:

I might be the odd one here... but I have never wanted to test drive a new car before purchase... Once I have decided on a model I read up on it then just order it and then look forward to picking it up... I was offered a F360 for the day when they first came out and said no... The i8 for the weekend and declined... I just waited until I owned them with out having to hand them back... It's like dick teasing to me...

+1
Perhaps apart from the last bit(-:
It takes a while to get to know a car for me, a dash up and down a local dual carriage way tells you nothing!

Still worth it though surely in case there is anything you absolutely cannot live with, its a bit late when you already own the car.

[TISPKJ]

Im the same to be honest, bought all 4 supercars so far without a drive.

[BlackCup]

br d said:

BlackCup said:

I knew someone that worked at Lambo and they said they look up your address to see your house and it's value to eliminate time wasters, also checking out the watch is a classic way of sussing out a genuine client.

Sorry mate, that is utter bks.

I've never worn a watch in my life and I've pulled up at dealers completely cold and been offered test drives in all sorts of exotica, including Lambo.

Only time I've ever encountered a snotty 'look you up and down' attitude was from a flash young wker at a BMW dealer who told me "You're joking mate, M3's sell themselves" when I asked for a bit of room on a cash purchase for a new car. I went to another dealer the next town over and got £1800 off exactly the same car!

Edited by br d on Thursday 22 October 16:51

Wind your neck in, did I say it's a set of rules or something? With this particular dealer the part about the address was one of the ways they did it, not every dealeship will be the same, and the watch thing is common thing that lots of people have said- it's not a prerequisite for buying a car though is it.

[Ferruccio]

[/quote]
Only time I've ever encountered a snotty 'look you up and down' attitude was from a flash young wker at a BMW dealer who told me "You're joking mate, M3's sell themselves" when I asked for a bit of room on a cash purchase for a new car. I went to another dealer the next town over and got £1800 off exactly the same car!
51[/footnote]
[/quote]

Quite. My worst experiences were at Nissan - after a GTI R, ended up with a Corrado VR6 instead because (a truly great car). And Subaru - wanted an Impreza, ended up with an Audi instead because and still in an Audi but the Subaru dealership has since closed....

Best experience was at Maranello Concessionaires. Turned up out the blue on a Saturday and was driving a car 15 minutes later......

[Witchbreed]

Three things:

1. I think the car in question has been wrapped by one of those 'specialists' like Yiannimise who gets paid by dealerships and the nouveau riche to make cars look worse. I like the mock Nero Nemesis wrap but prefer the Grigio Estoque original paint. It shows off the lines better.

2. Test drives and dealerships are a funny thing. When I bought my first new car I was still at Uni and dressed like Toadfish out of Neighbours. I was dismissed by most in the Toyota showroom until a chap who usually works on the cars served me. I placed an order there and then and he received his commission. The judgemental salesmen lost out. It was for a MR2 Roadster that had just been released (we all have to start somewhere). I had already paid my deposit when I took out the dealer principles car. I don't think a test drive really makes or breaks the deal. You ideally need to live with the car for a week or so to really get to know what you are letting yourself in for.

3. The Aventador is a rare car in that when I look at them I want to drive it and when I drive it I miss looking at it. Yes it's got it's flaws but you tend to love imperfections. I paid for the driving experience that is for sale opposite the factory in Sant Agata. I will never forget hooning around dodgy B (and C roads) in a car as wide as a Range Rover at silly speeds. I was racing around behind the Pirelli edition and pleased that I was able to keep up! They say never meet your heroes but I still love the car as much as before, just annoyed that UK prices don't mirror those in Europe or I would have bought one already.

Whatever your mate buys he will be thrilled. There's a cheaper roadster for sale at SK Performance in Manchester which hasn't been wrapped... but it's yellow.

[graeme4130]

AMDB9 said:

A mate of mine is in a position to buy an Aventador Roadster and has been in touch with Pangbourne who have one in stock. The initial questions from them were related to how much finance is required and what monthly payments he is expecting. When he went back and told them it was a cash purchase (he is blowing his inheritance - I know he is nuts!) he was told he could take out a Huracan demonstrator but not the Aventador.

So PH massive - did you test drive your £350k car before buying it or were you not allowed to - I'm intrigued!

A lot of how he's received will depend entirely on his approach
If he phoned the sales number and started with "Oi mate, I want to buy an Aventador, when can I come in for a test drive', then that's a better response than you'd get at most places. Perhaps the way to go about it, would be to introduce himself and make an appointment

[DeltonaS]

AMDB9 said:

A mate of mine is in a position to buy an Aventador Roadster and has been in touch with Pangbourne who have one in stock. The initial questions from them were related to how much finance is required and what monthly payments he is expecting. When he went back and told them it was a cash purchase (he is blowing his inheritance - I know he is nuts!) he was told he could take out a Huracan demonstrator but not the Aventador.

So PH massive - did you test drive your £350k car before buying it or were you not allowed to - I'm intrigued!

Only Batman is allowed to testdrive an Aventador Roadster with no questions asked.....

[br d]

BlackCup said:

br d said:

BlackCup said:

I knew someone that worked at Lambo and they said they look up your address to see your house and it's value to eliminate time wasters, also checking out the watch is a classic way of sussing out a genuine client.

Sorry mate, that is utter bks.

I've never worn a watch in my life and I've pulled up at dealers completely cold and been offered test drives in all sorts of exotica, including Lambo.

Only time I've ever encountered a snotty 'look you up and down' attitude was from a flash young wker at a BMW dealer who told me "You're joking mate, M3's sell themselves" when I asked for a bit of room on a cash purchase for a new car. I went to another dealer the next town over and got £1800 off exactly the same car!

Edited by br d on Thursday 22 October 16:51

Wind your neck in, did I say it's a set of rules or something? With this particular dealer the part about the address was one of the ways they did it, not every dealeship will be the same, and the watch thing is common thing that lots of people have said- it's not a prerequisite for buying a car though is it.

Okay Mr attitude, the "Sorry mate" should probably have told you the post was meant as a friendly reposte.
Wind your own neck in.

[lambo_xx]

AMDB9 said:

A mate of mine is in a position to buy an Aventador Roadster and has been in touch with Pangbourne who have one in stock. The initial questions from them were related to how much finance is required and what monthly payments he is expecting. When he went back and told them it was a cash purchase (he is blowing his inheritance - I know he is nuts!) he was told he could take out a Huracan demonstrator but not the Aventador.

So PH massive - did you test drive your £350k car before buying it or were you not allowed to - I'm intrigued!

I've never been turned down a test drive, but I have bought cars without driving them.

My advice to your friend is to be quite blunt with them, explain politely he is in the financial situation to purchase the car, he can explain the inheritance situation if he wishes, and ask them what is required to get a test drive. He can offer to show a bank statement if he feels comfortable doing that.

If they still say no, go to another dealer. Plenty of them out there.

[AMDB9]

Update: Coutts Automobiles London have sourced a car for him which is on SOR and I understand that a deal has been done. Thanks for the replies gents.

I think I have convinced him to join PH so you may see a new member talking about his car soon

[sealtt]

Very nice! Did that dealer give him a test drive at least?

[AMDB9]

No as it was a customers SOR. What he did do though was hire one for a day and he loved it so went for it.