McLaren Dealers Buying Up Pre-owned Vehicles

McLaren Dealers Buying Up Pre-owned Vehicles

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jtremlett

1,364 posts

221 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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12pack said:
A bit surprised about the posts about not doing a test drive. Do the posters mean they’d already tested another car of the same model?

Turned down several cars, usually for a another model, after disappointing test drives. In the past,’90 911 (FD RX7 instead), Aston Gaydon DBS, 570s, all based on a preferring another model after test drives.
I don't do test drives either. When I'm looking for a car I already know what make and model I want. I don't need to drive one and I've never felt I've learned anything useful from a few minutes in an unfamiliar car anyway. Clearly other people may feel differently and perhaps if I were torn between two different cars it might make a difference but so far that's never been the case anyway.

andrew

9,941 posts

191 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
quotequote all
jtremlett said:
12pack said:
A bit surprised about the posts about not doing a test drive. Do the posters mean they’d already tested another car of the same model?

Turned down several cars, usually for a another model, after disappointing test drives. In the past,’90 911 (FD RX7 instead), Aston Gaydon DBS, 570s, all based on a preferring another model after test drives.
I don't do test drives either. When I'm looking for a car I already know what make and model I want. I don't need to drive one and I've never felt I've learned anything useful from a few minutes in an unfamiliar car anyway. Clearly other people may feel differently and perhaps if I were torn between two different cars it might make a difference but so far that's never been the case anyway.
even i know what make you're going to buy !

jtremlett

1,364 posts

221 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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andrew said:
even i know what make you're going to buy !
Maybe!

RSbandit

2,583 posts

131 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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Interesting reading...for me last year when I was looking to change to a V12VS I had a standard 15 minute test drive and didn’t really like the car ...explained to the dealer ( an Indy ) later on the phone and he said ok why don’t you come back and have a 90 minute unaccompanied test drive ...made a huge difference and without that I wouldn’t have bought the car ...not sure every dealer would be so accommodating tbh.

Ferruccio

1,832 posts

118 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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I don’t normally do test drives.
Was buying the other half a now old shape AMV8S.
Went to see one I thought I’d buy. Drove it around the block just to make sure everything worked. Hated the flappy paddle gear box. Lurched on the changes. Went for a longer drive same.
She’d have hated it.
Bought one of the last manual ones they made instead.

12pack

1,533 posts

167 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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Wow, I thought most of us on here we’re critical drivers. Turns out many buy cars based on what they’ve heard about them. I’ll have to keep this in mind as I post here, and learn to ignore some opinions then!

Now I understand a lot of the hand-wringing. Of course you’d be only be worrying about the depreciation since you don’t actually appreciate the amazing drive you’ve bought.

Edited by 12pack on Saturday 9th November 17:42

andrew

9,941 posts

191 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
quotequote all
12pack said:
Wow, I thought most of us on here we’re critical drivers. Turns out many buy cars based on what they’ve heard about them. I’ll have to keep this in mind as I post here, and learn to ignore some opinions then!

Now I understand a lot of the hand-wringing. Of course you’d be only be worrying about the depreciation since you don’t actually appreciate the amazing drive you’ve bought.

Edited by 12pack on Saturday 9th November 17:42
you sound surprised !

isaldiri

18,346 posts

167 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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12pack said:
A bit surprised about the posts about not doing a test drive.
Very much agreed with this. Personally I find most reviews a complete waste of time as it's almost always a hagiographic review extolling the virtues of the new car like the second coming and would not consider a car without having some time behind the wheel of that particular model.

anonymous-user

Original Poster:

53 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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Ferruccio said:
I don’t normally do test drives.
Was buying the other half a now old shape AMV8S.
Went to see one I thought I’d buy. Drove it around the block just to make sure everything worked. Hated the flappy paddle gear box. Lurched on the changes. Went for a longer drive same.
She’d have hated it.
Bought one of the last manual ones they made instead.
As you may have read since the flappy paddle AM both in the previous generation vantage takes a bit of getting used. Once you put in the effort though the shift is faster and smoother than a manual. It took me quite a bit of driving (think weeks, not minutes) of driving to key myself into the timing and weight of the movements.

jtremlett

1,364 posts

221 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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isaldiri said:
12pack said:
A bit surprised about the posts about not doing a test drive.
Very much agreed with this. Personally I find most reviews a complete waste of time as it's almost always a hagiographic review extolling the virtues of the new car like the second coming and would not consider a car without having some time behind the wheel of that particular model.
Personally, it isn't about reviews other than whether there's something particular that might put me off. It is partly that I don't think I can learn anything very useful from a short time behind the wheel of an unfamiliar car - you may be different in that regard. It is also that for a "toy" for me it is about desire rather than anything else. I know whether I want it or not without getting in it. That's particularly true of a supercar where you're unlikely to be able to properly use it on a test drive in the way that you would when you own it. You might be in traffic. There might not be a decent route in close proximity to the dealership - which might also be in an unfamiliar area. You're concentrating on the width or where the indicator is or whatever instead of fully concentrating on the driving. Or I would be anyway.

For a daily hack I expect almost any modern car to be able to chug down a motorway or get me to the shops and back and the significant criteria like size, number of doors, running costs etc. I get from means other than driving it.

Anyway, it has served me well so far. I've yet to buy a car I've regretted and only one that I liked and did everything I ever wanted it to but I never really fully bonded with.

LotusJas

1,322 posts

230 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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I've *always* test driven any car I've bought. It's always proved extremely useful to do.

I've loved some cars and bought them despite never intending to (e.g. i3), and disliked others enough to decide against them (e.g. 488).

The only exceptions being limited production cars where that is impossible (Valhalla, 7xxLT, and now M2 CS).

Ferruccio

1,832 posts

118 months

Saturday 9th November 2019
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12pack said:
Of course you’d be only be worrying about the depreciation since you don’t actually appreciate the amazing drive you’ve bought.

Edited by 12pack on Saturday 9th November 17:42
Er, no:

1. I’ve never sold a car, so don’t “worry about the depreciation”
2. What has having a test drive got to do with not actually appreciating the amazing drive I’ve bought? Nothing.

12pack

1,533 posts

167 months

Sunday 10th November 2019
quotequote all
Ferruccio said:
Er, no:

1. I’ve never sold a car, so don’t “worry about the depreciation”
2. What has having a test drive got to do with not actually appreciating the amazing drive I’ve bought? Nothing.
Well, here’s my logic. Don’t do test drives=>not really a critical driver=>don’t really appreciate the difference between a nice drive and an amazing one.

A few minutes behind the wheel through an aggressive roundabout or two tells me about throttle response, the steering feel, the turn in and braking and then a short up ramp up to motorway speeds and I know which model I’d prefer.

Would never buy a an inferior drive no matter how nice it looks or sounded or well reviewed it was. Desire for me is about the drive.

And agee with Isaldiri about reviews. Most of those idiots talk or write lot better than they can drive.


Edited by 12pack on Sunday 10th November 11:16

Ferruccio

1,832 posts

118 months

Sunday 10th November 2019
quotequote all
12pack said:
Ferruccio said:
Er, no:

1. I’ve never sold a car, so don’t “worry about the depreciation”
2. What has having a test drive got to do with not actually appreciating the amazing drive I’ve bought? Nothing.
Well, here’s my logic. Don’t do test drives=>not really a critical driver=>don’t really appreciate the difference between a nice drive and an amazing one.

A few minutes behind the wheel through an aggressive roundabout or two tells me about throttle response, the steering feel, the turn in and braking and then a short up ramp up to motorway speeds and I know which model I’d prefer.

Agree with Isaldiri about reviews. Most of those idiots talk or write lot better than they can drive.
The trouble with assumptions based on no knowledge of the individual that you are making the assumptions about, is that they are often wrong.

CTE

1,488 posts

239 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Guess we all rock differently...
Several years ago I had the opportunity to buy what was for me then a really desirable car and I thought a Boxster S was the ticket. Test drove the car and thought it was very nice so looked through the specs available and agreed to buy a car. I was then informed the next day the particular spec had been grabbed by another dealer...anyhow this went on for a week or so looking at alternatives, and I eventually agreed on a car that was in build. After another week or so it dawned on me that I really was not that excited about the prospect of this "dream" car and whilst passing a local Lotus dealer, I noticed an Exige V6 roadster in the showroom. After a chat with the dealer, I went for a test drive. I think I got no more than 50 yards down the road and I knew this was the car for me. The Porsche dealer was very upset and couldn't believe I cancelled the car...
I do agree that a 15 minute test drive does not tell you everything about a car, but it can tell you quite a bit. I also get why test drives are not important for some people as it depends what you are looking for form the purchase of a car.

justin220

5,328 posts

203 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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Always try and get a test drive if I can.

I remember going g from an Exige to a TVR T350, and genuinely thought the steering was broken. Complete lack of feedback compared to the lotus

The Surveyor

7,575 posts

236 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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My 570s test drive was at a McLaren driving day at Millbrook.

I got to drive the car on the handling course, around the bowl, and along the acceleration straight before being taken out by one of the professionals on a short track course. That was enough for me to realise just how much better the car was that the Aston I'd arrived in, and how much better than I expected the car was, it was an easy sale.

Cheib

23,067 posts

174 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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The Surveyor said:
My 570s test drive was at a McLaren driving day at Millbrook.

I got to drive the car on the handling course, around the bowl, and along the acceleration straight before being taken out by one of the professionals on a short track course. That was enough for me to realise just how much better the car was that the Aston I'd arrived in, and how much better than I expected the car was, it was an easy sale.
Great way to sell cars! I did an instruction day at Milbrook earlier in the year in my GT3....great place to learn about the car and yourself.

MDL111

6,882 posts

176 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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deleted - wrong thread

isaldiri

18,346 posts

167 months

Monday 11th November 2019
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MDL111 said:
re 430 running costs, a few bills from my Scud over the last 2 years

New windshield, new brake pads front axle: 6,546
Annual service: 3,257
New brake pads, new exhaust silencer: 5,824
New tyres: c. 1,470
New exhaust manifolds, service, warranty extension: [to come, I am waiting for the bill]
Damn that's an expensive silencer! There I was thinking the titanium gt3rs one was overpriced when I had to replace it after it cracked (10k miles, rather unimpressed truth be told) but perhaps not quite so bad after all.....!