Buying a car without a test drive....
Discussion
I am thinking of leasing (so not buying strictly) an Audi A4 Allroad. It would be over 2 years. Now I don't think that the car is going to be awful, far from it - on paper it ticks an awful lot of boxes. So am I taking an intolerable risk in taking the plunge without a test drive?
Not only would I feel guilty about wasting the local dealers time as there is no potential sale in it for them but the local dealers don't have an Allroad - just an Avant for me to try.
The Avant would give me an idea of seating position, space and engine response but no idea of ride or handling as the suspension is completely different.
Plus, how much of a feel for a car can you get in a 15min drive on a pre-determined route anyway?
I will go and have a look at one in the showroom tomorrow and have a good bounce around in the seats and read up on all the online reviews. At the end of the day, it will spend most of it's time with the cruise control set at 70mph on the M6 (I know, it's an Audi so make that 80mph, 2" off your bumper in the outside lane) ,so as long as the seat is comfy and e radio loud, I should be happy!
Steve
Not only would I feel guilty about wasting the local dealers time as there is no potential sale in it for them but the local dealers don't have an Allroad - just an Avant for me to try.
The Avant would give me an idea of seating position, space and engine response but no idea of ride or handling as the suspension is completely different.
Plus, how much of a feel for a car can you get in a 15min drive on a pre-determined route anyway?
I will go and have a look at one in the showroom tomorrow and have a good bounce around in the seats and read up on all the online reviews. At the end of the day, it will spend most of it's time with the cruise control set at 70mph on the M6 (I know, it's an Audi so make that 80mph, 2" off your bumper in the outside lane) ,so as long as the seat is comfy and e radio loud, I should be happy!
Steve
I did it once, but never again as I bought a lemon. I now always insist on a proper test drive if I'm parting with a significant amount of money, but then again, how a car drives is my number one priority, if it's not yours then you may be find.
As you say, 15 minuts is a very short space of time, which is why there's a skill to testing cars properly because you get to know what to look for in the short time you're given. I'm by no means good at this, but I have got better over the years. To this end, I prepare before a test drive of a car I'm seriously interested in by listing what I want the car to do and what I'm going to do to test it within the short test drive offered.
As you say, 15 minuts is a very short space of time, which is why there's a skill to testing cars properly because you get to know what to look for in the short time you're given. I'm by no means good at this, but I have got better over the years. To this end, I prepare before a test drive of a car I'm seriously interested in by listing what I want the car to do and what I'm going to do to test it within the short test drive offered.
Any opportunity where a sales person can get someone to experience their product is not wasted time. While it might be a bit of an awkward situation for you to say "I'm thinking of leasing elsewhere", I don't think they're going to resent you for it. At the end of the day it's part of their job.
Don't forget that you are giving Audi a 'sale' if you will. It not like your going into the showroom, testing the A4 and saying "nah I liked the Ford Mondeo all along, bye."
Don't forget that you are giving Audi a 'sale' if you will. It not like your going into the showroom, testing the A4 and saying "nah I liked the Ford Mondeo all along, bye."
Swanny87 said:
Any opportunity where a sales person can get someone to experience their product is not wasted time. While it might be a bit of an awkward situation for you to say "I'm thinking of leasing elsewhere", I don't think they're going to resent you for it. At the end of the day it's part of their job.
Don't forget that you are giving Audi a 'sale' if you will. It not like your going into the showroom, testing the A4 and saying "nah I liked the Ford Mondeo all along, bye."
As sales people are paid on commission, and mostly work for Franchised dealerships, the fact you Are 'giving Audi a sale' won't mean jot all.Don't forget that you are giving Audi a 'sale' if you will. It not like your going into the showroom, testing the A4 and saying "nah I liked the Ford Mondeo all along, bye."
On the other hand, if you rang, asked nicely if you could drive one and that you have a lease car and won't waste any of their time, they may let you go for a spin, they of course own the demonstrators so are within their rights to say no anyway.
Honesty is the best policy.
I did a short test drive of my A3 (the actual car) and it seemed fine. Somehow I failed to notice that Audi couldn't be bothered fitting any suspension. Spent the next two years having my fillings loosened (even on smooth roads - it found undulations in motorways I had no idea existed).
Your experience may vary.
Your experience may vary.
Steve vRS said:
RobM77 said:
I did it once, but never again as I bought a lemon.
Agreed, for a used car I would always either drive or have a reputable third party inspection carried out.I am obviously looking at a brand new car.
Steve
TommoAE86 said:
RobM77 said:
I did it once, but never again as I bought a lemon.
I did this also 
Damn my naivety that "approved used" doesn't mean "checked and all things sorted out" from a main dealer. Lesson learnt! Edited by RobM77 on Friday 9th January 12:17
I have bought almost all my cars without a test drive. Strange but true.
Most of them were classics and having done loads of research before looking at cars and having read so many articles and reviews about them, I had a pretty good idea what they would be like to drive.
It has worked fine so far , apart for 2 cars, which I never fell for.
1) The mk1 MX-5 was gutless, unexciting and with horrible seats that gave me backache after 30 minutes of driving. I sold it after 4 months, with a small profit as well.
2) BMW 2002 tii which was very comfy and quite fast but not particularly sporting, with heavy controls and not much feedback.I sold that after 1,5 years and a 7.000 km trans-European honeymoon( Athens to Stockholm and back through the 'Ring and the route Napoleon).
Most of them were classics and having done loads of research before looking at cars and having read so many articles and reviews about them, I had a pretty good idea what they would be like to drive.
It has worked fine so far , apart for 2 cars, which I never fell for.
1) The mk1 MX-5 was gutless, unexciting and with horrible seats that gave me backache after 30 minutes of driving. I sold it after 4 months, with a small profit as well.
2) BMW 2002 tii which was very comfy and quite fast but not particularly sporting, with heavy controls and not much feedback.I sold that after 1,5 years and a 7.000 km trans-European honeymoon( Athens to Stockholm and back through the 'Ring and the route Napoleon).
It depends on the practicalities of arranging a test drive - if secondhand at a dealer I'd rather have a test drive than not; if a private sale then at the very least a passenger ride. Brand new, I'm not sure - on the one hand I'll be confident that it's not to be mechanically duff (and the warranty is there if it is), but on the other it's a lot of depreciation if I hate the driving position (which isn't always obvious from a static sit in).
However, quarter, half or a full hour isn't really going to give me a full idea of if I'll like it - for a good few months after getting the Impreza I wasn't sure I liked it, but I eventually 'gelled' with it and now I don't want to sell. The driving position isn't fantastic for me, which may have put me off on an hour's test drive, but the driving experience is great (now I'm used to it).
So yes, I'd probably buy new without a test drive if the details and reviews were positive enough.
However, quarter, half or a full hour isn't really going to give me a full idea of if I'll like it - for a good few months after getting the Impreza I wasn't sure I liked it, but I eventually 'gelled' with it and now I don't want to sell. The driving position isn't fantastic for me, which may have put me off on an hour's test drive, but the driving experience is great (now I'm used to it).
So yes, I'd probably buy new without a test drive if the details and reviews were positive enough.
I've only bought two cars without test driving them myself.....
The first - a 1982 Mercedes SLC 380 (bought in 1998) was a disaster (I was a passenger) - the dealer managed to mask the issues it had - it got moved on (via PX about 6 months later.
The second - one of my current cars (Laguna Coupe) was via a very good friend and I'd driven enough of the Renault line up at the time to know what I was getting into - and more than 2 years later (almost a DD record for me) it's still great.
I wouldn't normally do it though.......
The first - a 1982 Mercedes SLC 380 (bought in 1998) was a disaster (I was a passenger) - the dealer managed to mask the issues it had - it got moved on (via PX about 6 months later.
The second - one of my current cars (Laguna Coupe) was via a very good friend and I'd driven enough of the Renault line up at the time to know what I was getting into - and more than 2 years later (almost a DD record for me) it's still great.
I wouldn't normally do it though.......
wemorgan said:
new car vs second-hand car : very different circumstances.
Most cars are just boxes to go A-B and offer a small risk when leasing for only 2 years. Just go with it, how bad can the car be?
Indeed, I don't think many of the posters have actually read the OP. If they had then they'd know that their story about buying a used car that turned out to be a lemon was completely irrellevant Most cars are just boxes to go A-B and offer a small risk when leasing for only 2 years. Just go with it, how bad can the car be?
Devil2575 said:
wemorgan said:
new car vs second-hand car : very different circumstances.
Most cars are just boxes to go A-B and offer a small risk when leasing for only 2 years. Just go with it, how bad can the car be?
Indeed, I don't think many of the posters have actually read the OP. If they had then they'd know that their story about buying a used car that turned out to be a lemon was completely irrellevant Most cars are just boxes to go A-B and offer a small risk when leasing for only 2 years. Just go with it, how bad can the car be?
t. As for my story regarding my friend, I should have marked it "O/T" - I'll change that now.Gassing Station | General Gassing | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff