Deposit for test drive - usual?

[gubsta]

Hi folks,

Have been trying to arrange a GT3 test drive for an used early 991 at my nearest OPC.
After a few conversations I've now been told that a deposit has to be made (rather than an original intimated 'deal in principle') to secure a test drive.

This is putting me off the whole thing tbh - but is this just the price of admission to the club - usual practice?
I don't like being strong-armed and I feel like I did when I was a kid trying to test drive a Focus RS.

Cheers

Edited by gubsta on Thursday 16th August 10:40

[eybic]

I guess it's an attempt to stop tyre kickers, if it drives ok, do you plan on buying it? If so then there should be no problem putting a deposit down.

[PompeyReece]

gubsta said:

Hi folks,

Have been trying to arrange a GT3 test drive for an used early 991 at my nearest OPC.
After a few conversations I've now been told that a deposit has to be made (rather than an original intimated 'deal in principal') to secure a test drive.

This is putting me off the whole thing tbh - but is this just the price of admission to the club - usual practice?
I don't like being strong-armed and I feel like I did when I was a kid trying to test drive a Focus RS.

Cheers

My experience is deposits are more common for longer test drives as opposed to taking it out for 20 mins with the salesman.

However in this day and age maybe they're suffering more joy riders trying it on and they need to address that. It's certainly been mentioned on a recent McLaren purchase thread, with equal feelings towards the deal as you.

So I would say this is a reasonable but palatable way of identifying likely buyers and a small, short-term inconvenience vs. the long term joy of owning a dream car.

[Porsche911R]

eybic said:

I guess it's an attempt to stop tyre kickers, if it drives ok, do you plan on buying it? If so then there should be no problem putting a deposit down.

He might hate it !

hence the test drive, prob a SOR car and thus comes the hassle with cars dealers don't own.

I would not be placing any deposits on any cars.

[Paynewright]

I would want to understand what happens to the deposit if you dont like the car?

[eybic]

Porsche911R said:

eybic said:

I guess it's an attempt to stop tyre kickers, if it drives ok, do you plan on buying it? If so then there should be no problem putting a deposit down.

He might hate it !

hence the test drive, prob a SOR car and thus comes the hassle with cars dealers don't own.

I would not be placing any deposits on any cars.

That's fine, the deposit will be refundable (nigh on impossible for a car dealer to keep hold of a deposit especially before a test drive) if, after test drive he doesn't like it.

[Porsche911R]

woollyjoe said:

It's also a GT car... I've often been told, if the car is otherwise ok for you, test drive to confirm car is right and then deposit purchase etc.

I think they are saying - you can't use the test drive to see if you like driving "a GT3". The test drive is simply to confirm that it is mechanically sound.

Completely normal.

I had a 570S for 1/2 a day with no deposit, I did not like it, how do you know without a test drive.

it is tricky as I could not test drive my GT4, or GT3 as there were no demo's but one knows if you don't like it you can flip it for more so little risk in that gamble.

testing a 2nd hand car though not the same, if you don't like it you lose £20k !

I have test driven loads of cars inc 458 speciale, R8 V10's , 570S etc etc never been asked to hand over money !!!

[eybic]

I would take it that they get lot's of tyre kickers wanting test drives in cars which take up the dealership's time, all they are asking you to do is show that you will buy the car if you like it. Why should they let you test drive it if you're not contemplating buying it? If it drives as expected will you buy it? there should be no issue placing a deposit if that's the case.

There isn't a court in the land that would be on their side if they tried keeping your deposit if, after test drive you decide you don't like it.

I'm not a Porsche owner but even I know that they treat their Customer's very differently to the likes of Mclaren etc.

[gubsta]

I think it was more the manner in which the subject of a deposit was broached. If there had been a straightforward and upfront conversation I would feel fine. I don’t mind proving that I’m a serious buyer it’s more the arrogance in assuming that it’s a done deal before a drive.

As for ‘will I buy if it drives as it should’ - well that’s not the point. I’m going to have to adore it to spend the money and I think that’s reasonable in this price bracket - there is lots of choice.

I was very honest about never having driven a GT3 of this vintage and while I’m sure it’s brilliant it’s got to feel right... If I get the James May Fizz then obviously there’s a deal to be done.

Maybe I just didn’t get the right sales guy.

[Big Brin]

I think it is an attempt to filter out potential joy riders as has been mentioned and this may be a Porsche thing?

I can't recall ever having an issue personally with any of my cars , in fact Jaguar, Mercedes, Audi and Aston have been 'insistent' that I drive the car. It' the first thing they do.....to completely suck you in. No deposit talked about.....with Porsche it was different. I did have a lengthy telephone conversation with the salesman. Got finance proposals and a walk around video. A few days later, negotiated a deal (p/x involved) and then I did put a £2000 deposit on the car. Two weeks later when the car was available after prep, went and drove it with a cast iron 'if you don't like it, we;ll return your deposit'. That comment wasn't limited to not liking it if it drove as it should the drive....I had concerns about the interior trim and that was my primary point of needing assurance on the deposit. You can't really tell what a full alcantara inside is going to be like until you're in it..... This was at Porsche retail btw.

[BertBert]

woollyjoe said:

It's also a GT car... I've often been told, if the car is otherwise ok for you, test drive to confirm car is right and then deposit purchase etc.

I think they are saying - you can't use the test drive to see if you like driving "a GT3". The test drive is simply to confirm that it is mechanically sound.

Completely normal.

That's a completely wrong perspective. Of course it's going to drive like a GT3 and you won't work out whether it's mechanically sound from a test drive.

The test drive is all about do I want a GT3. How else can you work that out?

Bert

[hunter 66]

Never had a test drive with any Porsche I have bought in the last 25 years , road and race if you feel you do then you maybe are not really a Porsche buyer .

[isaldiri]

hunter 66 said:

Never had a test drive with any Porsche I have bought in the last 25 years , road and race if you feel you do then you maybe are not really a Porsche buyer .

You cannot be serious. One is not 'really a Porsche buyer' for wanting to know first hand how the car is like? Exactly how else is one supposed to tell if one likes a car other than blind faith that the car is all it's cracked up to be when the OP has stated he's not driven one of the current GT cars?

[BubblesNW]

It appears to not be totally uncommon, Amari state on their home page that a £5k deposit is needed before a test drive. I guess it’s difficult to tell the difference between the latest wonderkid footballer and someone who fancies driving a supercar on their day off from MacDonald’s.

[Lastmin]

I have been to one performance car garage with my wife and kid to look at two Porsches last year, they told me they ask for a deposit (Not a full retail spec circa a few hundred pound) as this put off a lot of lads coming in and test driving the cars pretending to be buyers but just getting a free drive. I had been with family and arranged to return the next day I was given the keys to two cars without deposit and test driven them on my own. I'm in my 30s but some garages in some areas may get more time wasters than others. It was the only time I had heard of a token deposit for test drives. If they wated a full 10% thats nuts and quite different.

Hope you found one to try.

Edited by Lastmin on Thursday 16th August 23:18

[Digga]

Difficult issue. I'm guessing it very much depends on your tack - the way into the whole conversation with the dealer. Then there is the expectation (or not) on SOR cars, of a sale being magically conducted [i]without[i/] incurring any mileage, which is down to the owner not the dealer.

I understand a certain dealer (see 911uk forum for the juicy stuff) in Yorkshire pressures people to agree to buy the car prior to the test drive. IMHO, in that instance, the germane term is "pressure" and that is at best a dubious tack. See bottom of page 1: http://911uk.com/viewtopic.php?t=107918&postda...

A refundable deposit on a GT car test drive is not entirely unreasonable, but by no means the norm.

In general, I'd always prefer to get the bulk of the deal agreed, before I go for a drive. It can waste yours and the dealers time if it turns out you don't like the car. So I'm not saying that is the right way, but it's just how I like to do things.

[Lastmin]

Quite the opposite scenario the other year when my wife was looking at Mercs the guy was itching to get her out on a test drive knowing she would love it but i didt wat to until we negotiated a price and package. No point test driving a car unless you know the finances work as once you drive it and love it they can have an advantage. That purchase was alwaysmore of a head than heart buy though, E class coupe amg kit diesel.(A 2nd hand one knowing the new model was due out soon)

[boxsey]

isaldiri said:

hunter 66 said:

Never had a test drive with any Porsche I have bought in the last 25 years , road and race if you feel you do then you maybe are not really a Porsche buyer .

You cannot be serious. One is not 'really a Porsche buyer' for wanting to know first hand how the car is like? Exactly how else is one supposed to tell if one likes a car other than blind faith that the car is all it's cracked up to be when the OP has stated he's not driven one of the current GT cars?

I can see where Hunter 66 is coming from. In my experience the salesperson expects that a prospective GT Porsche buyer already knows what to expect from the car and doesn't need a test drive to find out if they will like it. I was offered a test drive (GT4) with no strings but I had already made it very clear that I had made up my mind to buy a GT4 and it was now just a case of deciding whether I would buy the one they had in stock or find another one. I think turning up in my current Cayman R also helped show that I was a serious buyer of that sort of car.

[franki68]

Slippydiff said:

Porsche911R said:

woollyjoe said:

It's also a GT car... I've often been told, if the car is otherwise ok for you, test drive to confirm car is right and then deposit purchase etc.

I think they are saying - you can't use the test drive to see if you like driving "a GT3". The test drive is simply to confirm that it is mechanically sound.

Completely normal.

I had a 570S for 1/2 a day with no deposit, I did not like it, how do you know without a test drive.

it is tricky as I could not test drive my GT4, or GT3 as there were no demo's but one knows if you don't like it you can flip it for more so little risk in that gamble.

testing a 2nd hand car though not the same, if you don't like it you lose £20k !

I have test driven loads of cars inc 458 speciale, R8 V10's , 570S etc etc never been asked to hand over money !!!

For once I'm with you. If a dealer refuses a testdrive without a deposit, find another dealer.

This,I have never heard of a dealer asking for a deposit for a test drive,and would walk away from one that did.

[triple5]

I had this with a Kia dealership (yes Kia) recently, I went to a different dealership.....no problems.