How the hell do you get a decent test drive?
Discussion
Hi,
Been out again today around two main dealers to look at 120d / 123d coupes, asked for a test drive in anything with said engine as I wanted to see what the real world economy / performance was when compared to manufacturer stats.
I am buying used btw 08/09 M Sport
First dealer - Can't test drive for more than 8 miles, if you want to know the economy look at the trip computer ergo no need for a test drive, said we couldn't have longer because cars aren't taxed then we walk out the show room and there is a 120d hatch demo all taxed up and ready to go.
Second dealer, sorry no test drive but I run a 118d and its great so buy one.
Walk out past huge row of demo cars.
All I want to know is how these cars are when I go about my daily business, if the economy is as good as they say and I am happy then I'll take one, but I can't even get more that a sit in one ffs.
Now looking to see if I can hire one for a day.
Been out again today around two main dealers to look at 120d / 123d coupes, asked for a test drive in anything with said engine as I wanted to see what the real world economy / performance was when compared to manufacturer stats.
I am buying used btw 08/09 M Sport
First dealer - Can't test drive for more than 8 miles, if you want to know the economy look at the trip computer ergo no need for a test drive, said we couldn't have longer because cars aren't taxed then we walk out the show room and there is a 120d hatch demo all taxed up and ready to go.
Second dealer, sorry no test drive but I run a 118d and its great so buy one.
Walk out past huge row of demo cars.
All I want to know is how these cars are when I go about my daily business, if the economy is as good as they say and I am happy then I'll take one, but I can't even get more that a sit in one ffs.
Now looking to see if I can hire one for a day.
You are p*****g in the wind these days
I went to the Local BMW dealer again yesterday
they have next to no stock, only test drive I could get after some
persuasion was to a 57 320d the car itself is in a pretty ropet state in my opinion
kerb wheels paint work done poorly, scratched paint work, stained rear loadspace matting. 15min test drive tells me this is not the car for me
manual that for ever needed changing gear, very firm ride, the salesman started the car,blue smoke on start up knocking steering on full lock.
I really wanted to test drive a 330d-335d Msport no a chance, no stock and no perceivable stock due in.
the salesman tells me the have sold all stock and are struggling to get any in
they had 318i 60 plate for 23k nice looking but hardly a model that will sell well.
Waiting to travel north next week to try a 330-335d in auto.
I went to the Local BMW dealer again yesterday
they have next to no stock, only test drive I could get after some
persuasion was to a 57 320d the car itself is in a pretty ropet state in my opinion
kerb wheels paint work done poorly, scratched paint work, stained rear loadspace matting. 15min test drive tells me this is not the car for me
manual that for ever needed changing gear, very firm ride, the salesman started the car,blue smoke on start up knocking steering on full lock.
I really wanted to test drive a 330d-335d Msport no a chance, no stock and no perceivable stock due in.
the salesman tells me the have sold all stock and are struggling to get any in
they had 318i 60 plate for 23k nice looking but hardly a model that will sell well.
Waiting to travel north next week to try a 330-335d in auto.
Edited by white90 on Saturday 5th March 17:45
You need differnet dealers.
I`d have asked them about the taxed demonstrators and why they have demonstrators if they don`t demonstrate the product that they make their living selling. Eight miles is pathetic for a test drive. Let them know you`re serious and ready to buy (if that`s the case).
If you phone ahead of your visit and arrange a specific time for a drive you should fare better.
Of the two dealers you`ve already visited, I wouldn`t darken their doors again.
I`d have asked them about the taxed demonstrators and why they have demonstrators if they don`t demonstrate the product that they make their living selling. Eight miles is pathetic for a test drive. Let them know you`re serious and ready to buy (if that`s the case).
If you phone ahead of your visit and arrange a specific time for a drive you should fare better.
Of the two dealers you`ve already visited, I wouldn`t darken their doors again.
Bezerk said:
I make appointments before test drives, then they can arrange the car you want at a time you want.
This may help. I was going to say that if that's how they treat you then would you want to (1) give them £20k (2) go there for servicing or when there's a problem. That said, I've always phoned up in advance and never had a problem with test drives.
I ought to withdraw my reply, then.All Inchcape sites (including Cooper, Dane, Smith Knight Fay, Minster, Hunters, HA Fox, Gilbert Lawton) have four different test drive routes, part of the sales process is that every customer without exception should be offered a test drive, one of the areas of performance that staff are judged on is the number of test drives they conduct - I have been in the industry and its obvious that the more test drives you conduct the more cars you sell - cannot understand why there is still so much of an issue with staff refusing / being reluctant to provide them
Not looking forward to getting to the test drive stage of deciding on a 330i or a 335i simply because I suspect I'll get 5 minutes around the block at the very most which won't be at all helpful.
Then I suspect they will want to know why I wont buy one until I've tried the other. Grrr. And doubtless they'll get funny if I decide I actually liked the 335i but want one with a different spec.
Then I suspect they will want to know why I wont buy one until I've tried the other. Grrr. And doubtless they'll get funny if I decide I actually liked the 335i but want one with a different spec.
RGambo said:
To be honest didn't have a problem getting a test of a 135i at sytner Cardiff. Went down , asked for a go, they asked if I could wait a couple of days but I was able to hAve it for 5 hours. Tidy.
Are you a .... er... slightly older chap? 
Cooper BMW Colchester also have a test route. It was a bit rubbish though. It was pretty much 33% 30mph tiny back roads (that doing anymore than 30mph would have been dangerous), 33% Dual Carriage ways and 33% town driving.
There was no 60 mph A roads where you could actually test the car. And by "test the car" i don't mean drifting around every bend, i mean where you can actually feel what the car is like.
A tiny back road tells me it can crawl along at 30mph, a dual carriageway tells me it can drive in a straight line at 70mph and a town roads tell me the engine can drive and the brakes can stop me.
Great, a Kia Piccanto can do all of those things. What about getting to experience the driving pleasure, which BMWs are supposed to be all about?
Edited by Gaygle on Tuesday 8th March 13:59
Gaygle said:
Are a .... er... slightly older chap?
Cooper BMW Colchester also have a test route. It was a bit rubbish though. It was pretty much 33% 30mph tiny back roads (that doing anymore than 30mph would have been dangerous), 33% Dual Carriage ways and 33% town driving.
There was no 60 mph A roads where you could actually test the car. And by "test the car" i don't mean drifting around every bend, i mean where you can actually feel what the car is like.
A tiny back road tells me it can crawl along at 30mph, a dual carriageway tells me it can drive in a straight line at 70mph and a town roads tell me the engine can drive and the brakes can stop me.
Great, a Kia Piccanto can do all of those things. What about getting to experience the driving pleasure, which BMWs are supposed to be all about?
Did you ask for a longer drive? Cooper Colchester have always been great with me, chucking me the keys to a number of cars for anywhere between 2 hrs and the whole day. TBH, I woudlnt buy a car without at least a couple of hours behind the wheel.Cooper BMW Colchester also have a test route. It was a bit rubbish though. It was pretty much 33% 30mph tiny back roads (that doing anymore than 30mph would have been dangerous), 33% Dual Carriage ways and 33% town driving.
There was no 60 mph A roads where you could actually test the car. And by "test the car" i don't mean drifting around every bend, i mean where you can actually feel what the car is like.
A tiny back road tells me it can crawl along at 30mph, a dual carriageway tells me it can drive in a straight line at 70mph and a town roads tell me the engine can drive and the brakes can stop me.
Great, a Kia Piccanto can do all of those things. What about getting to experience the driving pleasure, which BMWs are supposed to be all about?
No problem with my local dealer either. Had an accompanied test in an E90 M3 that was a good 45-60 minutes of mixed roads, encouraged to press on too. My Dad had a good test in a 118d too, it was taxed and registered so they let him take it for the day.
You need to try another dealer.
You need to try another dealer.
.tjlazer said:
Definitely worth trying different dealers - Dick lovett hungerford have some cracking roads for testing and nothing was a problem, both me and the gf got a good 30 min test drive on different occasions before buying no sweat. Maybe go mid week and ring ahead?
I worked for Lovett's BMW and it was drummed into us "bums on seats" test drive as much as possible.This is my first post, so hi everyone!
I was 22 when I bought my BMW Z4 3.0i. I wasn't taken too seriously when I requested a test drive, a blast up and down a few local fast roads is all they'd give me. Age definitely has something to do with it! Boo... That's all it took to convince me that this was the car for me though!
I tested a Nissan 350z too, after 5 minutes in that I was completely put off!! It was horrible to drive...
With rising fuel prices I'm now after a BMW diesel, so it would be nice to have it for an extended period to test economy. I do hear good things about the newer BMW 2.0 diesels though. I don't think BMWs MPG claims are far off what you'll get in reality you know, from what I've read. I know that many car manufactures use a rolling road which provides resistance at different speeds to calculate MPG figures. It's not a fair or accurate way of testing the cars economy, this is why in the real world it's impossible to get anywhere near manufactures MPG claims!
All this test does is provide a benchmark to compare with other manufacturers I guess.
I was 22 when I bought my BMW Z4 3.0i. I wasn't taken too seriously when I requested a test drive, a blast up and down a few local fast roads is all they'd give me. Age definitely has something to do with it! Boo... That's all it took to convince me that this was the car for me though!
I tested a Nissan 350z too, after 5 minutes in that I was completely put off!! It was horrible to drive...
With rising fuel prices I'm now after a BMW diesel, so it would be nice to have it for an extended period to test economy. I do hear good things about the newer BMW 2.0 diesels though. I don't think BMWs MPG claims are far off what you'll get in reality you know, from what I've read. I know that many car manufactures use a rolling road which provides resistance at different speeds to calculate MPG figures. It's not a fair or accurate way of testing the cars economy, this is why in the real world it's impossible to get anywhere near manufactures MPG claims!
All this test does is provide a benchmark to compare with other manufacturers I guess.
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