Extended Test Drives

[M-SportMatt]

I've recently been thinking of changing my daily (320d touring) to something a little more frisky and have almost settled on a Golf R estate, however i am somewhat put off by the constant referrals to it being a little dull so with this in mind i approached my local VW dealer about an extended test drive over a weekend.

They replied in the negative and will only give me a slot of two hours to 'Drive it my Way'. No sale then i'm afraid.

Are there any other manufacturers who make a hottish estate of similar size who DO do extended test drives?

Cheers

[M-SportMatt]

Thanks for the sensible replies, not the usual dullards.

Living with a car for a normal weekend will show up much more what its like to live with than two hours on a saturday where i can expect in my location to be roundly stuck in traffic for at least 50% and just tootling round in heavy traffic for the rest.

I want to see if the kids like it, I want to see how my elderly parents can get in and out of it, I want to try my commute and i want to see if its engaging on a more fun route. I haven't enjoyed a DSG before but the last one I drove was a 2006 diesel so hopefully its better.


As for the absolute rodder who declared 'its less dull than a 320d' I know that, i mentioned it in the OP....

[M-SportMatt]

sjg said:

It's less dull than a 320d. Hope this helps in light of VW dealers not giving out free weekend cars.

But probably duller than a slightly used 335i Touring

But almost certainly not as dull as you

[M-SportMatt]

Trexthedinosaur said:

It is a golf estate, other than the engine it is no different to your 320D, same rough dimensions etc, it hardly as if your kids pay for the thing or you are asking your parents to jump in / out of a Caterham.

Stinks of looking for a free hire car to me, 2hours is more than enough.

Really, given i have access to a lot more performance than a golf estate I hardly need to waste my time looking for a free joyride.

Both parents struggle to get in and out of my BMW as the seats sit fairly low, the seats in the Golf appear not to be so

And if you think a 320 is a similar sized vehicle to a golf in terms of load then you're hardly worth listening to anyway. Cheers

[M-SportMatt]

Integroo said:

I might wander into Currys at the weekend, point at a two grand television, and ask if I can have it for the weekend to see if I like it. You know, in case the remote is a bit heavy or something.

That's what you get for shopping at Currys

My local Audio specialist has frequently lent me Hi-fi and TV equipment to try for a few days at home as you can't tell what it sounds like until its in the room it will be used in.

But then he knows i'm a serious buyer....

[M-SportMatt]

Alucidnation said:

Looks like the op has a special occasion on the weekend and wants to show up in something shiney and new to impress the crowd.

Maybe the sort of people you mix with maybe impressed by a slightly chavvy golf but mine certainly aren't.

[M-SportMatt]

Durzel said:

Ninja59 said:

What I found so "good" about having it for that time period it gave us an opportunity to properly try the car out doing the "mundane" shopping, going and seeing family and friends as well as taking it for a sedate hoon (despite being diesel and an auto).

I struggle to understand how you can't try these simulated things during that 2 hours. Go for a pretend shop (or actually do the shopping), etc. What on Earth does "going and seeing family and friends" prove exactly?

Wondering what your kids / elderly relatives will think of it? Show it to them during the 2 hours, or take them to the dealer forecourt, or show them photos / videos.

What's it like during the commute? What's the difference between any car during the commute besides aircon, what toys it has, seat comfort, stop/start activity (which again you don't need a traffic jam to test), etc?

A lot of what has been said as reasons for needing a day/weekend long test drive sounds awfully contrived to be honest. It's hard to argue that in this day and age of YouTube that you really can't get a sense of things without actually physically needing the car to be parked on your drive overnight.

2 hours unsupervised sounds more than generous to me.

Its not a case of what my parents think, its a case of can the access the seats form their driveway comfortably, my dad has parkinsons and my mom has two hip replacements, neither can walk well or far. I am increasingly having to take them to medical appointments etc

By the time i've driven to their house on a saturday from the dealer in heavy traffic there is is little time for anything else. im not sure why the idea of an extended test is so alien to you.

yes I could borrow a boggo golf from the dealer one day and an R another day but i have to arrange things twice, I could rent one but why should I, if they are selling that well then fair play to the dealer but IMO the dealer should try to sell me a car, not obstruct the decision. I am happy to leave a substantial depost/damage waiver so i'm not sure what the issue is, especially as they have the vehicle as a demonstrator.

Still a used 335i is tempting....and a taxi fund for the parents lol

[M-SportMatt]

the_stoat said:

If you do test a Golf R test it with the kids over speed bumps, it is harsh even by M-Sport standards. It is also so fidgity on the motorway it makes my mother and better half feel sick. So as someone who got one without test driving I would recommend an extended test drive as the R may not be the golden goose so many think it is.

Exactly the kind of thing I was going to do. Cheers

I guess a lot of the posters on here buy with their dick rather than actually find out what a car is like before they buy it by the sounds of it.

[M-SportMatt]

Integroo said:

I'm thinking of buying a house soon. On the back of this, gonna ask Barratts if I can live in it for a week before I buy. Just to see if I like it. Awful lot of money to spend without doing so.

Thing is, some car dealers DO offer extended test drives, NO new housebuilder offers a test live in.

So really i don't remotely see your point.....

[M-SportMatt]

anothernameitist said:

How did you approach the dealer, phone or personal visit.

I'd say 2 hours is fine, but that's been done over.

I'd take a test drive with the dealer, at the end of test drive if you want the car, ask for an extended drive, get them to appraise your car and see what thje package is like.

If it's good for you push for 24hours, as a condition of the sale.

Not sure but Skoda are doing extended drives on some models, as a Skoda owner I'f put you in the direct of a Skoda Dealer

I just called them in the first instance, I know it's probably best if i pay them a visit and take a drive with the dealer, I guess I have leverage once he knows i'm serious and not after a joyride. Thanks for the info, I have thought of a 245 Octy Estate 7 sp DSG, not as dynamically good i guess but worth a look.

[M-SportMatt]

SpeckledJim said:

The dealer has a handful of people every week who want a high performance car free for the weekend.

They want it to go joy-riding. Now, you want the same thing, but you want it for sensible purchase-related reasons.

How is the dealer to tell the difference? If they let everyone who asks borrow a car, then it won't be there for you to have the 2 hours. And it'll probably get pranged every other weekend.

Put yourself in their shoes. How can they win?

By developing the skills to separate the wheat from the chaff and sell to genuine customers, they are in Sales after all, if they can be bluffed by joyriding scrotes then i suggest they may not be that good......but to be fair i haven't given them the chance yet as I haven't met them.

[M-SportMatt]

Dazed and Confused said:

Nail head.

Not really, as explained. Other dealers offer it as others have explained

[M-SportMatt]

48k said:

Perhaps they are better at sales then you give them credit for and you failed their attitude test over the phone?

Not really seeing as I have cash waiting to buy the right car.....I don't exist to buy cars, they exist to sell them.

[M-SportMatt]

Shaw Tarse said:

Generally dealers don't want cash.

Figure of speech....I have the means to purchase the car.

[M-SportMatt]

Rawwr said:

I can't understand why anyone would refuse you anything.

Are you retarded....the dealers exist to sell cars, I actively want to buy one and have the means. In what parallel universe wouldn't the dealer want to sell me a car when new car sales are falling on their arse for the first time in 5 years......

[M-SportMatt]

limpsfield said:

Achieves the same objective. Metal out the door - I think a 2 hour unaccompanied test drive is more than enough. This bloke is never going to buy a car, like a lot on here.

Yes that's right, i've never bought a new car for me or my wife car and i rollerskate everywhere

[M-SportMatt]

SpeckledJim said:

He's gently suggesting you are awkward and fussy and haughty and rude, and that, faced with the clearly golden opportunity to welcome you as a customer, he might think twice.

Not all deals are good deals.

Edited by SpeckledJim on Thursday 13th July 15:29

I was nothing but polite and normal to the salesman, people on here will get replies in the tone in which they comment.

[M-SportMatt]

Rawwr said:

I don't think you know what a proportionate response is.

I think most people with helpful posts have had pretty decent replies if you read back, those just arguing for fun or having a pop or being plain insulting, then i'm not really interested in them.

[M-SportMatt]

Rawwr said:

Fear not. I type this quite happily thinking about all the waiters who have served you your food over the years

Again another bizarre comment on a thread about test drives, you wouldn't have the first clue how i treat customer facing staff when i dine out, not a clue. Really, either say something remotely useful about test drives that isn't an opinion, as I didn't ask for those, or do us a favour and start your own thread to make your banal comments.

[M-SportMatt]

JH1952 said:

You've had your answer from the dealer, two hours is obviously enough for you to experience the car and get a real feel for it and the two hours is enough for them to know you're not using and abusing the car as a free hire car!

Thanks, dealt with that on Page 1.