How Long is too Long for a Test Drive?

[Coprolite]

I tend to agree on the "don't test drive unless serious" opinion, but I will be facing a similar dilemma soon. I will be moving to a new town and we'll be getting a 3 car garage for convenience and forward compatibility with a potential sporty car down the line. While I don't plan on buying a used 911 now, it is on the cards for a few years from now when stacked up against the C7 Vette and F80 M3. I do plan on test driving a used 911 sometime soon and won't have any qualms with adding mileage to whatever is there from the first owner. I do want to know what is the least powerful engine that I would like and how the car fits me before I dream about what I want and keep an eye open for the properly priced and equipped example to show up on the market when I have the money ready.

I will also tell the salesmen when I am just starting the car search, as I like to test 2-4 competing models before buying. Therefore I don't usually buy on the first visit. If the salesman tries to pressure me after the drive to buy, I feel less motivated to give him the business. If he pushes, I will actually haggle to see how low I can get him before leaving. After all, I warned him that no purchase would happen that day but he went by the pressure cooker sales recipe.

 

[Benzadmiral]

I don't think it's unfair to the dealership, or the salesman, to test drive a car without being 100% serious. You need to know what a given model of car is like. The car might look great, and sound fine in online reviews; but when you drive it you find it's tinny or slow or cheap-feeling in some other way. That's a data point: "Here is a car I won't consider when I'm ready." Conversely, if you like the car a lot, your data point is "Here's a car I will consider!"

You also want to know what the "culture" is like at that particular dealer: if they're high-pressure or laid-back, if they'll let you take a decent test drive, if you get the feeling you're an annoyance to them or that they know almost nothing about the cars they're hawking.

So you put a few miles on the car. That's what the car will have to deal with in its life, whether that's with you or with someone else. You want to know how it handles hot weather, or rain, or cold. (No, I wouldn't go test drive something with a hurricane or a snowstorm coming!)

Now, if your favorite salesman, the one you've dealt with before, is busy with a customer, no, you shouldn't draw him away from that so you can test out a car for a few minutes. Let's be reasonable. But that's what salesmen are there for, in part: to show you the cars, to let you try one out.

When I test drove a couple of used Lexus cars at the local dealership in May of '04, I was not really ready to buy -- I still liked my '86 420SEL too much -- but I liked the saleslady, who was not high-pressure at all. It turned out beautifully for both of us. She got a used C-Class in, and called me about it, just two days before my 420SEL got totalled. If I hadn't decided on a lark to "check Lexus out" in May, she wouldn't have known to call me in July. I hardly think my first trip out there was a waste of time for the dealership or for her, or for me.

 

[eljefino]

If you show up say you're "just looking." If they offer a test drive say, seriously, just looking, but maybe can I go around the block???

If you pity the salesman know that his boss will be breathing down his neck if he gets you behind the wheel but neglects to seal the deal.

 

[TechnoLoGs]

Originally Posted By: eljefino
If you show up say you're "just looking." If they offer a test drive say, seriously, just looking, but maybe can I go around the block???

If you pity the salesman know that his boss will be breathing down his neck if he gets you behind the wheel but neglects to seal the deal.


Just gotta make sure they turn the radios off and dont talk the WHOLE time on those dealership test drives.

 

[Stanley Rockafeller]

Back a long time ago when I sold cars for Ford and Toyota, I'd make sure I went along for the test drives with the ppl. I also ensured everyone that we are not going to do any "little" run, and that I totally support taking it up some mountain passes, and winding roads, since that's how I'd test drive somethign before I bought it!

It was those ppl. who would only take a "small" test drive, that I knew I was wasting my time. As they clearly have no interest other than to waste my time and theirs.

I think a solid 30 minutes with or without the salesperson is all I'd need to really seal the deal for me.

But having the ability to take something home for the night to see if/how it fits into the parkade I park in seems like a good idea, and a solid idea to get me to buy it.

 

[NHHEMI]

Originally Posted By: Benzadmiral
I don't think it's unfair to the dealership, or the salesman, to test drive a car without being 100% serious. You need to know what a given model of car is like. The car might look great, and sound fine in online reviews; but when you drive it you find it's tinny or slow or cheap-feeling in some other way. That's a data point: "Here is a car I won't consider when I'm ready." Conversely, if you like the car a lot, your data point is "Here's a car I will consider!"

You also want to know what the "culture" is like at that particular dealer: if they're high-pressure or laid-back, if they'll let you take a decent test drive, if you get the feeling you're an annoyance to them or that they know almost nothing about the cars they're hawking.

So you put a few miles on the car. That's what the car will have to deal with in its life, whether that's with you or with someone else. You want to know how it handles hot weather, or rain, or cold. (No, I wouldn't go test drive something with a hurricane or a snowstorm coming!)

Now, if your favorite salesman, the one you've dealt with before, is busy with a customer, no, you shouldn't draw him away from that so you can test out a car for a few minutes. Let's be reasonable. But that's what salesmen are there for, in part: to show you the cars, to let you try one out.

When I test drove a couple of used Lexus cars at the local dealership in May of '04, I was not really ready to buy -- I still liked my '86 420SEL too much -- but I liked the saleslady, who was not high-pressure at all. It turned out beautifully for both of us. She got a used C-Class in, and called me about it, just two days before my 420SEL got totalled. If I hadn't decided on a lark to "check Lexus out" in May, she wouldn't have known to call me in July. I hardly think my first trip out there was a waste of time for the dealership or for her, or for me.


I agree with what you are saying BUT remember the OP isn't going to buy for 2+ years and he isn't going to buy new. So none of the dealers that let him test drive will make a sale. The OP is using the dealers with no intention to buy from anny of them. THAT is my issue.