I'd be interested in taking a few test drives, specifically a Z4 roadster as it's a serious contemplation for my next car. Do you always get a test drive with the salesperson in the car with you? Is there any way to arrange to have a car for the day to really see what it's like to live with?
Test drives!
- Thread starter 86JR
- Start date
Potentially, I would say go for a test drive with the salesman and afterwards say you have some concerns with how it would be day to day. Then ask him if its possible to do an extended 24 hr test drive. If your interested and they need the sale then they might do it. I think some dealers have done it in the past but it tends to be with new cars.
Many car dealers are idiots and will form an opinion on a person based on how they are dressed without any form of discussion or engagement. I have experienced this on more than one occasion and I simply walk out as it's ALWAYS their loss but at the same time I am not seeking to simply 'have a drive' in a few cars!
If I walk into a showroom there is a good opportunity for someone to sell me something as I am interested. How you dress will have an impact on the idiots above but any good sales person and there are plenty out there will engage you in conversation and how you come across at this point will determine how serious you are taken, which is fair in my book as sales people have a job to do and they need to qualify each and every opportunity. If they were all accomplished our OP wouldn't get a test drive but would leave feeling well served as he has no intention of buying a car and the "yes but I will in the future and want to evalutate some options" is, we all know, crap in most cases. Good sales people will spot this, deal with you professionaly and let you leave while they focus on winning proper business.
The good news for our OP is much of the motor trade is made up of poor sales people so you will get attitdue, with no real customer engagement based on how you dress, rudeness......and plenty of test drives.
If I walk into a showroom there is a good opportunity for someone to sell me something as I am interested. How you dress will have an impact on the idiots above but any good sales person and there are plenty out there will engage you in conversation and how you come across at this point will determine how serious you are taken, which is fair in my book as sales people have a job to do and they need to qualify each and every opportunity. If they were all accomplished our OP wouldn't get a test drive but would leave feeling well served as he has no intention of buying a car and the "yes but I will in the future and want to evalutate some options" is, we all know, crap in most cases. Good sales people will spot this, deal with you professionaly and let you leave while they focus on winning proper business.
The good news for our OP is much of the motor trade is made up of poor sales people so you will get attitdue, with no real customer engagement based on how you dress, rudeness......and plenty of test drives.
I'm 19 and in the last 6 months I've test driven the following: Focus ST, Civic Type R, Golf GTi, Mini Cooper S and Astra VXR.
Phoned up to pre-book, said it was looking for a hot hatch had 15k to splash and was looking round. When it came to the bit at the end I always just said I needed to drive car XYZ before I made my mind up. Honda have called me about 10 times over the past 3 months (I've got the number saved and always just ignore the call) but the others have not bothered me.
Ford was the easiest. Most dealerships do have a no under 21's or under 25's but it's really up to the individual if they let you have a go.
Phoned up to pre-book, said it was looking for a hot hatch had 15k to splash and was looking round. When it came to the bit at the end I always just said I needed to drive car XYZ before I made my mind up. Honda have called me about 10 times over the past 3 months (I've got the number saved and always just ignore the call) but the others have not bothered me.
Ford was the easiest. Most dealerships do have a no under 21's or under 25's but it's really up to the individual if they let you have a go.
I've not had any test drives in car despite saying I'd do it loads of times. I just didn't like the idea of messing the people around to be honest. I doubt I'd struggle to get test drives apart from in the Cayman (S2000, Cayman, Z4 3.0si / Z4M are the ones I had in mind) All genuine car's that I will be considering coming change time...but I will just wait until I'm in a position to start getting serious.
Unless one weekend I'm utterly bored...
Unless one weekend I'm utterly bored...
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Nah I wouldn't go test drive stuff unless I was actually looking to buy, I don't believe in wasting people's time.
Oh, and the Golf was easy. Phoned ahead, told him I was looking at a 1.4TSI and wanted to give it a go while it's in stock. As I liked it the most, I left my number with the instruction to call me as soon as they get a 140bhp version in.
Was no trouble getting the test drive arranged. He checked my driving licence, I signed an insurance form, and off we went for just over half an hour.
Oh, and the Golf was easy. Phoned ahead, told him I was looking at a 1.4TSI and wanted to give it a go while it's in stock. As I liked it the most, I left my number with the instruction to call me as soon as they get a 140bhp version in.
Was no trouble getting the test drive arranged. He checked my driving licence, I signed an insurance form, and off we went for just over half an hour.