Test drives...

[Ekona]

On a serious note though, if you want to be taken seriously as a buyer then ring and make an appointment for a test drive as that way they're not either going to judge you on how you look, nor how much cash they think you might have. If they start taking the p*ss down the phone then you've only wasted a phonecall rather than any effort.

 

 

I've had incredibly rude dealers on the phone before who I've actually had to stop mid-sentence and tell them that they're treating me like crap, and that I won't be buying a car from them. Mentioning no names of course, but Cambridge and GT-R are two valuable words here. That said, I've also built up good relationships with dealers just by dropping in off the street on the off-chance too, so sometimes you just need to get lucky.

[rabbitstew]

On a serious note though, if you want to be taken seriously as a buyer then ring and make an appointment for a test drive as that way they're not either going to judge you on how you look, nor how much cash they think you might have. If they start taking the p*ss down the phone then you've only wasted a phonecall rather than any effort.

 

Now my experiences with this one always makes me laugh. I nearly always ring up first and tell them im coming to look at a particular car and would like a test drive. I guess really you shouldnt do this as it gives them chance to make sure that the car is all ready, warmed up and any problems are hidden - rather than catching them unawares. But, 8 out of 10 times ive pre-warned the garage im coming to look at a particular car, they have not even made an effort to get it ready for a test drive. Usually the car is about 5 cars deep on their forecourt, more often than not it has a flat battery. One I went to see had flat tyres, flat battery and was in their showroom, blocked in by about 4 cars. I really dont understand it. Sure, they may get the odd time waster who rings them up, but if someone was to go to the effort to call me and arrange a test drive, id damn well make sure i had the car sitting there, all perfect ready to go.

 

Its not just car dealers, i had the same thing with an R1 motorbike. Called up, reasured it was a lovely example. Drove 45miles to garage, they then couldnt find the keys to the bike, it had flat tyres, they had to pump these up, then move a load of bikes out of the way to wheel it out onto the forecourt, only to find the thing wouldnt start and no amount of jump starting would get it to go. I took great satisfaction in showing the sales man I had 7 grand in cash in my pocket and he`d just lost a sale as I walked off. He litterally came running after me begging me to stay. Needless to say I didnt.

[EH 370z]

On a serious note though, if you want to be taken seriously as a buyer then ring and make an appointment for a test drive as that way they're not either going to judge you on how you look, nor how much cash they think you might have. If they start taking the p*ss down the phone then you've only wasted a phonecall rather than any effort.

 

Now my experiences with this one always makes me laugh. I nearly always ring up first and tell them im coming to look at a particular car and would like a test drive. I guess really you shouldnt do this as it gives them chance to make sure that the car is all ready, warmed up and any problems are hidden - rather than catching them unawares. But, 8 out of 10 times ive pre-warned the garage im coming to look at a particular car, they have not even made an effort to get it ready for a test drive. Usually the car is about 5 cars deep on their forecourt, more often than not it has a flat battery. One I went to see had flat tyres, flat battery and was in their showroom, blocked in by about 4 cars. I really dont understand it. Sure, they may get the odd time waster who rings them up, but if someone was to go to the effort to call me and arrange a test drive, id damn well make sure i had the car sitting there, all perfect ready to go.

 

Its not just car dealers, i had the same thing with an R1 motorbike. Called up, reasured it was a lovely example. Drove 45miles to garage, they then couldnt find the keys to the bike, it had flat tyres, they had to pump these up, then move a load of bikes out of the way to wheel it out onto the forecourt, only to find the thing wouldnt start and no amount of jump starting would get it to go. I took great satisfaction in showing the sales man I had 7 grand in cash in my pocket and he`d just lost a sale as I walked off. He litterally came running after me begging me to stay. Needless to say I didnt.

 

Ahh, but, if the sales chappy is un-organised, and you are genuinely up for a deal, the best place you want the garage is on the back foot - no?

Also another outstanding way to achieve this, is to book the demo on line via a manufactures website, these are usually painfully under managed!

[docwra]

Mentioning no names of course, but Cambridge and GT-R are two valuable words here.

 

Weird that, Cambridge and GT-R wouldnt actually let me drive a 370, made me drive a GT-R instead. Must be the way you look

 

TBH, most dealers seem to know if you are the real deal or not - I went to a BMW garage a while back dressed like a tramp (Id been moving furniture) and driving my old 306 that hadnt seen a bucket and sponge for about 6 months. I was asking about the 1 Series M, so was outwardly a test pilot but I still got 1/2 hour of his time - unfortunately they had just sold the last one so a test drive etc wasnt on the cards but he did offer me a run out in an M3. I declined as Ive already driven two, but I was quite pleased I didnt get pushed out the door as quickly as possible

 

The only two places that Ive ever been refused were a Ford garage who wouldnt let me test drive a Focus RS without putting a deposit down (Id driven IS-F, GTR, 997C2S all in the same week ) and the prick that runs Hendon Way Motors, NW4, who got me down once to tell me he didnt have a co-driver available for a test drive and then a second time, after I called to let him know Id be there, when he told me Id have to book an appointment to test drive it. If you ever meet him, tell him from me he missed out on £45K of my money for being a supercilous tosser.

[docwra]

Oooh, and an even better one I got told about a little while ago, true story - a guy went to Helitech at Duxford, a bi-annual helicopter show and was looking around a £2m odd chopper when the sales person came over and asked him to move away from the aircraft. When he asked if he coud sit in the cockpit he was told no, that was for prospective customers aonly and actually the salesperson was very busy so could he just move on please.

 

As the guy left he found the samesperson and told her that not only had he just spent £3m on that other helicopter over there (next booth along), as the sales chap was so nice he had bought another £1.5m helicopter for his property in France too.

[Ekona]

Mentioning no names of course, but Cambridge and GT-R are two valuable words here.

 

Weird that, Cambridge and GT-R wouldnt actually let me drive a 370, made me drive a GT-R instead. Must be the way you look

 

Didn't even get as far as going up to see them, the bloke was so utterly rude on the phone insinuating that I was wasting his time and that I must be after one of the cheaper GT-Rs in stock and not a brand new one, especially as I was probably after top money for my 350Z which he obviously wasn't going to pay (all his words), to which I basically told him he was being utterly rude to a potential customer, that I didn't like his attitude in the slightest so promptly buggered off and bought the 911 instead.

 

He probably did me a favour in the end as I'm sure I'd have been seduced by the GT-R and bought one without even seeing if I could get into a Porker instead. Still, no reason to treat someone who may want to drop £60K on your doorstep like an idiot. Still rankles me, that one.

[Ian]

Now my experiences with this one always makes me laugh. I nearly always ring up first and tell them im coming to look at a particular car and would like a test drive. I guess really you shouldnt do this as it gives them chance to make sure that the car is all ready, warmed up and any problems are hidden - rather than catching them unawares. But, 8 out of 10 times ive pre-warned the garage im coming to look at a particular car, they have not even made an effort to get it ready for a test drive. Usually the car is about 5 cars deep on their forecourt, more often than not it has a flat battery. One I went to see had flat tyres, flat battery and was in their showroom, blocked in by about 4 cars. I really dont understand it. Sure, they may get the odd time waster who rings them up, but if someone was to go to the effort to call me and arrange a test drive, id damn well make sure i had the car sitting there, all perfect ready to go.

 

I had that when I went to an import place down in Southampton. I'd spoken to them a few times the week leading up to my visit & told them I was eager to test both GTRs as I was interested in buying one of them - I turn up after a three hour drive & the place seems to be locked up. After about 20 minutes looking around the 2 Skylines, someone popped out to see if they could help - I explained I had spoken to someone & made an appointment to come down which he didn't believe & tried to accuse me of wanting a joy ride (Yes, I have nothing better to do on my weekend off than take a 6 hour round trip for a joyride ) Eventually he phoned his boss who agreed to the test drive. Jump started the car, drove it all of a mile & it ran out of fuel The 2nd car had 2 flat tyres & big chunks of paint missing

[sasha@lazytrips]

The really amazing thing is that these people still manage to sell cars and make a living.

[AMT]

Most of the people I've dealt with while thinking about other cars (before I realised the Z was...the obvious choice ) have been brilliant. Guy at Honda egged me on with an S2000, had a... rather dissapointing time in my life where I thought about a new shape TT... test drove 2... 1 from Bentley in Hamilton... he was.. mad...I took it out, (flappy paddle box) and i hated it, instead of just one swift movement to slected a gear on a manual, your left there tappin away to go down the gears.. pain in the ar... anyway.. after I had drove it.. badly. He said "here ill take you out". Near crapped myself... way over 3 figure speed on the m74 and he was flying through traffic! lol. Although im sure hes used to faster stuff in there Other 1 was in the merc garage in hamilton also,other way about. Up the road to straven (i think?) and im behind a car... hes like "don't think we'll make it"...Gear drops and off i go.. "ok, maybe we will then.... " lol! But once again very helpful. Nicest of the all though, the guy at Alex Noble n' Sons. Really want to get my car off them. I'd go so far to ask for the same guy if hes still there.

[JetSet]

He said "here ill take you out". Near crapped myself... way over 3 figure speed on the m74 and he was flying through traffic! lol.

 

 

That's a good point, if you are buying privately ask the owner to drive the first few miles, watch to see if he warms it up properly or just guns it from cold...are his gear changes smooth, is he savage on the clutch or the brakes. I walked from a potential purchase of a Capri 2.8i many years ago, the owner drove like it a complete idiot.

 

 

Pete

[AMT]

Thats a good point to.. when I go to test drive "the one"... Ill be saying to the dealer.. drive it out the court, but I want to drive it from cold... and again when its heated up.