If you search thru old posts you will see some dreamers on this forum drive from dealer to dealer asking for test drives. Then they come on the Forum and post treads like "Tom Drive's the New Evo IX"

These people make it hard for real buyers to get test drives. Would you buy a car with hundreds of test miles on it?

 

I agree totally. I don't want a car that has been test driven by multiple people. In fact, I would probably test drive one, and if I chose to buy, would buy a different one. It would be nice if each dealer had a demo car that was strictly for test drives. Dreaming, I know.

 

I went to the dealership and the were really serious about no test drives. So I go in a few weeks later and find this old sales guy that works only part time. He took no convincing. We both got in the new blue one on the lot and had a great time. He didn't even copy my driver's license or take my name! Guess you have to find the right guy at the right time...

 

I went to 3 different dealers and only one of them allowed test drives, but I had to give them almost every bit of information about me, they ran the info through and made sure I had enough credit and I actually can afford to buy the car. Then during the test drive the salesman that went with me was watching me REALLY closely, as if he'd tell me to get the f*** out if I tried anything funny with the car. It was none the less an new Evo I test drove, but I ended up buying somewhere else 'cause of a better deal and it was the only salesman didn't lie to my face. You can call the dealership ahead of time and ask if they allow test drives with the Evo, and when you get there make it sound as if you are really looking to buy A car, although not necessarily an Evo.

 

they didnt let me test drive my evo but it didn't matter i knew what it could do.
besides i would not have bought it if it had been driven before

 

I had no problems test driving a IX... guy basically let me do whatever I wanted...

 

I was able to test drive an evo the first time I went to a Mitsubishi dealer. I told them I wasn't going to spend 30k and not test drive. Took them 15-20 min to finally see that i was serious to pull the EVO out of the showroom.

I didn't end up buying that one. But atleast I had an idea of how it drove before i purchased my current one.

 

Having driven high performance cars before I got my Evo, there was no way I was going to put money down without driving it first, even if the reviews were all excellent. Being happy with the way a car drives is a personal thing, different for every person.

With that in mind I rolled up at a local dealer and was asked to sign a commitment to buy - with two witnesses present - before I went for a test drive. A commitment to buy, having received zero quotes for the cost! I declined, went to another dealer and bought from there after ten minutes of driving.

Stopping people from going on test drives is not a good way to sell cars. I do not doubt there are many dealers that have lost countless sales this way to other dealers that do allow test drives.

As for the cars getting hammered on test drives, there's no foolproof way around it. Buyers should look for cars with as few miles on as possible.

I think some good advice is always to go the showroom well dressed, and tell them exactly which car you wish to test drive. Perhaps throw in that you cannot possibly buy without driving the car first.

 

basically you just have to look like you want the car, i had to keep telling him i don't need to test drive it, i've been waiting for this car to come here since the evo5 i did drive my friends evo8...

 

drove on the lot with the vette.... test drove 5 mins later and bought it

 

Maybe...

 

i walked in the door, said i want to drive the evo i am getting rid of my lexus, they gave me a dealer plate and keys. off i went with no sales man in the car. It was funny when we started talking about different colors my sales man made/wanted me to drive every color. I thought it was weird but i got about an hour of seat time by myself before i decided to buy. This was at Peoples Mitsu in Las Vegas

 

I talked to the Dealer over the phone, he called me back, i setup a test drive, went in and test drove it, bought it wit like 20-30 miles on it. . . .they knew I was serious because I:
(1) Called ahead, showed knowledge of the car and interest
(2) Dressed well when I went
(3) Showed up on time for the appt to test drive it
(4) talked the talk and walked the walk. . .

Don't show up in scrubby shorts and a tshirt and expect to test drive a performance car. . . .maybe a ford focus, but not an EVo!

 

Talk to the guy a few times. I had a friend who used to work at a Mitsu dealer and on numerous occasions he told the person to pull over during the test drive and he drove back to the dealership.
Like posted show up dressed nice and it makes a big diff.

 

They wanted to know how much money I made before they let me test drive it. Once that all checked out....I bought it!! I was there in timberlands and sweatpants. hahaha