Test drives not allowed?
I also just go out to dealerships and test drive random cars if I have nothing to do and I dont know if its just how I present my self or what but typically I have never had a problem testing all kinds of vehicles from a bunch of the SRT line up to the new M3's, pontiac GXP solstice, Audi's etc...
Evolving Member
Joined: Sep 2008
Posts: 197
Likes: 0
From: Calgary, AB
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I don't get what you're saying. We're not talking minivans here, we're talking high performance vehicles. I've been in the car business for 8 years. I've sold everything from minivans to sports cars, from trucks and SUVs to economy cars to luxury cars. Its the high performance cars that some people show up and want to play with and have no intention of buying, they just want to rag on them. Same with convertibles on a sunny saturday afternoon. Young couples will show up and want to test drive them "alone" and I've been in situations where they'll take the car out for hours, show back up 100 miles later and say "they didn't like it, and will keep looking." Nobody seems to do that with a minivan. If a mom or couple shows up with or without their kids and they want to drive it, maybe go get the kids and put the car seats in, then hell yeah - I totally understand that. That's not what I'm talking about here. Minivan buyers typically don't care if there's a few miles on the vehicles they buy. Every once in a while yes, but most won't notice if there's 50, 150 miles or more. 300-500 miles? No problem, it was a dealer transfer, we drove it from Pensacola or Nashville, whatever. Sign here. Same goes with other common vehicles, a quick test drive around the block, no spinning tires, no drama, just getting aquainted with the car or truck. I totally understand that a lot people need to do that with a common, oridinary car. I don't, but others do.
I'm talking about a grown man who wants a sports car. IF people didn't insist on trying to beat on a car while driving it, maybe things would be different. If so many people weren't picky about buying sports cars with miles on them, things would be different.
I'm talking about a grown man who wants a sports car. IF people didn't insist on trying to beat on a car while driving it, maybe things would be different. If so many people weren't picky about buying sports cars with miles on them, things would be different.
Evolved Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 3
From: Birmingham, AL
Jaded, maybe. Frustrated no. If that was the case, I'd go do something else. I still love what I do. On the contrary, I do feel test drives are very necessary for the most part. 95% of what I sell are not new sports cars. So you are incorrect in your assesment of me. I do feel most buyers need to test drive a car before they buy, in fact I insist they do as it is an important closing tool. But new sports cars are different.
Well yea, i completely agree. Maybe i would have really liked the X and bought one. I am happy with my VIII though, and it was almost half the price. But that guy just goes out and beats on cars because he has nothing better to do, thats not really right.
Account Disabled
Joined: Feb 2008
Posts: 1,430
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From: Houston
Jaded, maybe. Frustrated no. If that was the case, I'd go do something else. I still love what I do. On the contrary, I do feel test drives are very necessary for the most part. 95% of what I sell are not new sports cars. So you are incorrect in your assesment of me. I do feel most buyers need to test drive a car before they buy, in fact I insist they do as it is an important closing tool. But new sports cars are different.
Evolved Member
Joined: Mar 2002
Posts: 4,312
Likes: 3
From: Birmingham, AL
i agree and disagree yeah its not right that there are those types of people. most dealers in my area they ride with you in the car and dont let you take it by yourself. but as far as new sports cars being different i would expect more test driving. if im chosing between a 135i,Genesis,Evo X,G8 all totally different cars in their own ways. before i decide to buy one i want to know how they are going to respond to me and is it suitable to me. all cars will give a different experience that you cant predict from just looking at it which is why i think all dealers should have a test car.
I will go on to say that the typical Mitsu, Pontiac and maybe even some Hyundai dealers are hurting, heck all dealers are hurting, but especially Mitsu and Pontiac. They may not be able to afford just keeping a demo around. Hell, they might only be getting one or two Evos, or in the case of the Hyundai, maybe limited supplies since its a new launch. A Pontiac dealer probably has a crap load of G8's sitting around, but maybe only one six speed GXP (just a hypothesis) and its not to be driven, their choice. I don't forsee getting a demo in a gen coupe being that hard, though. I don't really consider it a sports car per se. I think if I couldn't drive the GXP a regular G8 would give me the feel I need to decided wether I liked it or not. Having an extra 100hp means nothing on a demo.
That's a wide range of vehicles, I couldn't personally imagine having such a diverse group of cars that I couldn't narrow down just by stopping and thinking about it for a moment, but again - that's just me.
Last edited by GPTourer; Mar 9, 2009 at 11:03 AM.
Newbie
Joined: Aug 2008
Posts: 61
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From: saskatoon
try growing a moustache and wearing really dark shades. smoke a cigarette as you walk to the door of the dealership and talk about the crappy state of the economy. then as you walk up to the EVO say DAMN THIS IS SOMETHING MY NO GOOD KID OF MINE WOULD DRIVE! really absurdly then kick the tires and ask him if its got a HEMI. then take 2 hours to talk about how back in your day you had to pay a quarter to make a phone call at a phone booth.
I went to a local Mitsubishi dealership to try and get a test drive of an IX they had on the lot. I told them I was interested in the evo so he let me sit in it and what not. Then I wanted to take it for a test drive and the salesman denied me. He said I needed a $1000 deposit and proof of credit. I told him that was ridiculous and that if I dont test the car there is a 0 percent chance of me buying it. Well I got my test drive and a couple of months later I bought an evo.
Evolved Member
Joined: Apr 2008
Posts: 1,016
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From: Denver, CO
I have a few stories about test driving the evo.
A couple years ago, my boss introduced me to the world of the Evo. He told me all about the car, and when I was talking about test driving one, he was like "No way, they don't let you". Then he said he had an idea. So, he comes back a few minutes later after calling the dealership. He's told them that he's buying me a car as a bonus, and I need to test drive the Evo, then we've going to test drive the STI just down the street. Cash deal, no financing. We walked down there, handed them his credit card, test drove the evo, and never spoke with them again. Now, we didn't do this just for fun. I was serious about buying an evo, even though I didn't buy one until the other day.
Then a year ago before completing the deal on my 09 Lancer GTS, I decided to give the 08 Evo GSR a spin. They would only let me take it around the block. Not as far as any of the other cars. This was after being approved for financing and everything.
Then last week I went to the dealership to drive a ralliart. They had ZERO issues with that, even before checking me on everything. I drove the car, then came back the next day to drive one again. That's when I saw my Evo. I asked to drive it, and of course they had NO problems letting me, because it was used. However, I was also serious about buying a car.
IMO, it all depends on if you can show them how "money" you are...
A couple years ago, my boss introduced me to the world of the Evo. He told me all about the car, and when I was talking about test driving one, he was like "No way, they don't let you". Then he said he had an idea. So, he comes back a few minutes later after calling the dealership. He's told them that he's buying me a car as a bonus, and I need to test drive the Evo, then we've going to test drive the STI just down the street. Cash deal, no financing. We walked down there, handed them his credit card, test drove the evo, and never spoke with them again. Now, we didn't do this just for fun. I was serious about buying an evo, even though I didn't buy one until the other day.
Then a year ago before completing the deal on my 09 Lancer GTS, I decided to give the 08 Evo GSR a spin. They would only let me take it around the block. Not as far as any of the other cars. This was after being approved for financing and everything.
Then last week I went to the dealership to drive a ralliart. They had ZERO issues with that, even before checking me on everything. I drove the car, then came back the next day to drive one again. That's when I saw my Evo. I asked to drive it, and of course they had NO problems letting me, because it was used. However, I was also serious about buying a car.
IMO, it all depends on if you can show them how "money" you are...
The Long Beach Mitsubishi guys said the same thing to me when I went shopping. I expressed some serious interest in the Ralliart (mainly because of price point). They let me drive that one no problem. After some debate and the 0% I was approved for, they encouraged me to drive the Evo X and drive it... er, "hard."
It didn't take long after that for me to end up with an Evo.
It didn't take long after that for me to end up with an Evo.
The Long Beach Mitsubishi guys said the same thing to me when I went shopping. I expressed some serious interest in the Ralliart (mainly because of price point). They let me drive that one no problem. After some debate and the 0% I was approved for, they encouraged me to drive the Evo X and drive it... er, "hard."
It didn't take long after that for me to end up with an Evo.
It didn't take long after that for me to end up with an Evo.
My dad once tried to test drive a Viper and they wouldn't do it. He's not a tire kicker either- He bought a GT3 Porsche and a Z06 within a years time. I guess they didn't have a demo car.
I had 0 problems test driving both the GSR and MR at my dealership. I just pulled up, said that I was possibly interested in getting an Evo, but didn't know if I'd like the manual or the paddle shifters. Within minutes I was driving down the road in a new MR, and after I decided that the paddles were too boring, we took a GSR out too. No paperwork, just a photocopy of my license.
That said, pulling up im my Lotus Exige probably helped my cause...
That said, pulling up im my Lotus Exige probably helped my cause...