Not test driving a car before buying it

[SilverC6]

Depending on the car, some dealers don't want to rack up a lot of miles on their new vehicles.

Of course, when you are about to buy, I always insist on a test drive, even if it means getting it out of the showroom through the big glass doors.

 

[HerrStig]

One can find a hundred reviews of a toaster on Amazon- for what they are worth- it's harder to find 20 for an automobile, perhaps because the stakes are higher.

 

[Skittles]

Originally Posted By: Pop_Rivit
Originally Posted By: Skittles
No offense but there is a big difference between a 1000 dollar fridge and a 10,000-40,000 dollar car.


It's an analogy, not a comparison. There is some abstract comprehension required that isn't beyond the ability of most intelligent adults.


It's your money. You want to throw down more money than you have brain cells come hit me up. Your my kind of people lol.

 

[Vikas]

Do you how many things which we found out that we did wrong even after building our own house for multiple hundred thousand dollars? If only we could have lived in that house for few months before purchasing it

 

[InfmousCornholio]

Originally Posted By: SilverC6
Depending on the car, some dealers don't want to rack up a lot of miles on their new vehicles.

Of course, when you are about to buy, I always insist on a test drive, even if it means getting it out of the showroom through the big glass doors.


The days are coming when Honda joins the ranks of the marques that has their vehicles roped off, or locked, with ornery salespeople and security standing there to make sure that you don't look at it wrong before they start readying themselves to escort you away from it at the auto shows.

 

[Plumber]

On day three with the City Express test drive for me. Going to be my mobile office, want to cover all bases....I hope!

 

[mrsilv04]

Originally Posted By: Skittles
No offense but there is a big difference between a 1000 dollar fridge and a 10,000-40,000 dollar car.


To some people, there isn't. I work with a whole bunch of them.

 

[Hootbro]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
............

My wife hates car shopping. If it wasn't for me, she would not be test driving anything either. She'd just go sit in a few and would pick the one with the best looking interior and exterior. Driving dynamics: what's that?




My wife is the same way. The last three cars we bought for her primary driver, she sat in the back while I and the salesman drove upfront. Something about she feels "intimidated" driving during a test drive with a salesman next to her. All she cared about was the cup holders and vanity mirror.

 

[aquariuscsm]

Every car I've bought from a dealer I've kept over the weekend. Driving dynamics,drivability,ergonomics,etc are things I can't detect with a short test drive. I'd never buy a car without a test drive and/or sight unseen.

Every car my family bought when we were growing up,they always kept over the weekend too.

 

[Win]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
It amazes me how some people don't do this before shelling out a good hunk of change on a car.

....


Some things are pretty predictable.

A Jaguar is going to drive like a Jaguar. A Honyota will be a honyota.

I rarely test drive a car. I like cars; they're just not a big deal to me. I doubt I'm unique.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
It amazes me how some people don't do this before shelling out a good hunk of change on a car.

I bought these cars without a test drive, didn't even seat in the car before signed purchase papers, only get inside the car the first time after paid with cashier check.

1984 Accord LX
1986 Accord LX-i
2000 E430
2004 S2000

1984 Accord LX: Ordered the car at MSRP end of 1983, waited 2-3 months, paid for it then drive off.

1986 Accord LX-i: Ordered the car in late summer 1985 with some discount, waited 7-8 months, paid for it then drive off.

2000 E430: Ordered the car in late November 1999 with $2,000 discount from MSRP, waited 5 months, paid for it then drive off.

2004 S2000: Bought online in November 2003 with $800 discount from MSRP, paid for it then drive off.

1994 LS400 is a little different, bought online in November 1993 with $2000 discount from MSRP, did a test drive about 10-15 minutes before signed papers.

These cars were the best in its class at hat time, there was no reason to test drive anything else or test drive these cars either.

The only exception is MB E430, I liked BMW 540 better but my wife like MB E-class better, the main reason was her brother had 1998 E420 and he loved it so my wife want similar car. So I only had 2 choices: E320 or E430, I selected E430 for the V8 engine and firmer suspension.

I never regretted my purchase decision without test drive these cars before signed papers.

 

[Quattro Pete]

I was waiting for HTSS_TR to chime in.

 

[Skittles]

Originally Posted By: Vikas
Do you how many things which we found out that we did wrong even after building our own house for multiple hundred thousand dollars? If only we could have lived in that house for few months before purchasing it


yeah, you screwed up big time.

 

[SatinSilver]

Originally Posted By: Skittles
It's your money. You want to throw down more money than you have brain cells come hit me up. Your my kind of people lol.


At least he has more brain cells to know the difference between, "your" and "you're", LOL.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Originally Posted By: Quattro Pete
I was waiting for HTSS_TR to chime in.

I know that I was one of the very weirdos who would take chance in buying cars without a test drive.

Sedans, compact or mid-size, are sedans; There isn't much difference between 1 sedan to another. But a "sport car" like S2000 is much different with any sedan. The seat is much lower, the outward view is much different, the suspension is much firmer, the manual transmission is much different with AT and I didn't drive an MT car for more than 15-20 years ... I didn't even seat in any S2000, AP1 or AP2, but I bought it and hoped that it was similar to S800 Honda I had in early 1970's. When I drove off the dealer lot, I was very please with my purchase as soon as the car rolling in first gear.

 

[Skittles]

Originally Posted By: satinsilver
Originally Posted By: Skittles
It's your money. You want to throw down more money than you have brain cells come hit me up. Your my kind of people lol.


At least he has more brain cells to know the difference between, "your" and "you're", LOL.


Oh I see his wife came to his rescue. How you doing?

 

[GiveMeAVowel]

There might be a screw loose with some of these types of folks.

After all the seat could be the difference between excruciating pain or great comfort. How would you know that unless you sat in the thing, and exactly it isn't like spending 1K on a typical fridge, they all accomplish the same thing and the only true difference is styling and door location. A car might still be considered an appliance but you must actually live in it to some degree.

 

[Panzerman]

I bought my Dodge Ram 2500 without test driving it. I drove other trucks, all 1500's though. I just knew what I wanted. You always order new big trucks, I am talking semi's. You never get it till it comes in. I never drove any of them before I picked them up. We are talking a $100,000 + purchase. Know what, ever new year was better than the last one. People design them to handle better every. We bought GMC General. Volvo, White Frieghtliner and Ford Louisville. I never drove one before buying them.

 

[Doog]

Originally Posted By: mclasser
Some of them said they didn't test drive the car period and others said they only went around the block or on the short pre-set route.


What the heck?? I mean you wouldn't get married without testing out the wife to be now would ya??

 

[dlayman]

Originally Posted By: GiveMeAVowel
There might be a screw loose with some of these types of folks.

After all the seat could be the difference between excruciating pain or great comfort. How would you know that unless you sat in the thing, and exactly it isn't like spending 1K on a typical fridge, they all accomplish the same thing and the only true difference is styling and door location. A car might still be considered an appliance but you must actually live in it to some degree.


Excellent point. In fact I've owned two cars I had to trade in short order as they aggregated my long ago shattered kneecap. Ironically, both of these cars I had on overnight test periods, and the problems weren't apparent. Often times, it takes weeks for these problems to present themselves, and no dealer is likely to allow that. One was a 2004 Honda CRV, the other a 2014 Corolla. I have bought 3 cars without test driving them, all Honda Civics as there was little to no change from the previous model and never had a problem. I agree it isn't a good practice though, as you may find a defect with the particular car you're driving. Equally important is a thorough visual inspection to find cosmetic defects, and this is something I do spend a fair amount of time doing. All my purchasing is done on line and all the Civics were bought from the same salesman and same dealer. I figure out what deal I want, tell him and about 15 minutes later, he calls me back, complains about how they're not making any money but because I'm such a loyal customer.....lol. my first civic I bought was my still owned now beater 2005. My now ex-wife bought a 2009. I then bought a 2011 coupe as it was essentially the same car. I then updated to a 2013, as I wanted my manual transmission back. The 2013 suffered a series of bad luck incidents that gave it a bad case of road rash, a sizable hood dent, and some interior fabric stains. As the 2015 is very close to the same car, I was comfortable without a test drive. None of my Hondas has ever had a defect, mechanical or cosmetic, so I've never been burned, but it isn't a good practice. In general I just don't have a lot of time to spend at the deaership due to a long workday and commute, and they are two hours from my home, but I really should find a way to spend some more time on such an important purchase.