Scheduling a test drive??

[mike7139]

So I been in the market for a car lately and been checking around online at local area dealerships. Alot of dealers have online chat and I love using that feature. My question is why does every dealer always want me to schedule a test drive? Whats the purpose of scheduling a test drive? Most dealers I have went to in the past have multiple salespersons outside and when they see you drive up they pretty much are all over you within 5 seconds lol. I am almost 100% sure that if I pull into a car dealership I will get assistance right away without needing to make an appointment unless dealers are lightly staffed nowadays?

 

[John_K]

Originally Posted By: mike7139
So I been in the market for a car lately and been checking around online at local area dealerships. Alot of dealers have online chat and I love using that feature. My question is why does every dealer always want me to schedule a test drive? Whats the purpose of scheduling a test drive? Most dealers I have went to in the past have multiple salespersons outside and when they see you drive up they pretty much are all over you within 5 seconds lol. I am almost 100% sure that if I pull into a car dealership I will get assistance right away without needing to make an appointment unless dealers are lightly staffed nowadays?


To get your personal info so they can keep pushing you to buy.

John

 

[AandPDan]

They want you to schedule an appointment so you'll ask for that salesperson when you come in. No one else will then get the commission.

They aren't just chatting for fun, they want your sale.

 

[The_Jeff]

It is one of many goals the managers push on the plebes.

Depending on the dealership, if you take a test drive then don't buy, it's worse for the salesman than if you never walked in, in the first place.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Yup. Plus by scheduling it, you make some kind of a commitment, which is worth more than no commitment at all. You are then more likely to actually show up at their door. And even if you end up not showing up, they have your phone/email, so they can keep bugging you to eventually come in. It's just a means of starting the conversation and eventually bringing you in.

Now with some more rare cars, it's actually not a bad idea to call the dealer ahead because chances are they don't have a specific car you're interested in driving on the lot.

 

[abycat]

Here is our new car experiance.
Me and the wife were looking for a new car. That was about 2-weeks ago. We were just looking on line at the in town dealers and noticed a couple of cars that caught our eye. We were looking at the b200 some kia's and some nissans. The wife wanted a smaller HB car.

There was this darn good condition versa at the lot where I wash there cars (nissan) right beside the mercedes lot which I also wash their cars. So I got home from work and chilled with the ol ball and chain and we were kinda bored so i asked her if She wanted to look at a couple cars for kicks.

She agreed and made me promise we would not buy a car that day. She did as well. We stopped at the nissan dealer where I wash at and saw the little versa we saw on their web site.

Now more than 6 seconds one of the sales guy came out to greet us. I have seen this one around but havent talked too much with him. Great guy none the less.

It was very cold that day like -10 celsius. He ran out to greet us and asked if we wanted to take it for a spin. we said sure might as well. He went back in to grab the keys and an extra coat for the wife. which I thougt was super nice. It was obviously someones personal coat so that was very nice. We looked at the car for 5- minutes checking out the room and I sat in every seat and of course checked under the hood and oil cap. After that we took it for a 10 minute test drive and when we got back to the dealer he asked us how we felt about it. We gave an honest opinion which was a two thumbs up one and we went inside and bought the car. I got friends and family pricing on all the stuff and even got a moonroof to be installed next week i think. The install guy is super swamped but the good news is he will have my car for 4 days and during that time the wife gets a b200 loaner.

Super great experiance and wonderfull staff at the nissan dealer in my city. Darn nice 2011 nissan versa just over 12,000$, the look on the wifes face when she drove her new car home (priceless)

 

[Eddie]

Aside from the conspiracy theories presented here, there may be a legitimate reason. To make sure the vehicle you might be interested in is available and not on a coffee run. In addition; it gives the dealer a chance to make sure it is clean, gasses up and ready to go.

 

[abycat]

Thats a good point. our car was not bad outside cause thats my department every week on friday. It did have just under 3/4 of a tank and the inside wasnt too bad. When we were doing the paperwork i got a fill-up and a inside and outside full detail and it was warmed up for the ride home.

 

[bluestream]

Originally Posted By: mike7139
My question is why does every dealer always want me to schedule a test drive? Whats the purpose of scheduling a test drive?


You haven't ever worked in sales have you son?

 

[abycat]

Thats as well a good point. I have and i can tell you once you have something in the customers hands that is nicer, newer or just plain cooler its hard not to sell it. the face palm smiley besides being a little mean is a cool smiley.

 

[rg200amp]

The general American public are predictable.

And the dealers know this.

They want you to schedule the test drive because they are in the "know".

They "know" your in the market for a new car.

They "know" there is a lot of competition out there with other car dealers/car makers.

They "know" that once they get you in the car and let you drive it, your going to want it. Your not going to want to leave in your old car that your trying the get rid of.

Hook, line, and sinker.

I have had sales managers get angry with me for not wanting to test drive the car I was looking at buying right away.

Test drives are great to see how the car runs. But for the average person, the test drive is just a sales tactic to get you to buy it. Here you are, driving around the exact car YOU WANT! What?!? I have to get out? Give back the keys???

No No No!!!! Head right on inside with the salesman. Sign a few papers and it's yours!!!!!


Nothing wrong with that tactic. It's a great sale's pitch. Give them what they want, take it away, then offer to sell it to them.

Heck, when I was 18, I was shopping for my M3. I wanted a manual trans, but the only one around my area at the time, was a auto. Took it for a test drive and my mind was made up I was not leaving the car lot with out owning this M3 before I even parked the darn thing.

So, that is why car dealers want you to do the test drive.

And, most high end dealers like Jag, BMW, Benz, ect. . . will offer "overnight" test drives to qualified buyers where the potential buyer is allowed to take the car their thinking about buying home for the night and to bring it back the next day to decide if they want to buy it.

Cha Ching!

Give a man a brand new BMW 7 series and let him park it in his drive way for the night and see if he wants to give it back the next day!!!!!

 

[sciphi]

Scheduling a test drive means you have some kind of commitment. Studies have shown that folks who commit to a date feel guilty when they have to back out. Either way, they've got you. If you show up, they can start the sales process. If you don't, you're more likely to show up sometime in the future.

 

[Rock_Hudstone]

I don't even like to call and ask if a certain model is in stock, let alone make an appointment.

I want to catch them off guard if I can and appear as disinterested as possible, even though I already may know all about the particular car I want and on what terms I'll buy.

Also, as mentioned the "schedule a test drive" bit is just a tactic to get you in the door, build a personal rapport with the customer and make them feel obligated somehow.. Don't fall for it, the salesman/dealer is not your friend, their main objective is to sell you a car for the highest price possible.

 

[rjundi]

It has saved me time and irritation of my wife who walks out if they make us wait, salesman is busy or car is not parked in front.

 

[hattaresguy]

They are trying to get you in so they can sell you.

Test drives are easy, go in and tell them you want to drive it.

 

[jigen]

Reminds me of my test drive experience with my Golf. Go in there unannounced looking to test drive the only 2.5l 5-speed Golf they have on the lot. The sales guy (who was pretty young) told me they didn't have any. He asked me if I wanted to test drive a 6-speed GTI instead. After telling him that wasnt what I was looking for he showed me the 2.5l autos on the lot.

After I said thanks but no thanks, the sales manager grabbed him to see what the deal was. The sales manager then called me over. He had the 5speed, just wasnt prepped at all. He grabbed it for me and I took it for a drive. I ended up dealing solely with him. I guess the salesman didn't make enough money off a manual golf with the 2.5l.

 

[AdRock]

I've bought 1 brand new car in my life and I almost beat the life out of the closer that tries to sell you all the add on junk and gives you the loan terms. He was irritated because i wouldn't buy the extended warranty, undercoat, blah blah blah. When I said I wasn't happy with the loan terms and that I guessed i just couldn't afford the car the guy threw down the folder, said "I didn't waste all this time to not sell a f-ing car, then stormed out of the office and slammed the door.

At that point I lost it. I chased him around the showroom for 2 or 3 minutes until the salesman I was dealing with came running in. I told the salesman that he loast a sale because of that guy and that I better not see his face again.

I got a call from the GM the next morning asking me what happened. I explained everything and he asked me what he needed to do to get me to buy the car. I told him exactly how much I wanted for the two old cars I was trading in, told him what price I wanted, how long I wanted the loan to be, a maximum % rate I would pay, and a maximum monthly payment that I would pay.

He asked me to give him 30 minutes and he would call me back. Exactly 30 minutes later he calls and says, DONE. I got everything I wanted so I told him he held up his end so I'd honor mine. I also told him that if I saw the guy from the night before that I would beat him relentlessly until I got tired. He laughed and informed me that he had fired the guy.

I picked up the car that night from the sales guy and the GM.


From now on if I buy a car it will be a yes or no question for the salesman.

I will pay this much, for this vehicle, yes or no? Simple and to the point.

 

[VicVinegar]

Originally Posted By: sciphi
Scheduling a test drive means you have some kind of commitment. Studies have shown that folks who commit to a date feel guilty when they have to back out. Either way, they've got you. If you show up, they can start the sales process. If you don't, you're more likely to show up sometime in the future.


Exactly. In my short time selling cars, any phone call (it was before internet was so big with dealers) was an opportunity to get someone into the showroom. In fact the sales manager basically told us to lie to get people into the showroom. If you called to ask if we had a black Elantra (I sold Hyundais) like the one in the ad, I was supposed to say "Yes", no matter what the inventory actually said. Once you were there, we would apologize and try to get you on another car.

As far as the test drive, the idea was that a test drive can help seal the deal. We wanted you to interact with the car, feel like it was "your" car.

 

[rpn453]

I don't know how many times I've gone on a test drive as either the driver or passenger. Maybe 30 or 40. Every time, I've just gone to the dealer, asked to test drive a certain model/trim of car or a specific car that was advertised, and was on the road in it within a few minutes.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: rpn453
I don't know how many times I've gone on a test drive as either the driver or passenger. Maybe 30 or 40. Every time, I've just gone to the dealer, asked to test drive a certain model/trim of car or a specific car that was advertised, and was on the road in it within a few minutes.

Back in 2001, I wanted to test drive a 325i manual. I called 3 different BMW dealers in my area and none of them had one on the lot. I'm glad I called. Otherwise I would have just wasted my time driving around.