Test drives

[CatmanV2]

Open question: Test Drives. Are they important any more?

With so much advocacy around PPIs and history checks, video walk rounds, warranties and so on does viewing and riving a car actually add anything?

I know, emotionally, what my answer is, but logically what do we 'think'? (Careful placement of quotation marks there...)

C

 

[mjheathcote]

I didn't test drive my M140i before purchase. It was a year old and only 3K miles.
I did test drive another identical model though at another car dealer a week before though.
I wouldn't buy a car I hadn't drove before at all though.

 

[CatmanV2]

I didn't test drive my M140i before purchase. It was a year old and only 3K miles.
I did test drive another identical model though at another car dealer a week before though.
I wouldn't buy a car I hadn't drove before at all though.

But you did, or am I reading it wrong? You bought a car you didn't drive? I get it, though. You bought another (identical) car.....?

Or am I missing something?

C

 

[schell70]

I was about to say that I would never buy a car without a test drive but then realised I have! I drove a friend's X3 one weekend and ordered a new one as a Company Car based upon that, but guess it wasn't really mine so it's different?

However, I once nearly bought a Ferrari 348 without test driving it having driven one before, glad I did though as it was awful compared to the previous one - bouncing all over the place and extremely nervous - needed all the suspension seeing to.

Guess it depends.....

 

[CatmanV2]

Guess it depends.....

Dunnit just?

C

 

[rockits]

The last blue TVR I just bought was bought blind and never driven. Normally on a TVR that is a high risk strategy but I knew the cars history or knew it would be pretty mint. Still haven't driven it yet but it looks nice in the garage!

I never drive the wife's Discovery Sport as I didn't really care what it drove like as it was what she wanted.

Never drove the Alfa GT, never drove my 4200 but was allowed to be a passenger, never drove the XJL SuperSport, drove the 306 GTi-6, drove the 206 GTi 180, never drove the Hyundai V6 Coupe.

There seems to be a pattern here! I would normally view and drive cars but sometimes it is just too much time and effort. I'd probably say I've been 50/50 as to cars I've viewed and driven against the others I've bought blind for whatever reason.

 

[CatmanV2]

The last blue TVR I just bought was bought blind and never driven. Normally on a TVR that is a high risk strategy but I knew the cars history or knew it would be pretty mint. Still haven't driven it yet but it looks nice in the garage!

I never drive the wife's Discovery Sport as I didn't really care what it drove like as it was what she wanted.

Never drove the Alfa GT, never drove my 4200 but was allowed to be a passenger, never drove the XJL SuperSport, drove the 306 GTi-6, drove the 206 GTi 180, never drove the Hyundai V6 Coupe.

There seems to be a pattern here! I would normally view and drive cars but sometimes it is just too much time and effort. I'd probably say I've been 50/50 as to cars I've viewed and driven against the others I've bought blind for whatever reason.

So you seem to be leaning to the 'Not that important' camp?

C

 

[JJbing]

Vital for me, as I like to think I’d feel anything wrong that could be hidden through being on a passenger ride.
Distance selling laws have killed the need for a test drive though, as you could in theory drive a car for a week then reject it without reason (if buying from a registered dealer).

 

[rockits]

So you seem to be leaning to the 'Not that important' camp?

C

I think it does depend on the car and also the seller. Most of my blind buys have been from either people I knew or knew of the car or found plenty out about it so it was less blind I guess.

There are plenty of cars that I went to see and walked away from. I knew I had to make the time/effort to see these and was proven right in most cases as have walked away from 50% of the cars I went to view.

You can get a real feel for a car and a seller before even bothering to go to see it by just doing loads of internet graft. As you know it is amazing what you can find out sometimes by looking hard enough for long enough.

I think any car that has a potential to be an expensive disaster has to be viewed. You could still view it and it be a nice example then buy it only to find you get unlucky down the line later on. Not too much you can do about bad luck on a good car.

However on the flip side to go to view a potentially ruinous car that looks good in pics with a good seller can easily be a dog when you get there. Maybe the seller doesn't know what they are selling or does and trying to hide something. You just get a gut feeling about the car and the seller often that really is exposed in the flesh eye to eye that is harder to ascertain over the phone or email.

 

[mjheathcote]

But you did, or am I reading it wrong? You bought a car you didn't drive? I get it, though. You bought another (identical) car.....?

Or am I missing something?

C

I didn't test drive the car I actually bought, but did test drive an identical car earlier.

 

[empzb]

Depends what you're after. I've always test driven cars. A few have put me off and saved me money. A few I've bought knowing there are issues the dealer needs to sort. A few I've not noticed problems and cost me. For work horses, I'd be less inclined. For something I want to have more of an attachment too, I'd probably want a drive before handing over cash. New, nah just take my money - but I dont buy/cant afford new lol.

 

[ChrissGT]

Always wantes a porsche. Test drove one and it was fun.
Never wanted a Maserati, test drove one, bought it 2 week later.

Actually test drove a porsche after the maserati. Kinda screwed all my dreams

Test driving the specific car isnt that important. But i need to have driven the exact model. If that is a neighbours, friend, family or other dealer car doesnt matter.

 

[outrun]

Test drives are over. The modern world allows you to return a product after 7 or 14 days, ask Tesla.

I’ve test driven lots of cars, I’ve never had long enough to really get to know any car.

 

[rockits]

Test drives are over. The modern world allows you to return a product after 7 or 14 days, ask Tesla.

I’ve test driven lots of cars, I’ve never had long enough to really get to know any car.

I'm not sure test drives are over. Maybe in the short term due to Covid restrictions but this won't be forever.

Many sales in the UK are still private sales and there are no 7 or 14 day distance selling regulations for this.

Also many people still want to drive a car before they buy it. I get your point about some cars such as a non descript Tesla's or the like, not necessarily needing to be test driven.

I'm not sure in the main test drives are over are they?

 

[gb-gta]

I’ve never bought a car without test driving it. I’m sure these days you can hand stuff back to a dealer if its not right. Is that the case though if you decide you just don’t like it after a week or so?
Even if there is actually nothing wrong with it? Sounds like a whole load of hassle to me.

Does puzzle me these days though how many people see test driving as a chore and a total waste of time, but will spends days, or weeks even, researching and travelling all over the place, to make sure they select the correct paint for their hallway, or the wallpaper for the box room. However, when it’s committing ‘000’s, over years, replacing their current VAG product (other dull products available) with another, so long as the payment is similar and the colour is one of their first 3 choices, it’s something not worthy of any time at all. In fact they don’t even want to visit a dealer to sit in one. What’s that all about?

 

[spkennyuk]

If your buying brand new then if you have driven one you have driven them all.

Buying 2nd user is a different kettle of fish. You can get two identical looking cars that drive very differently. You can't spot the gremlins, knocks, creaks, missing bits or damaged / worn interior without a test drive or at least viewing of a 2nd user car.

It is refreshing when a dealer actually says what the faults are. Recent experience with dealers tells me that is rare. If i can spot a fault on a picture i can't really believe that the dealer doesnt know there is an issue.

 

[CatmanV2]

Great range of comments, chaps!

C

 

[philw696]

My experiences have been with a fair distance between home and the location of the car.
First was the Ferrari 456 which was near Great Yarmouth a 300 mile drive back faultless.
One of the cheapest and no warranty etc and paid for before collecting it and a lot of people said I was Crazy they are probably right.
Second one was buying the Porsche in the UK from France again no inspection or warranty and boy what a Great drive back to Laval and two years on still rate it as one of the best cars I have had.
Sometimes it's exciting to take a chance especially if you get a good rapport with the seller.
Good Luck.

 

[safrane]

I still like to try even if I have had one before as it let's you feel so much more than your eyes can.

Point in question - GF wanted a Range Rover and we tried both the sport, vela and for comparison the Fpace. She hated the Velar, but like the jag... despite them being the same underneath.

 

[spkennyuk]

Great range of comments, chaps!

C

I will correct myself on my 2nd point about 2nd user cars. You can spot the faults if you have members of the SM forum that are localish to the car your interested in to have a look for you.

Some very helpful members of the forum have been known to go out of there way to help in that manner. Two i can think of off the top of my head did recently.