No test drive unless you buy it?

[DSK]

When I bought w221 the independent garage said no test drive unless you buy it which puzzled me. Anyway his fellow business partner appreciated I’d travelled some distance with my family and let me take it out for an hours test drive. I decided to buy it 1/2 way through the test drive.

Today, I went to a local independent used car sales place that had a reasonable looking q7. It was a early shape car, so inexpensive and just a typically average thing. Anyway I was told no test drive unless I buy it? They refused to allow a test drive unless I purchased upfront. I explained that I’m need of an suv to cart my fast ageing and deteriorating father in, as he struggles with all cars I have at present. I’m not prepared to buy anything modern and costly and just need to make sure this drives ok, that’s all, surely that’s understandable? They declined so I left it.

At first I thought they must be trying to hide some fault I’d pick up on but, even the place I bought the w221 was like this yet, the car was spot on.

What’s going on? Is this something that used independent dealers are largely doing, if so why? How can anyone expect someone to buy a car without test driving it?


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[sl500amgsport]

Sounds bizarre to me, I would never buy a used car without test driving it first. The Independent garage that sold my current AMG E53 handed my wife and I the keys and said "I am sure you will love it after a test drive" that was November last year and on the lower scale I just bought and Toyota Ago for my youngest daughter and the garage again handed over the keys but warned me there wasn't much fuel in it so do not go too far...

If I was told to buy it before test driving I would laugh, tell them in my opinion they will be out of business in 12 months and walk away!


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[mioba]

you must look dodgy @DSK

 

[sonic]

If i couldnt tset drive a car I certanly wouldnt buy it, no matter how cheap it was.

 

[bladecrazy]

never bought a car without a test drive, even cheaper cars.

 

[DSK]

This wasn’t cheap or priced low, just an average thing, priced a little higher than similar but, presented well, s line with the side steps. As it was local I thought I’d go and see one in the flesh, secondly if it ran well and strongly and fitted the bill, just get it to serve a purpose, secondly double up as a genuine daily beater, something else I need to get around to buying at some point. There’s not much choice when searching within 20mile radius.

(I rarely use the w221 due to the state of the roads and don’t use it for local runs. The older stuff I don’t want to risk inbreds crashing into, so I use a local taxi driver with a Vito to cart me around as my daily beater if the CLS is not available).

 

[fabes]

From a garage I'd agree, but I bought daughters Pug and the SLK privately...
I wasn't insured to drive very them

I did the Pug 207 five yards just to test the biting point, but otherwise, being a front seat passenger I can tell and listen out for all the usual stuff, plus sample the ride.

Surely most of us could......

From a garage an accompanied test drive would be the minimum though I'd agree and has been.

 

[KennyN]

Contemplated an X5 a while back and popped into the dealers for a look and was asked if i wanted a test drive , they took a copy of my licence made me sign things and handed me the keys and said they would see me when i got back.

You must have looked well dodgy to be asked to buy before you tried.

K

 

[Srdl]

Perhaps a lot of people don’t test drive cars now? Look at some of the questions we get in here from new owners!

 

[AlanGunn]

I bought a car some years ago now unseen.
The guy delivered it to me some 170 mile trip (i was to take him to the train station).
When he got to me the first thing he said was take it for a test drive to be sure i wanted it.
I did and had the car 7 years and only serviced it and put a set of pad's and discs on it.

 

[Larkone]

Wife decided that a Porsche Macan was the best bet for her next car because she has mobility issues and needs a higher car to make getting in and out easier. Phoned the local Porsche garage, explained the issue, said we are looking to purchase s/hand sometime in the next 6 months once a small inheritance is sorted but could we just come to have a look to see if she could get in and out comfortably. They said no problem, come along. Took some details and handed over the keys on a brand new Macan S (nearly £90Ks worth with the options) and said see you in an hour and off we went.

 

[V6Matty]

I had this a few years ago so it’s not a new thing, I wasn’t allowed to take it for more than a 10 minute round the block u less I bought it, as the place was in the centre of Sheffield 10 minutes still had me in side streets, so I told them not to bother getting it out, the car was there a few months later still and of course under a new name, there really are some odd dealers about

 

[fabes]

"So today geezers, I've got an afternoon in this RS3, so let's see what's she's got and how she stacks up against the M2 I (test) drove the arse off last week......"

One dealer, ironically on YT, referred to this phenomenon where You Tubers or TikTokers are doing this (for their Insta or Snap feed) and no doubt potentially some well presented parents fronting the test drive for their little darlings so that they can "realise their dream", even on more modest cars

Remember, most of us are soooo out of touch

It could be one reason
They might even think you're the You Tuber
You could / should be flattered...

 

[Blobcat]

"So today geezers, I've got an afternoon in this RS3, so let's see what's she's got and how she stacks up against the M2 I (test) drove the arse off last week......"

One dealer, ironically on YT, referred to this phenomenon where You Tubers or TikTokers are doing this (for their Insta or Snap feed) and no doubt potentially some well presented parents fronting the test drive for their little darlings so that they can "realise their dream", even on more modest cars

Remember, most of us are soooo out of touch

It could be one reason
They might even think you're the You Tuber
You could / should be flattered...

I regularly see some very expensive cars in the car park opposite my industrial unit - they park up, put show plates on and fly drones over them.
Had 3 x RR Culinan’s in last week - all were from the local dealers

 

[JBell]

"I’m not prepared to buy anything modern and costly"

Then stay away from a Q7

 

[dry run]

I wonder if this practice has spilled over from the boat brokerage sales arrangements for second-hand boats, where typically :-

1 You view the boat.
2 You make an offer on the boat.
3 If accepted, you sign a purchase contract and pay a 10% deposit.
4 You arrange a sea trial (test drive).
5 If it works as it should - you've bought the boat. Any problems and you can insist on it being fixed / re negotiate the price / walk away and get you deposit back in full, whichever suits.

This ensures you are only following up on seriously interested buyers

 

[sl500amgsport]

I wonder if this practice has spilled over from the boat brokerage sales arrangements for second-hand boats, where typically :-

1 You view the boat.
2 You make an offer on the boat.
3 If accepted, you sign a purchase contract and pay a 10% deposit.
4 You arrange a sea trial (test drive).
5 If it works as it should - you've bought the boat. Any problems and you can insist on it being fixed / re negotiate the price / walk away and get you deposit back in full, whichever suits.

This ensures you are only following up on seriously interested buyers

With boats of a reasonable size you would normally have a survey in the same way as a house, also most boats are expensive to run so even a 15 minute trip around the Marina would set you back around £60- 80 in fuel so slightly different..

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[grayb]

We've experienced this a couple of times when looking for Porsches. One dealer said that the car takes two days to detail to their standard so they wouldn't let it get dirty again - and their cars are 'perfect anyway'. Didn't buy from them...
We did buy our GT3 without a test drive - the dealer was well-known and recommended so we took a chance. We had already driven a similar car. Did feel strange though.

 

[LostKiwi]

If I can't drive it I won't buy it.
It's as simple as that.
I suspect this practice is spilling over from the like if Cazoo etc that sell over the internet.

 

[grayb]

Our first experience was in about 2013... RSJ Sports Cars in Reading, to be precise. A 996 Turbo, which indeed was awfully clean and shiny!