15th Dec 2009, 09:35
Waiting "until you own it" is one of the problems we see so much of on this site. If you can't check out a car's handling and performance characteristics before you buy, you'll often be stuck with a less than satisfying car. In today's economy any dealership that would not allow more than a 30mph cruise around the block, won't sell any cars to a large number of the car-buying public who want to know BEFORE they shell out their hard-earned money how that car will perform.
14th Dec 2009, 15:17
I vehemently DISAGREE. First off, I will NEVER buy a car that I have not given a REAL test drive, WITH OR WITHOUT a salesman along. I'm well known as a mechanic, car enthusiast and respected professional in my area. In 99% of the cases I'm either just tossed the keys and a temporary tag and allowed to take the car for as long as I want, or told "just take it home for the night and we'll see you tomorrow". We've done that on several occasions. I would NEVER "wait until I OWNED it" to find out what a car's capabilities are. Then I'd be stuck with a vehicle I might not WANT. If a car can't take a few full-throttle take-offs, a few panic brakings and a few road-holding cornering tests, I DON'T WANT IT.
Any dealer who EVER had one of their salesman throw me out of a car on a test drive would find themselves in court faster than you can say "SUE ME". I myself worked for a car dealership (Ford, to be precise) many years ago. If I had EVER denied a customer a test drive, I would have been fired on the spot. NO ONE should EVER buy a car that the salesman, dealership, or manufacturer has so little confidence in that they refuse a proper test drive to a prospective buyer. My wife was once told that she could not test drive a car unless she signed a buyer's order by a young and inexperienced salesman who didn't know her. She called the dealership's owner (not manager, OWNER) and received a personal apology. The salesman was fired.
Some of the biggest complaints I see on this site (regardless of what vehicle it is) are things that could easily be discerned in a PROPER test drive. A 5-minute leisurely crawl around the block tells one NOTHING about a car. Those who settle for such deserve what they get. When I have friends or family that are looking for a car, I go with them. If they don't have the guts to check out its capabilities, I gladly do it for them. When my little 82-year-old mom bought her Lincoln MKZ last year I knew she wouldn't get over 30mph on a test drive. I took the wheel and quickly discovered that the VERY powerful V-6 in the MKZ really WILL leave huge clouds of tire smoke, just like our Mustangs and will hold corners almost as well as our BMW 5-series. Mom screamed and the salesman (who WAS with us that time) just laughed. He knows me VERY well and knew what to expect. I also gained a lot of respect for the MKZ. Those things are NOT little pussycats. With mom driving you'd never know that.