After 22 years as a licensed driver, I am finally buying a new car on my own. This Saturday (November 19) I will be test-driving several models of Toyota and Honda.
But what the heck is supposed to happen? I’ve never test-driven a car before. Will the salesperson be sitting in the passenger seat or do I get the cars to myself? Is there a predetermined route or do I just drive wherever I like? How long will it last? I’ll do my best to evaluate each car, but are there particular factors I should pay extra attention to (or ignore)?
I don’t need to know everything, but I don’t want to look naïve in front of someone I’ll have to bargain with later. I suspect a few Dopers have been through this mysterious ritual before. Please enlighten me.
I’ve only done it once. I was given the keys to the car and just drove off on my own. I tested three cars and drove each one for about 10 minutes or so.
Before I bought my new Wrangler in 2001, I test-drove a used P T Cruiser in the lot. The salesman let my husband and myself take it out by ourselves - “take it for a drive!” Of course they had our other car held hostage, and it wasn’t something you’d want to steal anyway. (I actually liked it, but it wasn’t a Wrangler. I traded in a '90 for an '02.)
The usual practice in my experience is that the salesperson accompanies you in the car. The most recent one, a couple years ago, had us go out on the highway to see the acceleration, etc., then around some local roads to note the turning, cornering, and the general “feel” of the car. Then she suggested a particular road that was rather bumpy so we could see how well it handled that situation.
Assuming it’s a new car, you’ll want to see those features, plus how convenient the various dash controls are, is the ride and seating comfortable, and so on. Go into a parking lot and see how easy or difficult it is to pull into a space, for example. Does it have enough power to pull out into heavy traffic, but not so much that you’re uncomfortable with it.
If they let you take the car out alone, don’t be surprised if they want to take a photocopy of your driver’s license just for their own comfort, especially if it’s a large dealership.
It’s also a great time for the salesperson to point out all the selling points as you’re driving.
I’ve test driven a lot of cars (perhaps not an unusual number, but certainly more than just a few), and I’ve never had the salesperson accompany me (it, of course, may be different for you and how you drive the car may change because of that). Each time, they gave me the keys and told me to come back when I was done; no time limit, no specified route.
The last car I tested (used), I had for maybe a half hour to 40 minutes. I took it to a very low (non-existent, actually) traffic area and checked out the acceleration, braking (hard (from various speeds) as well as the normal “approach a stop sign” gradual braking), turning, backing up, and maneuverability.
After that, I just sort of drove around town normally to get a feel for what it would be like during everyday driving (since I honestly don’t drive like a crazy person all the time). I worked all of the controls (heat, a/c, radio, windows, headlights, wipers, everything) to make sure they were easily accessible from where I was sitting.
Back at the lot, I listened to each section of speakers (rear left, front left, rear right, front right). I played with the mirrors a bit. I tested the windshield wash mechanism for both the front and rear windows. I checked for a spare tire and stuff. I tried desperately to make it look like I knew what I was doing…
I can’t imagine what it would be like if the salesperson wanted to ride along.
When I test-drove (once; I already knew I wanted the Civic base model and I only took the test drive because they were trying to sell me on the loaded model and had it all queued up when I arrived) they just sent me out on my own. My father happened to be with me but I don’t think that mattered. I don’t remember if I had my license yet, but they didn’t ask for it.
usually the salesperson rides along. one time i think i nearly caused a timid salesgirl to lose control of her bladder by taking an looping onramp at the limit of tire adhesion.
a good goal is to try to have the brake pads smoking and stinking by the time you return to the lot.
The only time I’ve ever test-driven (last January), the salesperson rode along in the back seat and Ardred was in the front seat.
He did the “highway”, curvy, bumpy road, straight empty stretch for acceleration, etc. I don’t remember much, as it was maybe the fourth time I’d ever driven a stick, so I was super nervous. A. drove half the test drive so he could give me an idea of how the clutch was (as I had so little experience).
My parents have been given cars to drive alone, and cars for the weekend to try out. They didn’t have to be asked if they were old enough to sign contracts, though. I was 25 at the time, and the sales guy asked if I was 18, because it’s against the law for him to offer me a contract if I’m under 18 and my parents are not present. I didn’t think I looked that young.
Just as everybody said, try to mimic your regular driving habits. I’ve always had a ride along salesman.
I always drive a four wheel drive pickup. As it so happened with my last test drive there was road construction all along the front of the dealership. I looked at the salesman and said hang on, and whump slammed the lever back and climbed a small gravel pile up over where the curb should have been and into the lot.
I won’t say he nearly peed himself, but took a minute to catch his breath and carry on with his sales pitch.
Here’s a little game I play while test driving cars: See you you can push the vehicle to the point where the sales man stops talking to you so he/she can put their seatbelt on. First, it gets them to shut up long enough for you to hear wind/road noise and second it gives you a good idea of what the car is capable of.
I have only had a salesman not go with me a couple of times. IME the salesman usually goes with you.
Thanks for all the replies so far. It seems there’s enough variability (salesperson/no salesperson, etc.) that I should just be prepared for whatever comes.
I’m planning to drive all 5 of the models I like and can afford. I’ll just drive as normally as I can, to get a feel for the daily experience and decide which *model * I want. After Saturday, when I’ve narrowed my choices down to 1 or 2, I’m going to go back and bring my wife along (this isn’t just me being typically male; she drives rarely and really is leaving most of the work to me!) to see if she’s comfortable with my choice(s). At that point I’ll check to make sure all promised features are present and working in the actual car they’d sell me.
This is going to be fun, I think. Any further tips or anecdotes are welcome. I doubt I’ll try to make the salesman pee himself with fright, but you never know.
Typically the salesperson will drive the car off of the lot with you in the passenger seat (‘insurance reasons’). They s/he will pull over and hand you the keys. (Handing you the keys is the first step toward establishing ‘ownership’.) They will probably have an established route they will direct you on. All the while they’ll be chatting about how great the car is, and ‘How do you like it? Don’t you just love the handling/accelleration/ride?’ They’ll refer to it as ‘your new car’ (another step toward ‘establishing ownership’). At the end of the ride they might have you park next to the POS you drove in. That way you’ll see ‘your brand new car’ next to your boring old car. S/he might make some sly comments about your old car to make you feel better about taking ownership of your new car.
Basically everything they do is to get you to think of the car you’re driving as your new car. They want you to think of it as ‘yours’ so that you will buy it.
Then you’ll go in to figure out how much it will cost you. There’s something they call ‘four square’ where they divide a piece of paper into four sections and write a bunch of numbers. The numbers mean something, but it’s been most of a year since I attended the training seminar. The jumble of numbers is meant to be confusing. They don’t want to come down on the price, so they jumble the confusing numbers until they come up with payments that you can live with. Speaking of payments, they’ll ask how much you want to pay each month. When you give them a figure, they’ll talk you into bumping it up $50/month. But then they’ll tell you how much better it would be if you could spend just $100/month more than you ‘want’ to pay. The game, of course, is to get you to pay as much as possible for the car. They get a commission on the sale, plus a commission on the financing.
This reminds me. I don’t actually have a POS to drive in: my last car died a tragic transmission-related death last month, which is why I’m in the market. Although I’ve been doing just fine in buses and on foot (I live in a city within easy walking distance of work, groceries, etc.), I suspect they’ll assume I’m more desperate for a car than I actually am. Any good tactics for handling this?
I’m planning to do this another day, and I will certainly not do my initial number-crunching in the salesperson’s presence. Kosher?
The thing to remember is that they want as much money from you as they can get. If you go in prepared, you’re in a much better position. There are resources where you can find out how much a dealer pays for a car. (Since I’m not in the market, I’ll leave it to other Dopers to provide links.) Remember too that the dealer and the salespeople have to make a living. Now, I didn’t persue the car sales field. For one thing, you couldn’t ‘graduate’ from the seminar unless you ponied up $350. (They tell you this the day before ‘graduation’, not when you sign up.) For another thing, my mom died and I had other things to do. So I don’t remember how much is a ‘fair’ profit.
In my opinion – and this is just my opinion – you’re better off if you come in with financing already arranged. That is, go to your bank and get a car loan in place. Then you’ll know exactly how much you’re going to spend before they start the shuck’n’jive. They want you to buy a car on their terms. But you are the one who will buy or not buy. They’ll try to make it look as if you’re mistreating them if you offer them a price that is fair for both of you. They’ll quote a higher price and offer to throw in some floor mats or something. They do not want to come down on the list price! You can present your facts and figures that you have in-hand, and explain that your offer contains a fair profit for them and you’re not going to budge. If they decline your offer, you won’t have that car. If it’s a popular car they can probably sell it to someone else for more money. But if you come in with a fair offer, then you’re the ‘bird in the hand’.
The tactics Johnny describes are particularly sleazy. If a hard sell approach like this makes you uncomfortable, just walk away and try the next place. There are plenty of low/ no pressure car salesmen who would love your business, they aren’t all pushy creeps. Then again, if you have your heart set on a particular model beforehand, you may get stuck with a lousy sales guy. Just make sure you know the price the dealer is likely to have paid, dealer incentives, etc. beforehand so you can negotiate the correct price for the car. Also, if you are buying off the lot, particularly last year’s model they need to get rid of, then you can negotiate an even better price. Good luck.
Well, there’s sleazy and then there’s sleazy. I didn’t intend to paint all car dealers as browbeaters. The techniques I described can be very smoothly delivered. More like ‘guiding’ a potential buyer into a purchase than coercing them into one. A good ‘customer consultant’ will use these techniques (starting with a handshake that subtly draws the customer closer) to play up the advantages of the car. S/he won’t say, ‘Dude! You’re busting my balls here!’ A good salesperson will explain logically and rationally how this car will be the best choice for you. And s/he’ll try to get the most s/he can.
Here’s something we learned in the class: A salesperson will try to get you inside the dealership. S/he’ll say, ‘Follow me!’ and start walking away. They’re not supposed to look back to see if you’re following. The idea is that customers want to be led, and that people tend to follow someone who is in charge. Many of the techniques, such as the handshake and the ‘follow me’ are designed to make the salesperson into the leader.
The marketing techniques can be ‘sleazy’ or they can be respectful. A good salesperson will be subtle. The dealership is in business to make a profit, and the employees are there to make a living. Of course they will try to make as much money on a sale as they possibly can. Nothing sleazy in that in and of itself. That’s just business. It’s the application of the techniques that can be sleazy or not.
This is becoming a very enlightening thread for me. Thank you.
I’ve done a fair bit of research online (mainly cars.com and edmunds.com) and so I’m comfortable figuring out, on my own, what I want to pay and what’s appropriate. I plan to offer a fair price and not budge, and when the shuck-and-jive begins I plan to ignore it, even to the point of walking out if the salesperson does turn out sleazy.
My earlier point, though, is that I don’t plan to do ANY negotiating tomorrow; I’m test-driving 5 models (none of which I’ve driven before) only in order to figure out what I like. Although I may buy as soon as next week, it’s not going to happen tomorrow, no matter what.
In other words, if the salesperson is expecting me to go from test-drive to purchase in just a few hours, that salesperson will be disappointed. Assuming the salesperson is reasonable, will this be a problem?
These will probably give you a better idea of how a dealership works. I’d be very interested to hear back from you after you’ve visited the dealer(s) to see if your experience(s) match what I heard in the seminar and what the articles say.
When I was shopping for my Civic or similar car, I heard it was dealer price plus $500 that they wouldn’t go below.
I bought from the place where the guy was very matter-of-fact (Civics are going to get bought, he didn’t need to be pushy) and didn’t try to upsell me AT ALL, as opposed to the guy mentioned above who claimed to have two Civic DXs on the lot, and had only EXs and LXs when we drove an hour to get there. He also wouldn’t give on something like a <$100 difference in price, even after doing the fake “I gotta talk to the manager”.
I did my financing through Honda on the spot so my father had to co-sign because I didn’t have enough credit history. I guess that’s how they authorized as much as they did ($12K).
