Here is EXACTLY what to I do…
First, I make several copies of my driver’s license…
With a marker, I blot out the last digit of my driver’s license number AND blot out the last digit of my home address…
I always take a test drive Monday thru Wednesday. These are slow days for dealerships…
Important: I visit the dealership about 45 minutes before they officially close…
I walk straight to the receptionist’s desk. I hit the first “up”… an “up” is a salesperson who gets the next prospect in the lot…
I say, “I do not want to waste your time. I am looking to test drive a xxx, a xxx and a xxx. I am not a tire kicker. I will be buying a new car as soon as I find the right car.”
Next:
I tell him/her that your wife/spouse/girlfriend/mother is shopping, and I HAVE to pick her up in 43 minutes. (This is crucial to say. The weird number 43 conveys exactness. Also, it “anchors” the idea that being late is not an option. Everyone knows stranding her at the mall will not end well).
Then I hand over a copy of my driver’s license.
About 3 minutes later, keys are in hand. Like magic.
I take the test drive. It might last 25- to 35 minutes max. I always hit the highway, hills and curves. And I am not shy - I took an Infiniti FX50 out for a spin many years ago. I asked if I could “hit it.” And man did that car zoom like a rocket onto the highway.
When I finish up, i (in a sort of rushed way) ask for a business card and then say, “I must run to pickup my girl. What days are you off so we can continue this conversation?”
Say it EXACTLY like that. Again, sound rushed. This uses NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programming) to disarm the salesperson.
Take the business card. Thank the salesperson for the quick demo. Then leave (again almost running out the door).
I have done this successfully for years.
Last time I test drove a car (2 months ago), it was so late in the evening, the salesman handed me the keys to a brand new Infiniti QX60. He said, “Have a blast with it… it has a full tank of gas.” This is great as there was no one pressuring us and hitting our emotional buttons. I returned the car… and flung the keys to him and thanked him. He was closing a sale, so it was easy to leave without pressure.
This technique turns the tables on the dealership’s “drag it out” games they like to play with us.
And trust me. No salesperson wants to start their 5-hour sales game 45 minutes before quitting time. They are tired. They are hungry. And most have family they want to rush home and see. They will be happy that you are leaving when they close for the night.
By the way: about blotting out the last digit of our driver’s license and home number… this is to protect our privacy…
They say we need a driver’s license for insurance purposes. This is not the real reason… they do it to add us to their drip mailing system… so they can send us endless junk mail.
And by the way #2: I ALWAYS email the same salesperson and ask if they want to sell me the car at the price I want. In other words, I do not ask for a test drive without following up for an opportunity to sell me the car.
Enjoy the ride!