exacly, test driving cars is a hobby of mine, i’ve never had issues until the car was above 80k msrp
The number one reason I haven’t decided on a car yet is I can’t actually make a determination from only driving the car for just 2 minutes around the 4 blocks around the dealerhip. I’ve actually had to spend a couple of hundred and rent the exact cars I’m interested in and it’s a good thing I have, because there were a couple that were lackluster and one or two that I flat out couldn’t wait to get out of after a couple of days.
The WORST test drive I ever had was the sales guy at a local Ford dealership. I was stressed out just sitting in the car with this guy. Dude had to micromanage the drive to an extent I’ve never seen before. He was literally telling me to signal and change into this lane or that lane, turn here, turn into this entrance not that one. I’m the same age or older than this guy. I’m a grown ass man I know how to drive a car thanks. Holy shit I couldn’t wait for it to be over just so I could get the hell out of there.
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“No thanks man, I’m good. See ya later.”
As others have said, make an appointment and be clear about what you want to do during the test (ie. highway merging, back road driving etc) and leave out the backstory. Sometimes on drives I can tell the sales guy is giving me the around the block treatment so I just insist on needing to spend more time on it. I also try to go first thing in the morning before the dealership gets busy so the sales guy doesn’t lose an hour.
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That is partially the reason I go to a dealership to meet a salesperson/manager and establish relationship. Then I can go back and ask to test drive a few times or they will just hand me the keys. If it’s the same brand - I will ask for a car I’m interested in instead of loaner when bring my car for a service.
The outfit you wear to a dealership has no bearing on whether or not you “get” to test drive a car. In all cases, I was wearing my standard attire…shorts, t-shirt, flip-flops. (I live in Florida, after all)
I went to Audi, BMW, Jaguar, Mercedes, Infinity, and Maserati. In all cases, I was asked to test-drive their cars. The salesmen practically beg me to test-drive…I don’t get it…do they get paid when I test-drive their car? Because a test-drive certainly isn’t going to make me buy the car.
I ended up buying the Maserati. I didn’t test-drive any of them. I’m not a Car & Driver editor. It’s as if I’m going to emerge from the test-drive of my Maserati or any of those other fine cars and say, “You know what, that car drove like sh!t.” I told the salesman I’ll test-drive it once we have agreed on the final price…that way I don’t have much skin in the game and can easily walk.
You buy cars without test driving them? I didn’t buy the last gen 5-Series because it didn’t impress me as much as I expected (535i). Even the BMW badge didn’t help that car. Same issue with the A4 3.2l I test drove 10 years ago or so.
I would NEVER buy a car under $100k without test driving one.
As I said, I’m not exactly a Car & Driver editor. Like I’m going to drive the Maserati and think, “No, not quite good enough for me.” I already read the stats (0-60, HP, etc), so I know beforehand that the car measures up. I can in no way tell the difference between the way the Audi S4 drove and the way my Maserati Ghibli S drives.
I did drive the car once the deal was finalized, and before signing the dotted line. Just to make sure it didn’t have any “quirks” before I drove it off the lot. I found a scratch and had them replace the hood before I drove it off the lot.
But test-driving a car for 15 minutes and being able to glean some sort of opinion swaying me from an Audi to a BMW to a Maserati…not going to happen. At least not in my case. Perhaps some of you are more versed in the feeling of skid pad sway, steering responsiveness, brake fade, etc. I’m not. I’m an average Joe that likes to hit 60 mph in under 5 seconds, have room for my kids, and a car with a little class and pizazz.
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Well said.
I didn’t test drive my current car. Turned out just fine.
I kind of agree. I test drive the car but I can’t tell the fine details. I am more into the features and technology.
There are definitely aspects to cars that enthusiasts laud over that I can never notice like the chassis but there are things I do notice that make a test drive important to me. Steering feel in particular, I love a tight steering feel; loose floaty steering is a deal killer for me. Other things like noticeable turbo lag or cheap feeling interior materials matter. Not sure how you can lock yourself into a multi year, thousands of dollars contract for a product you only like on paper but I’m glad it’s worked for out to date.
I drove the FR-S 7 times before buying one. Drove the Giulia 4 times before leasing one. Similarly, drove 440 twice to reject it. Its all about what you are comfortable with. Yes you will still miss the minor stuff, but what’s important to ME is how the car feels, and 3-5 test drives can give you SOME insight, although not all.
If you’re in socal I can say CarMax is a great place to start.
There is more to the stats that can only be clear once you test drive it. Like will the seats be comfortable for you? Will you need a lumbar support or need more cushioning? Will it roll a lot more than its competitors (SUVs and sedans)? How is the reach to the screen? The tech? Will it baby? How tight will it be for passenger and driver (coupes). Is there right amount of cushion where my knee rest while stuck in traffic? Will there be glare from the dashboard that could affect the driving? Do you need to re-evaluate the interior color based on how comfortable you are driving it directly in sun? Will the sun visor cover the sides sufficiently? These and many other things are more clearer once you drive it. The handling, steering feel and brake fade are secondary for many as well.
Also personal to me is, will i turn around and check it out once as i walk away after parking it?
I go on a low traffic day (usually weekday in the morning) and am upfront about what I’m there to do. Never had a problem. I’ve also used the service loaner vehicles I’ve been given as a way to get extended test drives on vehicles I’ve considered purchasing, though sometimes I wasn’t given a choice of vehicle.
go to carmax dude, easiest way to compare.
wherever you go: dress well, be upfront, and DO NOT TRY TO TAKE A BUNCH OF TEST DRIVES ON THE WEEKEND.
Go on a Tues/Wed in the middle of the day, salespeople will be happy to have something to do
I could never buy a vehicle without test driving first. Last time we went looking for my wife, we were sure we wanted the CX-5… until we drove it, it was immediately taken off the list.
I went into the dealership earlier in the year, sure I was going to make a deal on a S90… ended up leaving with a Jaguar XF instead after a test drive of each. Everyone has different tastes though too, but part of the fun for me is actually test driving different cars 
To answer the original question though, same as most are recommending… go on a weekday during regular business hours when the salespeople are looking for something to do.
I think I’m exact opposite of what you said. Handling steering and braking comes first. The rest of the stuff is just…ancillary to the driving experience.
For me, its the overall experience. Not just the things i listed or the one you did. Giving priority to which one depends on money, situation and want. To this day, i give priority to performance, handling, braking but that doesn’t mean i would give up seat comfort (something that holds you good when taking turns at speed to enjoy the handling). What good will handling do if i get back pain after driving for 30 mins? Also, sometimes, budget, family priority and other things also affect the purchase and thus importance of test drive.
Also, this is in regards to his point that test drive is only to be done for people who are interested in handling, braking etc etc but there are people who give priority to other stuff as well like older people who prefer comfort, ride over performance numbers.
Ah man, this makes me feel so much better. I am considering about 10 different cars for my next ride but I feel like a weirdo going to the dealership to drive a car just out of curiosity.