Test Drives

[Maffoo]

I'm going to go test drive a Fez next week, but wanted to know how it works... Do I have to drive around with a salesman in the passenger seat or do I get to keep the car for 24 hours or something? I'm going to Dagenham Motors if that makes any difference...

[theletterj]

I'm not sure about Dagenham Motors. I test drove a couple of Fiestas at a dealership in Norwich and also one from the dealership I eventually bought from in Ipswich. On all my test drives I had the sales guy with me. I guess it must vary from place to place. In Norwich I was able to drive straight away off the forecourt, whereas in Ipswich the sales guy had to drive away first and then handed over to me.

Conversely, I also tested a couple of Polos and a Golf from two different VW dealerships and they just took my details, a copy of my licence, got me to sign a disclaimer and just handed me the keys for a spin on my own.

In fact, one VW dealership in Stowmarket gave me a Polo to drive to a different dealership in Bury St Edmunds (16 miles away) just so I could test drive another model there! They really were going out of their way to make the sale, but lost out in the end when we got down to figures and finance.

In all cases though, the test drives were fairly short and sweet! You're never going to get a proper feel for the car in such a short time, and it's almost heart wrenching committing to something so expensive when you haven't really had time to decide if it's the one.

Luckily, I've got on really well with my Fiesta 1.4 Zetec and two months in I've got few if any regrets.

Enjoy the drive!

[cyb]

Similar experience here – some dealers feel the need to go with you others let you go alone as long as you have some sort of ID.

Can I suggest if you really want the car longer than 30 mins you give them a call to discuss? I’m not sure if they would let you have one for 24 hrs, but if you don’t ask you don’t get. :)

[paulworthing]

If you are thinking of mainstream cars then I would suggest a test drive to decide which one (or ones) you like than then find a car hire place and hire each one for a weekend and then you get a real feel for whether you like them or not. We did that and found that the Corsa (2nd best small hatch) was a hateful little car!!! Mind you , by then, we were sold on the Fiesta anyway! lol

[robbieguy2003]

When I went I rode down on my bike and the guy at the dealership rode bikes and seemed more interested in that.

He took a copy of license and made me sign for it, he said be upto an hour, I had a go first in a 1.25 Studio, then a go in a 1.6 Zetec Sport and eventually settled on the 1.4 Zetec even though I couldn't test one. I was surprised at how quick the 1.25 was to be honest.

Both cars he started on their forecourt and then left me to it. Had a test drive in a Civic Type-R and that unfortunately was attended.

I think it depends on the sales bloke. I've been used to Motorbike test rides though which are obviously alone so didn't seem too strange.

[Maffoo]

Well I'm only 20 so I'm too young (and too skint) to hire a car... Suppose because of my age I doubt I'll get an unattended one... Oh well

[Nipz]

Well I'm only 20 so I'm too young (and too skint) to hire a car... Suppose because of my age I doubt I'll get an unattended one... Oh well

Im 19 and got 2 test drives on my own. Just had to have both parts of my license (paper and plastic) and sign to say ill pay £250 if i damage it!

Got one of the cars for 3 hours and the 1.6 Zetec S only for around 20 mins :D

[Bashful]

I went to see the dealer I bought my Ka from, the salesman was busy at the time so he gave me the keys and said go and have a drive for half an hour or so!

[paulworthing]

SO Maffoo - been to test drive the Fiesta yet then??

[Rocky73]

I had a test drive the other day in Glasgow for about 20 minutes...loved it :D . I looked into the possibility of hiring a Fiesta for a weekend to really get a feel for it but couldn't find anywhere locally that hired the new model :( . I kind of knew after 5 minutes of driving right enough that it was definitely for me although it'd have been nice to take it for a spin on the motorway. So far Vauxhall have been the only dealer to give me the keys and let me get on with it.

[paulworthing]

I had a test drive the other day in Glasgow for about 20 minutes...loved it :D . I looked into the possibility of hiring a Fiesta for a weekend to really get a feel for it but couldn't find anywhere locally that hired the new model :( . I kind of knew after 5 minutes of driving right enough that it was definitely for me although it'd have been nice to take it for a spin on the motorway. So far Vauxhall have been the only dealer to give me the keys and let me get on with it.

I hired both for separate weekends and while the Fiesta was wonderful (had the 1.4 Zetec) the Corsa gave me a bad back and did not like the shape either

Ended up with spec below and am LOVING it

[ChrisZetecS]

I spoke with a salesman at a Vauxhall dealership about this once, it's all down to the individual dealerships insurance policy. Some cover any driver to take the car out on their own, some policies only cover if the salesperson is in the car on the test drive.

I'm only 20 myself and when I was 18/19 test drove lots of cars before I got my Fiesta, the Ford dealership on Anglesey let me take the car out on my own for as long as I wanted :P same with the Vauxhall garage in Wrexham (before they changed their insurance) and same with Renault. I drove a Scirocco at VW Chester though and the salesman had to come with me.

[Jonny87]

I only had one test drive of the Fiesta, it was with the sales man and it couldn't have lasted much longer than 15 mins. Although it did include motorway and town driving, it didn't include B roads. I was only ever after the 1.6 Titanium petrol but the only car available to test was a 1.4 zetec.

imo, even the best drivers amongst us are going to take at least an hour to get used to a car. So if you are only going to get a short test drive like me then you can't really rate it for driving, maybe only other things, not even power and acceleration if they dont have the engine you want to buy.

Sure, take a test drive, but it will only be useful if they have the spec you want to buy and they let you drive it solo for at least three hours. IMO.

The test drive was never going to be the deal breaker for me, but if your purchase is hanging on the the test drive make sure you get to test the car for a good length of time, on your own, in the spec (or at least the engine and transmission) that you want. Otherwise its a pretty useless excersize