[motorworks]

Well, for sure test driving a car is one of the most under rated activities leading up to a car purchase, thanks to tabular columns, statistics and online video reviews floating around. A test drive, if done properly, is one of the real deal-breakers!

I have not done all the points listed out above, but I took a very simple method. Back in 2018 when I was on the look out to replace my Rapid diesel, I ensured all my test drives were on the same stretch of road, a mix of bad roads, smooth surfaces, flyovers, speed breakers, traffic and all that one would encounter 90% of the time.
I still recall all the cars and variants, S-Cross 1.3 diesel, Nexon Diesel, Eco-Sport diesel, Verna petrol MT and AT, Diesel MT and AT, Creta 1.4 diesel, Creta petrol MT, Vento TSI DSG, Honda City MT and AT! And yet after all these test drives, I still wasn’t satisfied! Then finally I did one more test drive, my last one, Creta 1.6 diesel SX and then went ahead with it.


Way back in 2012, when I was replacing my Dzire diesel, a quick test drive in the Rapid diesel just floored me! The build quality, fantastic torque, and quite honestly there weren’t many options back then, so I didn’t really spend too much time on the test drive itself.

But in 2018, I looked at various factors, seating position, comfort levels, rear passenger comfort and so much more.

A test drive is really about understanding what you want and what the car can give you. All the statistics and online video reviews do not do justice to how each individual would connect with the car.

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by GTO

Very comprehensive list & diehard enthusiasts or the very-particular ones will surely appreciate.

This really was what the primary purpose was, along with encouraging others to at least be aware and consider aspects beyond what they otherwise might. A bit of an initiation to this side of motoring for the novice, perhaps.

I so agree with this:

Originally Posted by GTO

• Test drive yourself: Never buy a car based solely on someone else’s opinion, even if it is that of a world-renowned automotive expert. What is right for someone else may not be right for you; think about details like the comfort of the driving position and engine responsiveness. A one-kilometer test drive will reveal nothing – go for a comprehensive test drive in traffic, on open roads and up and down hills. Even if you are not inclined toward other choices in the market, drive them anyway. Sometimes the best buys can be found in the least expected places.

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

Brilliant compilation of all factors. One has to exercise patience when buying vehicle. But often we overlook one or other (in fact one too many) when buying & end up making a compromise in long run.

Thank you, mate. I can't claim to consider all factors while making our purchases either. Depending on the purpose, one focuses on what is important. Am struggling to find the balance myself, as in the Choosing an SUV thread.

Originally Posted by CARDEEP

This can be Sirius star when shortlisting cars, like the PDI when we go to inspect the vehicle allocated to us.

You read my mind, mate.
While wondering the worthiness of time spent on a thread which might end in some obscure corner (as it is unlikely to have many replies), ended up spending a lot more thinking it could well be worth as a sticky/pinned thread in the What-Car section.

PS: @Binendum, @Dicky, @motorworks; will reply further later mates.

[PrasannaDhana]

Great compilation!

Let me add one small pointer to it. Please ask the sales advisor to switch off the ICE and politely ask him to not talk for some time. Most test drive experiences are spoiled by either loud ICE blaring in the pretext of them showing how good the music system is, or by continuous talking by the sales guy or both.

They rarely give you a chance to connect with the car. NVH, and other minute tangible stuff get drowned by their distractions.

Many dealers have a pathetic 2-3km test drive circuits. Demand for a longer route.

Also make sure you note the engine RPM at 100 kmph and 120 kmph at the highest gear, and the NVH of the car (including tyre noise) and see if it is acceptable.

Focus on the raw stuff than on electronics and features. A few people I know did not even focus on visibility from the cabin, ingress and egress at the rear before buying the car.

Check the legroom yourselves. For an instance, Ms. Renuka from Autocar might find the legroom to be more than sufficient for her 5'2 frame. It might not even be sufficient for a 6'2 guy.

Lightness and throw of clutch is another important thing if you live in urban area but are braving a manual transmission car.


About to finalize your car? Test drive it a couple more times, again. Yes, first test drive is like first date. You get to know new stuff about her(er, the car) in the second date and so on.

A car purchase is a big decision, you don't want to end up with something you don't like. All dealerships entertain multiple test drives. If yours doesn't, change it.

[Luke1972]

Great thread. Kudos for such a nice compilation. However most of the test drives offered are with too many riders in case of high selling vehicles/newly introduced vehicles and you do not get a proper Test Drive as outlined above. In most cases they expect that having driving on the 3-4 km earmarked stretch you will get to know the feel of the vehicle and the same is enough.

[Kosfactor]

We must accept that a vast majority of car buying research will be completely undone by one person - the salesman.

Of course the vehicles themselves have their charm to attract a customer, so at the end of the day you may still end up with the wrong car or the right one - that's just how things are. You live and you learn.

[One]

Extremely comprehensive list @Poitive. For me, the following things from your list take precedence while doing TDs :

- The route which is a mix of roads and each time the same route.

- The tyre pressure, I always always ensure the TD car pressure is as per manufacturers recommendations when cold before they get the car over. Have experienced cars with pressure as high as 20 over the recommendations.

- Multiple TDs with different dealer vehicles of the same car (assuming different dealers are available). This ensures that I have driven as many different cars possible of the same model.

- Sitting on the back rows as I want my passengers to be comfortable. The front seat is always the most comfortable in a ride in terms of handling, going over potholes or experiencing body roll. But I want a car where my co passengers enjoy the drive too. I rarely see this aspect covered anywhere in reviews so we have to anyways experience it ourselves.

- If I am close to selection of a car, I ensure it is fully loaded while taking the last set of TDs.

- I never ever read car reviews before the TD, I just read those parts in them which mention the car features so that I can try those features out. Have seen that too many people pre-judge a car even without driving them or experiencing it and it becomes an echo chamber. How a car drives, its ergonomics and space is for me to determine and Lewis Hamilton can't tell me otherwise. A person who drives an Alto only will find the Amaze big and wonderful, a person with a City with find it small and a compromise.

Happy TDing , make it personal

[RD150]

Great thread for prospective buyers . But I am afraid whether our dealers will leave the car with us for atleast 2 hours for such detailed test drive. Most dealers will provide the car for a maximum of 20 25 minutes for checking out the car which includes showing features and a short drive. You have to be really lucky to come across such supportive dealers.

[dust-n-bones]

Thanks for a great thread - what I find striking is how many things are we overlooking in a typical TD setting.

We have a salesman whose interests have very little in common with ours, we have an unfamiliar vehicle and a relatively short time to complete the whole checklist in.

On top of this, unless you are looking for the top spec vehicle (which is typically what a TD vehicle would be), getting a feel of the variant you want even after a comprehensive TD is just guesswork.

It continues. How are you going to figure out the niggles. That your back hurts after a 3 hour drive, or your knee doesn't like getting bruised against the plastic every work day or that there's a battery draining away while the salesman explains the next cool feature in the car. Or that twice a year service schedule is going to be painful.

Jumping from a TD into a downpayment cheque is not for the faint-hearted. If you touchy/feely kind of a consumer, maybe you should consider renting the vehicle for a month over a TD. Or a lease-to-buy plan?

Also, consumers behaviors are shifting. It started with books and music - where we dropped our touchy/feely inhibitions in purchasing digitally. Now, we buy fashion, furniture, grocery and appliances online as if its second nature.

The TD process for me is similar to a visit to an appliances store. The salesman has very little idea of what he's selling. You will never find out how noisy is that fridge, or if its service team takes a month to source a spare.

Like elsewhere, will the vehicle sales process also get re-invented? I certainly hope so.

[vijaykr]

Thank you for this very informative and comprehensive thread. I did a bunch of TDs recently, but to be honest, given the time available, was not able to devote this level of attention.

I was able to do the TDs mostly on the same set of roads so that my (family's) most important criteria of backseat comfort and body roll could be assessed. That said, I am sure a 20-25 min drive will not be adequate to have a full understanding of what I am signing up for.

Having read this thread now, I will make sure the final TDs before handing over the cheque are more detailed and exhaustive. Thanks again!

[Jangra]

MY work place is 30 min drive from my house in a good day (90% of the time), worst has been 1.5hours. My test drives has always been the same route, and fortunately (or unfortunately), it has a mix for Bombay eastern express highway (very less traffic post 10am) and city roads with bumps. This is the stretch I choose for my test drive where I drive 80% of the time. Even though all of my test drives are about 20kms, its hard to judge all of these attributes.
To GTO's point, I rely on Team-BHP reviews for my final verdict - not just for my purchase, but for my friends and colleagues.

[McLaren Rulez]

Great thread. One thing I'll add is that you can and should spend a lot of time with the display vehicles.

Look at the car in the flesh, absorb the design from every angle, get a sense of the paint quality, the build and panel gaps. Open the hood and have a look at the engine bay and also the boot to examine boot space, spare tyre situation, etc. Fold the rear seats if they can be folded. Get inside the car and sit in every seat of the car, adjust the seats, touch and feel the dash, steering and switches, examine the doorpads, headliner and lower area plastics. If the car is hooked up to a power supply, the ICE will work so listen to it in the showroom, play with the touchscreen, roll the windows up and down to get a sense of the insulation, try the sunroof, etc. If you have a family, ensure that everyone gets to experience the display vehicle to their heart's content.

If you're seriously considering the car, this part will take the better part of an hour, minimum! The test drive is then reserved for the driving aspects only.

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

- This I guess is one of the most important facets while test driving cars.

- Also, taking a TD along your regular route which you've done umpteen times will provide a clear picture and feel about how the car performs/behaves.

- We pick up the same point, mate. If I was asked to suggest only one point for a TD, I think I too would pick the same.

- I too mainly have familiar/regular roads on my TDs and find that an advantage overall. The little downside I feel is that one gets a bit restricted in one's mind and gets too focused on what one is used to driving and can miss out on what the test driven car might have to offer.

Originally Posted by Bibendum90949

- After the test drive, this is what the dealer guy told me "Sir, this is my first time in an year with Thar test drives someone has taken the car to off road and tested it" .He said, 90% of Thar buyers test drives them on city roads. Yes I did book the Thar soon after. A picture from that drive.

- Very well compiled thread poitive and a good pointer to lot of people taking test drives

- This is hilarious and spells out what most of the market is like. GTO's comment fits so well into this.

- Thank you.

Originally Posted by DicKy

That is a pretty exhaustive checklist for a TD.

Most buyers don't really go for a proper TD, and if proper TDs like the below are given, it would lead to many prospective buyers having fresh perspectives of less selling, but capable vehicles. Like the one mentioned below.

https://www.team-bhp.com/forum/offic...ml#post5224523 (Jeep Compass : Official Review)

Rather than only a checklist, I saw it as one with explanations and reasons too, Dicky mate. (eg. steering EPS vs HPS, road selections, relation between headroom and thigh support etc etc)
Also, more of part of factors to consider in making an expensive purchase with TD being an important subset.

Had read the example you quoted on the Compass thread, and subsequent comments. Not saying it isn't genuine, but the impression of the customer being quite unaware and then to suddenly use the language in the description of the Compass TD made me wonder. Nonetheless, the basic point you make still very much holds, IMO.

It also took me back decades ago, when I test drove the Fiat Uno on launch. Took the car off the road into a part where bricks were bricks were being laid. A whole lot of them scattered around with varying heights from -1 to +3 layers of bricks, IIRC. The way the Fiat Uno went over them was a revelation of the ability of that one. Was shocked at the maturity of that suspension.

Originally Posted by motorworks

Well, for sure test driving a car is one of the most under rated activities leading up to a car purchase, thanks to tabular columns, statistics and online video reviews floating around. A test drive, if done properly, is one of the real deal-breakers!

Really so true. How many (outside T-Bhp) talk about 'features' and nothing of the drive, tells me the same. It pains me to see cars being decided on tables/feature lists. TD can also be a deal-breaker, or a deal-maker.

Originally Posted by motorworks

- Way back in 2012,...
---
But in 2018, I looked at various factors, seating position, comfort levels, rear passenger comfort and so much more.

- A test drive is really about understanding what you want and what the car can give you. All the statistics and online video reviews do not do justice to how each individual would connect with the car.

- Encouraging people (many readers outside the forum) to make this change was one of the the ideas behind the thread, mate.

- The connect; yes, the connect! Knowing more also helps in understanding what one could want from a car, and then to check and relish it more in the test driven and as an owner

~~~~~~
PS: Mates, allow me to reply in parts. Many thoughts. Makes replies too long.

[GrandTourer]

Originally Posted by Poitive

T-Bhpians might find some points too basic, however this is written considering the forum has a large non-member reader base.

Brilliant comprehensive list there Poitive. Even enthusiasts might miss on some of these points due to various reasons like huge crowd waiting for TDs or other prior commitments to be reached on time to, etc.

Might I add another small point to this list. Take multiple TDs from different showrooms, because not all TD cars are well maintained in every dealership & all of them have different KMs on the odo. The second part tells you how the vehicle ages with time/KMs (rattles, NVH, service centre competence, etc.).

While buying the Interceptor, I went to at least 5-6 different RE showrooms and took TD of both Interceptor and GT 650s back to back in all these showrooms - Bellandur, Mahadevpura, Kormangala, Whitefield, E-City highway and then finally BTM (where I eventually made the purchase). All these location offered me a different perspective (apart from the condition of TD vehicles).

Bangalore folks would relate to these locations:
- Whitefield one had road/metro work going on all around, so gave me a sense of how it handles broken surface;
- Bellandur gave me access to busy markets, narrow lanes for maneuverability;
- Mahadevpura gave me relatively open Outer Ring road to check acceleration and overtaking ease;
- Koramangala gave infamous Bangalore traffic for engine heat, tractability, weight management
- E-City highway gave open smooth tarmac for high speed manners
- BTM - pretty much all scenarios were covered, but these guys had the best maintained bikes and the best staff. (One guy in Bellandur was offering a customers GT650 that came in for servicing as TD bike. Instantly made a mental note to never buy or service anything at this dealer. Promptly refused that and took only Interceptor TD.)

TL;DR - Go to multiple locations for different road scenarios and to see how the vehicle ages with servicing

[Poitive]

Originally Posted by PrasannaDhana

Great compilation!

-Please ask the sales advisor to switch off the ICE and politely ask him to not talk for some time.

- Demand for a longer route.

- Also make sure you note the engine RPM at 100 kmph and 120 kmph at the highest gear, and the NVH of the car...

- It might not even be sufficient for a 6'2 guy.

- Lightness and throw of clutch is another important thing if you live in urban area but are braving a manual transmission car.

- About to finalize your car? Test drive it a couple more times, again. Yes, first test drive is like first date. You get to know new stuff about her(er, the car) in the second date and so on.

Thank you! We seem to be on the same page, Prasanna mate. After a few quick minutes of putting the SA at ease, have kept them quiet and they get the message easily. For me, ICE it checked only while waiting at red lights or while/if in a jam, and maybe to briefly check the map app (and I let the SA manage this in the initial drives).

- Very true. No one should expect money to be plonked down without proper TDs. More on this below.

- Checking at highways speeds if often not viable, at least for all TDs, in cities like Delhi. To get a sense of the engine at the very least, have tried to be at similar RPM on a lower gear. Of course this missed other aspects.

Another thing worth checking is to get a feel of the car at the speed limits in your city. In many parts of Delhi the traffic now usually does move at the speed limits due to abundant cameras and the challan system.

- Sure. Even for the same height, as had mentioned, proportions etc might be very different. However I have done initial checks on Youtube this time, due to Covid restricting the number of my TDs.

For the over 6' folks: On YouTube, found two people who are tall to get a good reference. Faizal Khan (not about the quality of his content, but a reference of height) is about 6'. Another channel called Man And Motor has a guy well over 6' - I use him as a reference where possible (quite like his rustic manner, which has a non typical-youtuber feel)

- The clutch point was covered in the last para of the gears section.

- Loved your analogy!

Originally Posted by Kosfactor

We must accept that a vast majority of car buying research will be completely undone by one person - the salesman.

Only if we let them Kosfactor mate; only if we let them. I barely even let the speak beyond what I specifically ask for, and then give a few minutes to them at the right time for them to say anything they might want to convey.

Originally Posted by Luke1972

Great thread. Kudos for such a nice compilation. However most of the test drives offered are with too many riders in case of high selling vehicles/newly introduced vehicles and you do not get a proper Test Drive as outlined above. In most cases they expect that having driving on the 3-4 km earmarked stretch you will get to know the feel of the vehicle and the same is enough.

Thank you, Luke mate. Some thoughts and experiences on this in the next post.

Originally Posted by RD150

Great thread for prospective buyers . But I am afraid whether our dealers will leave the car with us for atleast 2 hours for such detailed test drive. Most dealers will provide the car for a maximum of 20 25 minutes for checking out the car which includes showing features and a short drive. You have to be really lucky to come across such supportive dealers.

Thank you, RD150 mate. More time is usually manageable. More on this in the next post. Also, the first round of TD needn't be as detailed at all. Over a few TDs one can take care of most, for the 1-2 one has narrowed down to.

Originally Posted by vijaykr

Thank you for this very informative and comprehensive thread.

- I did a bunch of TDs recently, but to be honest, given the time available, was not able to devote this level of attention.

- I was able to do the TDs mostly on the same set of roads so that my (family's) most important criteria of backseat comfort and body roll could be assessed.

- Having read this thread now, I will make sure the final TDs before handing over the cheque are more detailed and exhaustive. Thanks again!

Thank you, vijaykr mate.

- I suppose the detailed ones need only be done for the ones which appeal and make it to the final shortlist.

- This is a great example of checking for what matters most to the user. No point being all revved up about the enthusiast part and keep focusing on handling and steering feel if it doesn't matter to what you need from the vehicle.

- Please do update the thread about your experience and approach in your next set of TDs. It should be interesting to read an know if it the guide helped any in the real world.

~~~~~
@Mods, Have split the post into two parts for more logical reading and quoting, and not for any disregard of forum norms.

[Poitive]

Had many aspects and small details which I didn't cover to keep the focus on the main write-up. One very important aspect is the human handling aspect. Like most things in life, this carries significance.

Regarding getting proper test drives from showrooms

Just sharing some thoughts and experiences below; also what has consistently worked for me and just might be pointers for some:

a) To let the staff realize that I am a serious buyer. How one conducts one's self makes a difference (how one talks, dresses, shares contact details etc)

b) I know my stuff and not let them take charge/be bossy, regardless of how much demand for their car might be.

c) To clearly, firmly and very gently convey that they should not expect me to pay several lakhs based on only a few minutes with the car I intend to spend years with. That the drive is the primary deciding factor.

d) While fixing for a test drive, let them know that you need a long one and they should not hurry you up. Many dealerships allow this quite happily. The car of course needs to be free and available. Have usually done this while calling the car to me without any fuss.

e) Important - realize that the SA might not have the authority to decide on a much longer test drive in some cases. If you sense that is the case, offer to speak to their senior to take the load off them. Most of the times, you would not need to, and if needed politely, calmly and firmly asking for it with reason almost always works. (an eg or two below)

f) In case things don't work out, politely talk to them for another time when it can, and fix accordingly. If they see that you are a serious customer and they would lose business, the person who has the authority (typically the person the SA reports to) would manage to get you a longer and proper test drive.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

A few examples from my experiences mantioned on the forum:

A decade ago, when the "Fluidic" Verna was launched and had a 6 month waiting period, almost right on launch. Customers were much less organized and demanding then (Social media almost non-existent). Many weren't getting to even test drive it, I was lucky to get a long one, but needed patience. This was a walk-in (or maybe had intimated them half an hour before my arrival at the showroom). Without any reference or intro of who I am.

Originally Posted by Poitive

Verna (Fluidic) Test Drive (1.6 SX Diesel)

The Sales Guy’s eyes popped out !!!!!
He was in the TD car with me, a kilometer away from the showroom and all I asked was a longer Test Drive!

Getting approvals from a ‘Sarkari department’ seemed simpler than getting a longer TD on the Verna (there at least we know what works!). After a million calls, before the TD started and then to get a 15 minutes wait on the road for a longer one, I finally was on the approx. 10km TD. But well, at-least I got a decent drive, when some people are complaining of getting one at all, or being shown sign boards of the 6 months waiting. BTW, I was told that the waiting is 4-6 months. That they are saying 6 months, but hope and expect that it would get delivered in 4.

I patiently waited on the side of the road, till the SA got the clearances. IIRC spoke to their boss(es). Patience, calmness and persistence helps.
-----

Originally Posted by Poitive

Jeep Compass (Manual Diesel)
A mini-fiasco or two aside, I eventually got to a test drive.

This one is recent. The fiasco here was that they usually give TDs till 8pm when the car is to be deposited at the showroom. Here, I was about to start the TD at 8pm from my residence and the car was immobilized as it was SOP for them. Took time, but eventually the car was made active and we went for the TD at around 8:30pm.
------

Originally Posted by Poitive

EDIT: I drove the Mahindra XUV700 (Diesel Manual) on 21st December

This one happened without any planning. Reading a few messages about the risk of Corona spreading fast again, thought it just might become unviable to take one, rushed for it. This one was on top of the list to be tried. After some confusions, managed to get a test drive which did include some of the patches I like to test drive on, yet not the ones I use for firming up opinions. It was a top of the line AX7L trim. It included me and two people from the dealership, but no driver, so could not sample the rear bench while being driven.

While the car was much in demand, this again was within a an hour or so from call to reaching the showroom. They didn't have their regular driver available. I was flexible to take one without one. The SA hadn't taken the permission for a longer one despite being told in advance. I politely insisted and conveyed how important it was for my decision making, and how I might not be able to spare the time for long. All very gently but clearly. Calls were made. Took about 10-15 minutes and I got much time with the vehicle. I think about a 12-15kms TD after their usual short run, including half a jam. Had it not been well past 9pm by the time the drive ended (one of the staff's daughter I was later told was unwell), I am sure I would have gotten a much longer TD - possibly about 20-30kms.

I was eagerly told that they would be happy to get the car to me, whenever I wanted, and I only needed to tell them when.
------

Point being, we aren't at the mercy of the dealerships. They too need our business. With patience, proper handling and we ourselves being a bit reasonable and considerate, many dealerships are flexible and do the needful.

Cheers! Happy TDing, as has been said before