[Autonorm]

Hi Guys! I am sure as avid automobile enthusiasts you have had a lot of test drives. Just wanted to know if you have any particular memory of a test-drive of any vehicle which you may or may not have ended up buying but the experience stayed on in your mind (either positive or negative experience).

Let me start you off with some of my own.

I was helping my father choose a new car for which I had called up the Toyota guys in Pune for a test drive in the Corolla, although promised on the first call they did not turn up which put me off a little called them again and then they did turn up albeit a lot later than what they had promised on the phone. Not satisfied with the way they treated their potential customer I was was a bit apprehensive about their famed customer support but once the turned up at the door my view about them changed completely. The guy who came with the car kept profusely apologising for the delay and then afterwards showed us the car which was very well maintained and very clean. He explained every minor detail on the car which was not really necessary but he did his job very well taking care not to skip out any point and then handed over the keys for the test drive and quietly sitting down and answering every query that we had with ease. Was very professional in his approach and knew the car very well.
Just after that we test drove the Honda city and they were a great disappointment. Had to call them 3 times for the test drive and then when they finally turned up they were not really interested and just wanted us to get over with the test drive. Pissed off with their attitude I asked them why do you think I should buy their car he just shrugged, out went the city.
The other one that I really enjoyed was not really a test drive but rather a ride in the passenger seat but none the less, here goes the story:
I was at a car show here in Aachen. The show had a huge area marked out for test drives and everyone with a valid licence could go around the test track with part dirt track and part tarmac. I was sad that would not be able to take a test drive since I didn't hold a valid licence (I don't have a European DL) but my friend did and I was bored watching him go for test drives and I was either seated on the back passenger seat or was standing waiting for him when he test drove a two seater. There was also an Audi TT which I really really wanted to be in but unfortunately I wasn't getting to drive one. The guy offering the test drive, after offering a test drive to my friend then called me and offered me the passenger seat, switched off the ESP and then gave me an awesome ride in the car with some drifts on the track and great overall ride. It felt great and I came out all smiles.
At the same event later then I got to drive the Lexus RX400h, thanks to a very very kind dealer .

Note for Mods.: If this thread is not in the appropriate section please move it to the right section or if any such thread exists (I couldn't find one) could you please move this post over to that thread? Thanks.

[supercars]

I once drove a Luxury Car and the Dealer Representative kept nagging me saying you are going too fast and you are turning too fast and you are changing lanes.

I luckily know how to drive quiet well or we all would be sitting in hospital.

Please never nag anyone as if the driver's attention gets diverted from the road then all the people in the car will suffer and so will the car. :(

I own a Luxury Car so the power in the Test Drive Car was nothing new to me.

[MileCruncher]

My worst TD experience was with Concorde Motors while looking at Safari. I called them up and they said they'll bring the Safari to my place. They did get it but it was a brand new with absolutely bonkers alignment and almost no diesel. The sales guy told me that since diesel is not there I can only have 1 KM TD.

Another instance, I went with a friend who wante dthe 1.4 Punto TD. They gave him the Diesel to test.

In short , Concord is one of the worst TATA dealers.

[greenhorn]

my best drive yet was in a friend's Ritz VDi over some absolutely empty 6 lane NH 45 with service lanes. have never seen roads of that sort ever in kerala. God I wanna go back!

Worst was when ImmortalZ wanted to convince me that Driving an auto was very easy.
Suffice to say that I had a lot to unlearn and my left foot kept mistaking the brake for the clutch. If it hadnt been for luck, his civic would have some major repairs, and some very pissed off fellow drivers

[harry10]

My best TD experience(2 of them on same day) happened around 2 years back.
My bro was interested in buying a Laura so we went to Continental in Delhi for a td. Unfortunately no td laura was available but they had a superb AT for td available at the same time.
The car was a rocket!
I wasn't interested in driving it(as was kinda tired) however when it took off i felt am flying in the back seat.No way i could miss a td then!
Really fell in love with the drive..

Then as we were going back home my bro thought of checking out the BMW 3 series and the showroom was nearby(forgot the name of the showroom but its near haldiram on mathura road).
Honestly, after Superb drive 3 series was kinda boring(Seriously).
Then there was a 7series standing next to it(the car looked really huge)
We asked if we can take a td of that and were politely declined(well 3 youngsters in jeans and t-shirts might not look ideal 7 series buyer is what i thought then)
Disappointed as we were coming out we bumped into the owner of the showroom who knows my cousin quiet well and a 5 min conversation resulted me in the driving seat of a 7series.
How was the drive- i dont know cos i was so damn nervous driving that huge monster near apollo hospital in a 5 pm traffic(i am not seen driving at 40kmph speed often but i was in that). The thing i rem is the stereo effect- mindblowing!! I dont rem listening to a better factory fitted one till date.
Was most comfortable in the superb which i ripped at 120kmph in that traffic and the sales guy was about to jump out due to the fright!

All in all excellent experiences in one day!

[prince_pervez]

My best TD was when the Swift was launched. He allowed me to do absolutely anything I wanted at Rangehills road Pune. Worst was Sx4. Waited for the TD vehicle for 1 hour but it did not come. Went back home.

[straightdrive]

My worst was with Hyundai, for the Getz. Went to three dealers but a TD car was just not available for a period of about two or three weeks. One dealer had sent the car out of town for some reason, the car at another dealer had broken down and the last dealer's car was being used by a senior guy at the dealer while his personal car was being repaired.

Finally was allotted a brand-new car at one of these places and while I was driving it, was told that it was waiting to be delivered to a customer and we could only take a TD of about a kilometre as fuel was low.

By the time the salesman called me back to say that the TD car was available, had finalised on another car.

[blackasta]

well, i have bought 2 cars in my life....but had only 1 TD till date , that too for the 10 year old used Mazda 626 in USA.

I was browsing through craigslist for buying a car, and the Mazda struck me as the post had real photos, and the car was unblemished. Called up the number - it was the Mitsubishi dealer just 2 miles from my home. Hitched a ride in the late afternoon with a senior (with my checkbook).
Went inside the dealership, had some small talk & the salesman offered us a test drive. The salesman put in temp number plates and asked me to take the steering. Drove the car for a mile on the highway and quarter mile on the alleys. On the way to return my senior drove it - and we both were satisfied. After returning to the dealership, checked out the accessories/electricals of the car. They were all functional.

Went in the dealership, negotiated with the sales manager and sales person, brought down the price from 4950 to 4400 all inclusive, wrote a check to dealer (personal check!!), called up insurance and paid via credit card - and drove my first car back home.

All of this inside 45 minutes!! I am sure this will count as one of the fastest buying decisions made on teambhp!!

And i bought my i10 Asta A/T without a test drive !!!!!

[Autonorm]

Wow Blackasta the Mazda was a very quick buy, might be some sort of record but I guess finally some decisions are made from the heart and not the head.

[n.devdath]

This is hot news from my side. I have been trying to get Mahindra to give me a test drive of the new, well not really so new anymore, M-Hawk Scorpio for the past 6 weeks through the company's website but all I get is a call from Mahindra Customer Care every week checking if I have gotten the test drive and an assurance that I will get it this weekend for sure....

[Autonorm]

@ Devdath that's terrible on Mahindra's part. Why don't you try calling one of the showrooms directly for a test drive?

[prince_pervez]

Originally Posted by n.devdath

This is hot news from my side. I have been trying to get Mahindra to give me a test drive of the new, well not really so new anymore, M-Hawk Scorpio for the past 6 weeks through

If you are really interested in buying one then their behaviour is not them nor you as a prospective customer. I'd walk off to a Safari showroom. Drat there are good chances that I return back to M&M

[n.devdath]

Originally Posted by Autonorm

@ Devdath that's terrible on Mahindra's part. Why don't you try calling one of the showrooms directly for a test drive?

Have tried that as well before sending a TD mail to M&M customer care, I dunno what's happening...They probably dont like my name...

Originally Posted by prince_pervez

If you are really interested in buying one then their behaviour is not them nor you as a prospective customer. I'd walk off to a Safari showroom. Drat there are good chances that I return back to M&M

See, the point is, my Safari part is done and the Scorp part remains, for long is the question.

[SamtheLeo]

Originally Posted by blackasta

And i bought my i10 Asta A/T without a test drive !!!!!

Same Pinch!!!

Bought my All New (at that time) Scorpio SLX 2006 with out a TD, in my family we had a tradition of mahindra jeeps & i was so owerawed by Scorpio looks. Compitition (Safari) had no chance whatsoever.

I was only 24 then

[vasudeva]

So far have had not a bad experience during TD primarily because I do not do too many TDs (>40 years, and so remember when TD was done after buying the vehicle). The max. was done in Jan-Mar 2007, and all were decent people during the TD. Different matter that some dealers were too slow to respond or did not even bother.