Recent test drives

[waynne]

What cars have you taken for test drives recently?

Did you intend to buy the car? Did you just blag your way into a test drive?

Have you ever bought a car without a test drive? Did a test drive ever put you off buying the car?

[tjay56]

Before we bought our second corsa vxr,we tried a new VW SCIROCCO DIESEL.A very nice car indeed,but couldn't warrant the £30k price tag with the goodies attached to it.Will be testing a RENAULT MEGANE 250RS at Silverstone very soon.

[RobBentley]

Range Rover Sport. Didn't intend to buy, just wanted a go. Ended up buying. An expensive lesson learn't.

I bought a Passat 1.8T without test driving it (not sure why). I was just 'after a car' as my previous car blew up. It'd done 100'000 miles but looked tidy so I just said 'yer, that'll do'. Luckily the car was perfect and I kept it until 160'000 miles. I remapped it at 130'000 and at 160'000 miles it still ran like new. I never did any maintenance (bar services) on that car. Nothing ever went wrong.

So strangely.. statistically my most reliable car ever (I still regret selling it, I'd love to have seen how far it'd have gone), was the only car I have ever bought without a test drive, and it was also the highest mileage car I have ever bought and owned.

[HDi fun]

160,000 miles is no big deal, as RB says. Proper servicing is essential and it's always better to service the car you have than to replace it.

[RobBentley]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

160,000 miles is no big deal

Unless its a Passat W8 - Coming from a rock-solid 1.8T of the same shape (B5.5) its been a bit of a shock. The W8 now has 86'000 miles on the clock and has been through: two headlight level sensors, high pressure pas hose, pas pump, gearbox rebuild, new torque converter, 5 coil packs, rear diff oil seals, centre diff oil seals, airbag ecu, aircon compressor, evaporator and condenser, climate control ecu and a footwell vent sensor just to new a few things that spring to mind!

.. and to get to all of this, the engines been lifted twice. By 100'000 miles I suspect I'll have built a whole new car on the original chassis

[RobBentley]

Originally Posted by HDi fun

always better to service the car you have than to replace it.

Amen

[dpsubaru]

many time have bought a car from the auction, and therefore no test drives. actually all turned out ok - but the state of maintenance was unbelievable. once bought an escort that was 12 years old, judging by the state of the rocker box and oil this car hadnt had a service from new. had to actually scrap out the gunk from sump - amazingly it still did another 10000milles before a piston went through the block.
wanted to take a test drive of an evo when was down at the showroom a couple of weeks ago but the salesman was such an annoying prick i was close to punching him already so had to leave.

[MasterAuron]

A footwell vent sensor! LOL that's the maddest thing I've ever heard.

[glabus]

Now we are really diversifying.
I have taken several Test drives and it depends on HOW recently you mean. I took a drive in the old Puma.
A 24hr Escort
A day in a Montego
More recently:
Fiesta ghia diesel
Focus titanium
Scirocco auto
the Ford whatever its called ? is it the new Puma?
An Insignia and of course one of our car now ( a blue & white one) S1600.
Did the drives influence my decision to possibly buy.
Well........
The 24 one was supposed to be in the cabriolet but I got a saloon!
The Montego I wanted to try to establish an Advanced driving school but couldnt get a deal
The ghia was OK but as my wife was buying we hung on for the next reg but declined then too.
Focus. to see if it would fit in our drive (its a high to low next door!)There was a g8 deal offered but she turned it down
Scirocco OH I wanted that BUT, when I got the guy to put it in the drive we couldnt get the doors open (there is greenery one side a wall to the next doors lower one. Also when Jen took her own Test drive she found it clunky and uncomfortable
The ford whatever? Was a nice car a bit 4x4ish AND too pricey
The Insignia? after being kept waiting for over half an hour I finally got into the car... in the passengers seat. That isnt unusual of course. What was was that the young guy who took us out did NOT stop for us to change. Basically went round the block going left out of showroom then right, right right round roundabout then left back into forecourt.
This was a similar experience as to the old Puma but at least I DID drive that one.
During the drive he asked me what I thought of the car. I am afraid I am too much a gentleman or I could have said how the F would I know if Im not driving it? I did write in a letter of complaint because after that debacle I seem to be 'dismissed'. No-one asked me anything I was quite upset & angry. I did not get any reply to my letter!!
Our new car will last me probably till natural death but, should we need to buy again there are a couple of Dealers I would NOT approach
I seem to have a lot to say on these various matters so I hope that others are not put off by my replies. I try to be as forthright and honest as poss. If I do go on a bit forgive me please. Lets face it you dont Have to read me!!!

Originally Posted by waynne

What cars have you taken for test drives recently?

Did you intend to buy the car? Did you just blag your way into a test drive?

Have you ever bought a car without a test drive? Did a test drive ever put you off buying the car?

[ronniecalcutta]

I went for a drive with Chevy Beat. Though it was a hatchback with less power , but it was good at handling on congested city roads.