How many people really test drive lots of cars?

[City Guy997S]

Originally Posted by stan4

That is super lame.
Dealers here will sometimes let you take the car for the whole weekend to make you fall in love with it.
That's how my friend wound up with the M5 his wife never wanted. And my other friend wound up with her Audi.

That is the "puppy dog" close.....take it home and fall in love so you won't be able to return it!

Champion Porsche lets clients take cars for the day all the time, just not the turbo powered versions!

[Checkered24]

I can certainly understand the narrowing the field down ahead of time, and after a couple drives buying something if you love it. Makes sense.

That rarely happens for me. I read tons of reviews, opinions, do a lot of due dilligence. However, I often feel let down when I drive a car, that it is not what I expect based on the research. Not always, but often.

Guess I am just too picky!

[jtur88]

The last time I bought a new car was in 1985, and I don't think I even test drove it. I went to the Toyota dealer and asked if he had a 5-door Corolla with a stick shift and he pointed to one and I asked where do I sign. I should have bought two, it was the best car I've ever owned.

[sinking]

Originally Posted by yowps3

Dealers around here won't even let you touch their cars if you don't show them cash or serious intentions of purchasing vehicles.

It could be the salespersons perceptions of you. Your attitude, how you carry yourself, what you drive up in doesn't hurt either.

I stopped by the local Porsche dealer recently to check out a lightly used E92 M3 for my girlfriend. Inside of a minute the salesman was grabbing the keys and offering for us to take the car out, unchaperoned, mind you. I'm sure it helped I showed up in my 911 Turbo but I think a bit of the willingness comes from nonvisual cues. I am in my 20's, don't dress like anything special, no watch - much less a flashy expensive watch to judge me by. Meanwhile, I think someone who is dressed in expensive clothes and wearing a flashy watch could also give off the vibe that they are just wasting time.