Test Driving, I don't really understand. Options

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

I tried to go testdriving for a new car today and couldn't. I'm 20 years old, and I guess that's not old enough. Everywere I went said I had to be 21. Is that not kind of stupid? I tried to test drive a wrx, an rsx, a tibberon, and a prelude. None would let me.

[StreetRacing10PS...]

my friend only had a permit like 4 yrs ago when he bought his truck from a dealership and thay let him. that sux tho, i would love to test drive that WRX

[Coomer]

That sucks...I was able to test drive an E36 M3 a while ago, and they didn't run my credit or anything. I just showed them my license and drove.

Are you respectful and interested in the cars when you're at the dealerships?

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

That sucks...I was able to test drive an E36 M3 a while ago, and they didn't run my credit or anything. I just showed them my license and drove.

Are you respectful and interested in the cars when you're at the dealerships?
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Not really, I am some day. Like in a year or two I'll be wanting one, but as of now I'm just having fun. I always go by myself and I welcome the dealers to come with me, but they say I can't. I haven't decided what I'm going to get yet. I've been looking strongly at Honda's, but you really can't deny those WRX's. I just want something I can get around 400-500hp out of and drive it on the road everyday. I think closer to 400 is a lot more realistic.

[StreetRacing10PS...]

then get a WRX. 400-500whp in a honda is crazy, wrx's are better over all any way.

[boosted_K2]

depends on the dealership and your genuine interest in actually purchase something, not just walking up to a sales person asking to drive something...

me and my girlfriend walked into an acura dealership when she was looking to get a vehicle (RSX was what she was interested in at acura) we sat down and talked to one of the ladys about the car and the option packages and went through some pricing on some stuff, she offered if we wanted a test drive but we turned it down just because it was kind of a nasty day out.

[juBz86]

yea you have to show that you're intrested! otherwise they'll think you are just gonna blow them off after you test drive it.

[Mike]

i've test driven a lot of cars, some of which were somewhat expensive,
got to drive a mach 1 at the local ford dealership and a srt-4 sometime thereafter

i guess it all depends on how serious you appear to the salesmen

[Bigmeanbulldog55]

I didn't just walk in and ask the guy to drive the car. I talked about options and prices and told them what I knew of the car from my researching. I live in a college town and there is a lot of riff raff around. So, I guess I can kind of understand why they do it. It sucks that it ruins it for everyone though.

[Mr2_Joel]

you wanna buy a 12 second 99' civic si in MD? lol. I've test driven cars before and I'm only 18. R32, Srt 4, and a few others

[DOODLE]

Sometimes, dealers will not let you "test drive" due to insurance reasons.

[BlackCelicaGT94]

I was test driving cars at 17 :-) but thats cuz my friend who was 21 would take it out then we would go somewhere and switch.

But yeah here u just gotta be 18 with a license and insurance. Obviously u cant go out taking Ferraris but ive test drove a jeep, new celica, and some other cars but i dont remember what they were cuz they werent that fun..

oh well amy and i did test drive a Scion XB. haha she was in the backseat drinking some alcohol and i was driving. .so fun!

[SlowCelica94]

Sometimes they gauge it off you. If you're not professional and mature, you won't get behind the wheel. I had no problems test driving a new goat, redline and srt4

[darksecret]

I was a car salesman and it is up to the dealership, I worked for a Hyundai and Dodge dealership and when a young person came up wanting to test drive a Tiburon GT or an SRT-4 we kind of blew them off because in most cases they just wanted to drive them. I have driven most of the good stuff in America and my favorite bang for the buck is the 400HP GTO, it doesn't look very sporty and it's quality isn't the best but you can't beat laying down all that power in a $30,000 car, plus I was friends with the salesman that let me drive it so we took it for a little while playing with C5 Vettes and just destroying Boxters. I was kind of wanting to see how well it ran against a Carrera.

[Anub1s]

Thats very bizarre I'm 19 and I was looking for a WRX and the guys here let me drive an '04 with a VF39 turbo package, FMIC and all kinds of goodies, best test drive of my life. But, they wouldn't let me take out an STI for some reason that they wouldn't say. I was at another subaru dealership getting parts for my WRX and asked if they would let me drive an STI and they said anytime you come in you are welcome to so I just might now.

[darksecret]

Here's a tip if you look like you can afford the car and you pull up in a decent looking car (i.e. Celica in good shape) and look around at let's say the Impreza RS then move towards the WRX or STi you stand a better chance, don't hint anything towards you're credit or you can just bold face lie about it if they try and badger you, salesman are trained to lie to you about certain things, like I told people Hyundai's have excellent relaibility when in fact they're engines do (thanks to chrysler) but the interiors tend to fall apart after a while. Most dealerships love to let you test drive because most of the time when you test drive it gives a reason to come in and do paperwork, so on the drive look for stuff you don't like about the car and state them so that it looks like you're losing interest and then you have an escape when the drive is over.

EDIT: Also if they try to get you to do paperwork and a credit check, tell them you want to see if the car is worth letting them look at your credit and if they deny the drive tell them you'll take your money to another dealership and see if they can help you.

This post has been edited by darksecret: Apr 26, 2005 - 3:41 PM

[97GTinKC]

Most of the dealers around here want to hold your drivers license while you take a test drive, found out its not because they think you wont be back, its so they can run a credit check while you are gone...

[darksecret]

Federal law will not allow them to check your credit without your approval and a credit app.

EDIT: Here they just photo copy your license.

This post has been edited by darksecret: Apr 26, 2005 - 4:49 PM

[Anub1s]

^ yup! When I go on test drives the guys just hold my keys as collateral or they come with me. Sounds like you guys are just in really crappy areas.