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Test Drives & Dealership Promotions

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Comments

  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    sounds to me like you are jumping over a dollar to get to a dime.
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    Thanks. That's a lot of driving, but I suppose youre used to it there. I would hope you could get a loaner. I've never owned a car from a dealer that would give a loaner, so each such trip would either be doubled (by my wife dropping/picking me up) or time off from work for me.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    >>Almost forgot. Some dealers here do set aside certain cars for test driving. That way only 1 unit ends up with a few hundred miles on it, and the rest stay fresh. I prefer this method, since I hate the idea of buying a car that someone else has driven.

    That definitely sounds like a good idea for the dealership to do. For an extended test drive, I also don't mind taking a used vehicle that's a couple years old even if I'm buying a brand new one as long as they are very similar.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    That's why I shop dealerships before I shop cars, that is one of the questions I ask before even looking at a vehicle. A couple months ago the entire AC system had to be replaced on my Sequoia, TSB good up to 36k miles, I had 85K(up to 96K now) and they covered it anyways plus had a loaner Camry almost a week.
  • peterdh2000peterdh2000 Member Posts: 54
    exactly. i don't go in when it's busy, and i sure would never ask that the car be given to me overnight unless i was dead set on buying it. i think it's easy for a salesperson to tell that i appreciate and respect the machinery. as opposed to the salesguy who took me out in a 350z with 6 miles on the clock, and bounced it off the rev limiter on the way to 100 in second gear. "these cars come from the factory broken in already."

    when i drove a lexus recently, they had a couple of 2004 CPO units, but they were on the other end of the lot so we took a new one. actually, if i was buying, i think it would be more informative to see what a current model year car with 20k on it feels like, or how their demo that's been through some "spirited" test drives holds up.
  • manamalmanamal Member Posts: 426
    I do not car about an overnite test drive; however, I want to sit in the car for 30-60 minutes before buying. That way, I know if my back will stiffen up. I made that mistake once...bought a car based on a 10 min testdrive only to discover that, by 30 min, my back was sore.
  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    test drive. I wanted to see how the car (Passat wagon) performed at speed, and drive it for 30 minutes or so. Answer was "no problem", and we took the SM's demo, which was a sedan, but that was OK with me. The test ride was great, but we never met on terms.

    Ended up buying from their sister store, without a test drive (pre-signature acceptance drive only.)
  • andyman73andyman73 Member Posts: 322
    When we were looking at 04 Merc Sable wagons, had to find one out of town. So, they let us test drive an 05, stating the only real difference was the price. Wife, and everyone else for that matter, is pleased with our 04 Merc. Sable LS premium wagon, in Arizona Beige Metallic.
  • cargal2cargal2 Member Posts: 36
    I was wondering if anyone knew about the liability issues concerning test-drives. A Mercedes dealer called me this morning, saying he had a 2001 ML for me. Would I like to come in? So, I did in the afternoon. I had just been to the doctor, and the nurse botched drawing my blood, so I had bandages all over my hand.

    He showed me the truck, let me look inside, and brought it around for me to drive. I had been over there before, and he was much more chatty. Today, I felt tension. He came with me on the test-drive.

    In any case, I was driving the truck down the road when I wanted to switch into the gear-tronic manual from automatic mode. You could hear that I was having some problems shifting the gears, and then, it stuck, just as I was going down a ramped curve. I had to look down to figure out what to do. I believe I made a comment, asking how it worked, but he ignored me.

    Well... I ended up running into the curb. He knew instantly, why, and said, forget the gear-tronic. I told him, I didn't know how to switch it back, and we sat there for a minute or two. He swore when it happened....asked me if the truck now drove to the right, and we went back.

    He got out of the truck, and inspected the tire. He said that I'd damaged the side-wall. He went inside to bring the manager.... They both came out, and asked me if I was buying the truck, or what? Then, they complained that no one could use the car like that, and the tire needed to be replaced. Sheez.... No one asked me if I was okay.

    They tried to tell me that they didn't have insurance, and did I have a Visa?, and they wanted me to replace the tire, and may charge me the wholesale cost, instead of for the rotation, tire balancing, etc. I said, I knew that it would cost at least, $150 if not $300 I asked the salesman, if this was an SUV, and could go off-road, how could the tire be damaged so easily?

    Finally, I was so shaken, I said, I wanted to go home. I didn't sign anything before, or afterwards, and the damage wasn't intentional... I gave them my number, and said to call me. And, so they let me go.

    I've test-driven a number of cars, as I go through figuring out which one I want, and nothing like this, ever happened before, and I would hope never again.

    Does anybody know in general what happens if you end up in an accident, or a minor boo-boo on a test drive?

    Thanks!
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    that doesnt sound like a mercedes dealer to me...

    no, you have no liability at all. the SM was simply trying to not pay for it. if they call you back (i doubt they will), just pull a theresa kerry line on them. (shove it, [non-permissible content removed], idiot, etc...)
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    While I don't believe you have any legal liability, if I were you I'd take care of the tire simply because it's the right thing to do. Insurance isn't going to cover something like a damaged tire, and the damage was your fault. I also think the dealers attitude wasn't the best in trying to stongarm you into paying for it.

    As for it being an off-road vehicle, that doesn't mean it'll go through anything. You have to know how to drive a vehicle off road properly or you will seriously damage it.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    It sounds to me like you messed up. Before trying to switch from the automatic mode to the manual mode, you should have asked the salesman exactly how to do it. You also should have done it on a flat part of the road, not on a section that had a curve with a curb.

    On the other hand, maybe Mercedes should not make a car that is so tricky to drive.

    I think you should help pay for the damage.
  • andyman73andyman73 Member Posts: 322
    I'm in with Bobst. While driving an unfamiliar vehicle for the first time, one should concentrate on the drive, not playing with gizmos. When deciding to change shift modes, while driving, one takes the risk, like trying to beat a redlight. Also, the brake pedal should have worked, regardless of shift mode.
  • jwilliams2jwilliams2 Member Posts: 910
    I agree with bobst on the first part, when in doubt, ask. As for "tricky to drive", don't think so. With the car in drive, you simply move the gearshift lever left to downshift, right to upshift. Couldn't be any less "tricky". There is no "Gear-tronic" mode. You are always in drive, unless you choose to upshift or downshift. It isn't like the tiptronic or some others where you have to put it in a special position to shift gears. The worst you could do is be in too low of a gear. And I agree, you should pay for what you broke....
  • cargal2cargal2 Member Posts: 36
    BP, I think had the most interesting answer. It's really a question of legal liability on test drives, which is the greater meaning of the situation.

    Look, the truck had a different tiptronic than others I've used, even when I've driven Mercedes. It was also a 2001.

    I told the salesman, as I was about to go around the curve that I was having a problem. He chose to ignore me, until I had to look down to fiddle with it, and accidentally ran into the curb. It was in 1st gear, and if I wasn't able to get out of that mode, I could have stripped the gears.

    If I hadn't asked the salesman for help, I believe it would have been a different story. And, his interest should have been whether I was okay, rather than whether the tire was "broke."

    But, we are on the test drive board. People routinely take out cars for test drives, merely turning over copies of their licenses. Rarely is someone informed of the consequences if something happens on a test-drive.

    Sometimes the cars are used, and may not be up to par. If the car is new, it may not be prepped.

    I think people should know what the process is here about test-drives, and the boo-boos that can go along with them.

    Thanks
  • jwilliams2jwilliams2 Member Posts: 910
    It surprises me how people try to avoid responsibility with excuses or legal technicalities. Test drives should be no different than handling any other merchant's wares. If you mishandle and drop a fine item at the department or jewelry store, the right thing to do is pay for it. The only exception would be if the product had some kind of defect which caused the incident, which is clearly not the case here.

    So keep it simple, you break it, you fix it. If you don't want that responsibility, perhaps you could let the Salesperson drive. Or do a cyber drive on the internet.

    Maybe car dealers should have us sign a legal document spelling this out along with the copy of the drivers license and insurance card to eliminate any confusion.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    and yet ANOTHER reason for the salesperson to drive first...
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    legal documents for test drives are meaningless...at least in a court of law. just ask my dealership's owner...
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    It's their car. If you drive a friend's car and damgage the wheel by hitting the curb, it's that person's insurance or financial responsibility; they let you drive their car. You are an invited visitor.

    The dealer is on their insurance or their dime if they don't want to turn it into their own insurance. They invited you to take a drive, even if they only asked after you're present in the dealership's property or control area. It's their problem to take care of.

    The fact they tried to strongarm you into paying for it in a method that would have been irrevocable is even worse as an example of their dealership operating methods. I wouldn't buy a car there...

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    no, she is not legally obligated to pay it, but like bobst says (oh, lord...im agreeing with him again), its the right thing to do.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    did not train the driver by demonstrating before the drive nor did they have the salesman drive first to demonstrate. It's their fault the driver had difficulty making the change.

    EOD for me.

    If a store has material which are fragile if dropped and the dropping as I peruse their wares is an accident, it's their insurance. IF I throw the item down in an argument or to show dislike for something the store or their representative has doen, then it's my responsibility.

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    just like today's society to reassign responsibility. helping out to repair the tire is the RIGHT THING TO DO. regardless of legalities.
  • bobstbobst Member Posts: 1,776
    I don't think the law is always cut and dried. A lot of it depends on what is 'reasonable', like in "guilty beyond a reasonable doubt".

    In this case, I think it would have been reasonable for the salesman to drive the car first and demonstrate how to operate anything that was a little tricky.

    It also would have been reasonable for the buyer to be careful when trying anything tricky, like the tranny thing that got her in trouble.

    It looks to me like both parties were somewhat negligent.

    By the way, I just heard on the news here in D.C. that five teenagers were killed in two accidents over in Maryland last night. How sad. Things like that make damaging a tire, or me being upset because I hit a bad 5-iron on the last hole this morning, seem so minor. I think I will go help my wife fix dinner.
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Last week. a couple of 17year olds lost control of their car on what is called " Roller Coaster Hill". Hit a tree...both dead. Nice kids who were good students.

    Funny...the town I grew up in had a Roller Coaster Hill too and I remember almost losing it myself one dark night so many years ago.
  • andyman73andyman73 Member Posts: 322
    I wonder how many of those teens would have survived by wearing that novelty item known as a seat belt? In my experience, and from what I have read, most of the teens that have died, did so mostly due to lack of seatbelt useage. I know, I buried a friend, age 25, he wasn't wearing his seat belt. It was his 4th major accident, this one was his fault. All others he was hit buy drunks or redlight runners. He didn't like wearing his belt, it crimped his style. He was an only child. Was such a nice kid, new him since he was 14.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    I don't think the salesperson driving first would have helped in this situation, most likely he would have still had problems operating the vehicle properly. With a non-standard way of operating the gears the salesperson should have game a little lesson before even leaving the lot. Legal liability or not, he should have offered to take care of the damaged tire before they got a chance to try and force him into it.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    If I let someone drive my truck, and they screwed up and damaged my tire you better believe I'd expect them to pay for it. Your comment is just an example of one of societies major problems these days, no sense of responsiblity.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    I see some people here on this board being pretty nasty towards you saying you are trying to get out of paying. I get the feeling that you were just shaken up and wanted to get out of there. I really hope you'll do the right thing and own up to your mistake by paying for the tire. On the other side of this, I can understand if you didn't want to purchase from this dealership since they made some critical mistakes as well. I think the best thing to do here, is pay for the tire, leave the dealership and call it done. Hope this helps, and good luck in your future test drives.
  • prophet2prophet2 Member Posts: 372
    Reminds me of a story decades ago about the customers who returned from a test drive during which the hood popped open and was ripped off the convertible by aerodynamic forces. They were naturally fearful as they drove in with the hood in the back seat. They were surprised at the reaction of the dealer - "Hell, don't worry about the hood. We have insurance for that kind of stuff. How did you like the drive?"

    Ole Cal got one fan that day with that PR move!
  • andyman73andyman73 Member Posts: 322
    Good Ol' Cal, good for something besides entertaining commercials.
  • imidazol97imidazol97 Member Posts: 27,132
    Re your comment:
    "Your comment is just an example of one of societies (sic) major problems these days, no sense of responsiblity.'

    I have to agree with you but I didn't realize you could see the dealer wasn't wanting to take responsibility and pay for the tire/wheel and/or have his insurance pay for it. He probably wants to keep his claims down on insurance.

    Note the later comment: "They were surprised at the reaction of the dealer - "Hell, don't worry about the hood. We have insurance for that kind of stuff. How did you like the drive?"

    That's how the dealer should have handled it. But dealer doesn't want to take responsibility and do the business-wise thing.

    "one of society's major problems these days..."
    --businesses who want the government to pay their costs or reduce their taxes while the people pay for everything....

    2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,

  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    The way it should have been handled is that the dealer should have said don't worry about the tire, and the driver should have offered to pay for it anyways. As for the hood coming open, the driver wasn't responsible for that in any way, it was either a faulty latch or someone didn't close it all the way.
  • mikefm58mikefm58 Member Posts: 2,882
    << The way it should have been handled is that the dealer should have said don't worry about the tire, and the driver should have offered to pay for it anyways >>

    My thoughts exactly. Whether the dealer was legally in the right or not, the cost was so minor in business terms that they should have reacted differently.
  • Kirstie_HKirstie_H Administrator Posts: 11,146
    OK, we've pretty much squeezed everything we can out of this particular incident, and open mic night at the Amateur Legal Enthusiast club is Sunday :)

    Let's gather some more test drive stories and go wherever they make take us.

    kirstie_h
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    MODERATOR /ADMINISTRATOR
    Need help navigating? kirstie_h@edmunds.com - or send a private message by clicking on my name.
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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Just found this topic today, so pardon the late response.

    I guess you could call me a "looky loo", i.e. someone who test drives a car they're not likely to buy, at least not right then.

    One of the main reasons I do it is simply to sample the cars and form my own opinion on them, instead of relying on magazines and such, which I often disagree with.

    Why is that important? Well, I'm a car guy, my friends know that, and when they ask me about a certain new car I like to be able to help out with an opinion.

    And it happens more often than you might expect. I helped put a friend in a Legacy GT this weekend, even gave the reference to the salesman who took me out on the last "looky loo" test drive.

    Ka-ching. He made his commission. Not from me, but I doubt he cares...

    I was e-mailed today from an old friend that found me via these forums, and she's shopping an Odyssey vs. a Sienna.

    I've driven the Ody but not a Sienna, so apparently I have some more looky-looing to do! And if I feel like the salesman is nice enough and honest, I'll give him or her that reference too. I'll probably go to Fitz Toyota because they treated me nicely last time.

    I dunno, you generate showroom traffic, send references, share a positive experience about the car or even maybe the dealership (355 Lexus has great Cappuccinos).

    So why do I do it? Because it's fun, it's free, often there is a freebie or some sort of perk, and because the knowledge I gain from the test drive is often shared with friends and family.

    Hyundai has some sort of test drive offer going on now, and I've been curious to see the new Tucson...

    -juice
  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    Here's another angle.

    Do you ever go to a place like, say, Costco, where they have all the free samples at lunch?

    Don't you try a bite of the [insert favorite appetizer] even though you're not buying any?

    Who knows? You might like it and then keep it in mind for your next party.

    Same with cars. My wife ruled out a BMW 325i but says a Mercedes C230 Kompressor is in her (not near) future.

    -juice
  • jlawrence01jlawrence01 Member Posts: 1,757
    Back in June, I got the invitation to test drive sever Mercedes Benzes on a timed track. I sat there for a couple of minutes trying to figure out how to shift the automatic gears. It is unlike anything that I had ever driven. Finally, the race driver doing the trials showed me how to do it. Set the record time for the day - the slowest time. Said that I must be an accountant.

    By the way GM is offering the opportunity to drive a large number of GM models and competition throughout the country much as Edmunds.com did in the summer of 2000. Here is a link if anyone is interested:

    http://www.autoshowinmotion.com
  • isellhondasisellhondas Member Posts: 20,342
    Yes, I've done this at our nearby Costco and I've often bought the item sampled.

    That's a bit diffeent than wasting a half hour of a straight commissioned salesperson's time.
  • bowke28bowke28 Member Posts: 2,185
    to add to that, many people think we get some sort of "base pay" before commissions. therefore, we must be just like the employees at costco...except for the green-pea factories, this is not the case.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    Sounds like a polite way of telling us to stop beating a dead horse :)
  • SylviaSylvia Member Posts: 1,636
    EXACTLY! Horse is dead, move on.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    Are you sure, it might just be sleeping?
  • andyman73andyman73 Member Posts: 322
    Kick it a few times to see. If it moves, it was just sleeping. If the flys take off, then settle back down, in a cloud of noxious fumes, it's dead.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    I wish I wouldn't have visualized that.
  • andyman73andyman73 Member Posts: 322
    About 20 years ago, I stumbled across a dead horse, and did just that, to see what would happen. Kids will be kids. :) What a smell!
  • stickguystickguy Member Posts: 50,439
    on this one, being a serial looker myself. Note that I browse a lot, but only drive if there is a chance that it wil lend up on my short list, or I'm helping someone else shop. I also go at off times (like a Tuesday at 11:00), and I'm often the only customer in the place. There are a few dealers where I know some people, and they just toss a tag in and let me go, so it really doesn't take them any time.

    I have also gone in just to look out of curiosity, and ended up buying the car (either that visit or later), even though I wasn't really planning to at the time.

    The problem , to me, is that the manufacturers and dealers have a different agenda than the salesperson (and remember who does the advertising). The $ folks want as much showroom traffic as possible, but the salespeople prefer to have only a few people wander in, and only the true "buying it now ones", since in a perfect world every up leaves in a new car.

    I think it might have been Macabee that had a saying about turing lookers into buyers was the mark of a real salesman, otherwise they are nothing but order takers.

    2020 Acura RDX tech SH-AWD, 2023 Maverick hybrid Lariat luxury package.

  • alfoxalfox Member Posts: 708
    <Devil's Advocate Position> Why is it of any concern at all to a customer how the sales person is compensated? As a customer (whether I'm buying a car, furniture or an ice cream cone) I figure it's not my business, and I could not possible care less. It is not in my interest - nor even on my radar - whether or not a sales person is able to economize the time spent per customer.

    If a sales person's compensation fails to adequately cover the time spent with potential future customers, that is an issue between the sales person and his management, and does not involve the customer in any way.
    </Devil's Advocate Position>

    I really don't feel quite that strident about it, but I'm guessing it is a fair summary of how about 90% of customers feel about it. I agree that joy-riders posing as customers are a nuisance that needs to be weeded out, but someone who is truly interested in the car for whatever reason deserves an opportunity to drive it whether he is buying today or not.

    I think sales people have to constantly resist the natural tendency to become quite jaded about their product. To them a car is the merest commodity, one inventory item of many, and of very little interest other than WRT a sale. To customers it is an expression of themselves, a place where they will spend a great deal of time, and a major financial transaction. Few people buy more cars in their lifetime than a sales person sells in a good week.
  • bp3959bp3959 Member Posts: 156
    Well said.
  • kyfdxkyfdx Moderator Posts: 235,200
    I'm not that strident, either, but...

    I think you hit the nail right on the head.

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  • ateixeiraateixeira Member Posts: 72,587
    wasting a half hour of a straight commissioned salesperson's time

    Not if I send them referrals later. And like I said, it already has happened.

    The Subaru salesperson I usually go see is actually on salary, not commission. He's happy to show me whatever car, and I've sent him about 2-3 referrals.

    I prefer hosted events like the Love Mercedes Tour and the BMW Ultimate Driving event but those aren't always available. Volvo has Fire & Ice, GM has their tour, Jeep also, Mazda had that autocross competition. I go to as many as I can.

    Example: Chevy hosted one for the Malibu, so I said "what the hay". Surprise, the 3500 pushrod engine really impressed me, now I wouldn't turn friends away from choosing that engine, whereas I might have before, and still do for the coarse 3.4l V6.

    But manufacturers do want showroom traffic, that's why they offer all the freebies. Volvo gave us $100 gift cards to Dean & Deluca to bribe us into a showroom.

    I'd go for free anyway, but if they are going to bribe me I'll take it! Actually, my wife spends the money, I do the test drive.

    Hey, wait a sec...

    :o)

    Honda seems to be the exception. I don't recall any freebies or test drive events, have they ever done that?

    -juice
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