The Test Drive Blues

[GWAZI]

I'm so bummed out...

Drove down to my local dealer today, and saw 4 brand spanking new 300's on the lot! Instantly, I decided to come back tomorrow for a test drive. I hung around the dealership for a while, snapping some pics of a couple Limiteds and Tourings. Just after I notice the bright silver C sitting in the showroom (one of only 2 in town!!!), a sales rep comes out to have a chat with me. Since I'm obviously 18, he was skeptical about my interest at first, but I quickly convinced him I knew what I was talking about :D . He eventually told me about driving a C, an RT and a Ram SRT-10 over in Atlanta. So, naturally, I ask him about test drives. About the C: "Not a chance. That car isn't moving until someone buys it." Bummer. How about the others? "Well, we're not giving test drives now. We want to keep the value of the cars up, so we're trying to keep the miles down. If you want to drive one, we need proof of genuine and serious interest, and we have paperwork for you to fill out. Besides, we're charging another $2500 for availability." Super Bummer. He told me to come back in about three months, and that I could get a test drive then. Uber Super Bummer. Guess I won't get to drive a Magnum untill college. :cry: Any of this jargon sound familiar to anyone? Or am I just a snot-nosed kid that he wanted to get rid of?

[TehKing]

That is absolute bullplop.

Go to a dealer that actually wants your business, sounds to me that they just lost a potential customer, and now they have bad press about it. :)

[E8502]

Classic "kid" turndown...Happened to me all the time when I would go look at BMW's and Mercedes back when I was a teen. Go to another dealer where they're nice to you...Screw this one.

[05Magnum]

There isn't much you can do. Maybe you could mail him a snapshot of yourself sitting in your new 300, with thanks for his ASSistance.

[TehKing]

I absolutely hate dealers like that. They are there to serve you, not the other way around.

About a year ago my wife and I went out car shopping, we were checking out minivans, and we had stopped at the local Chrysler dealer to CHECK out the Town and Country's. now, my wife and I are not slobs. We were dressed in clean clothes, hair nicely done, blah blah blah, very respectable looking.

The dealer comes up to us, literally sneers, turns up his nose and says "The used ones are at the back."

I couldn't believe it! I told him we had pre-approved financing FROM our bank and that we were ready to make a deal on a brand new van, and that because of his attitude he lost a sale and we will never buy anything FROM his dealership, and we walked out.

[05Magnum]

Some friends of ours lost their entire house to a fire and had nothing but the clothes on their backs. They had $300,000 that they had to spend immediately in ORDER to get everything back. You wouldn't believe the way they were treated by some salespeople because they didn't look well-to-do.

Don't judge a book by it's cover.

[FStephenMasek]

In 1988, when I was 31, a Lincoln dealer would not let me test drive a Mark LSC. I went down the street and bought a Pontiac Bonneville SSE for about the same price. Eighteen may be pushing it, but there are plenty of eighteen yeaar olds who can pay cash or put a 300C on their credit card. The book "The Millionaire Next Door" contains some good stories about real millionaires and how you can not indetify them by how they dress, what they drive, or where they live. A good salesperson is not a snotty fool who acts on little or no information.

[Hersbird]

Not that I'm a snob or anything, i literally only own 2 pairs of pants at one time, a pair I wear when I'm doing dirty work, and a pair I'm not supposed to wear while doing dirt work but end up wearing them anyway! I proudly shop for clothes exclusively at Walmart or a tent on the side of the road. I just don't see the dealers offering test drives on a car that just came out a few days ago and they only have 2. Maybe in the larger areas where then can have one car just for test drives, but if it's a car that is going to be sold as new to a customer, they shouldn't be using it. I wouldn't buy a car off the lot unless it had less then 10 miles on it personally, especially a high power over $30,000 car. I remember taking a test drive in a WRX when they first came out, even with the dealer in the car it was hammered with only 20 miles on the clock. The dealer was worse then me, he reved it right to redline, multiple times, with 20 miles on the motor. My brother did buy a WRX, he had a different one on ORDER at the time, but that test drive was nowhere near the proper break in, and I sure whouldn't have bought that particular car. I do think a normal buyer needs a test drive, but right now they can sell the few cars they have to people who know they want it and are ready to buy w/o a test drive. I'm sure they will drive it before they actually sign the final paper, but just to CHECK that there is nothing wrong with the specific car. If you really want to CHECK out a car before buying it, go rent one, I hear some rental car places got the 300Cs first.

[E8502]

Not that I'm a snob or anything, i literally only own 2 pairs of pants at one time, a pair I wear when I'm doing dirty work, and a pair I'm not supposed to wear while doing dirt work but end up wearing them anyway! I proudly shop for clothes exclusively at Walmart or a tent on the side of the road. I just don't see the dealers offering test drives on a car that just came out a few days ago and they only have 2. Maybe in the larger areas where then can have one car just for test drives, but if it's a car that is going to be sold as new to a customer, they shouldn't be using it. I wouldn't buy a car off the lot unless it had less then 10 miles on it personally, especially a high power over $30,000 car. I remember taking a test drive in a WRX when they first came out, even with the dealer in the car it was hammered with only 20 miles on the clock. The dealer was worse then me, he reved it right to redline, multiple times, with 20 miles on the motor. My brother did buy a WRX, he had a different one on ORDER at the time, but that test drive was nowhere near the proper break in, and I sure whouldn't have bought that particular car. I do think a normal buyer needs a test drive, but right now they can sell the few cars they have to people who know they want it and are ready to buy w/o a test drive. I'm sure they will drive it before they actually sign the final paper, but just to CHECK that there is nothing wrong with the specific car. If you really want to CHECK out a car before buying it, go rent one, I hear some rental car places got the 300Cs first.
Well, with the 300C people are buying them like hotcakes without test drives... 8)

[OBT]

When I went to the dealer Thursday night, I half sat in a 300C in front of the showroom windows. As soon as I got out a salesman locked the door and (nicely) mentioned that he had just sold it and the new owner didn't want anyone messing with his car.

I later got to test drive a manager's 300C (with his golf bags in the trunk).

[GWAZI]

Heh, thanks for all the responses and support, guys!

Another dealer just got a C in stock, and I used to be good friends with the owner's daughter, so I might just head down there. If not, I'll put on a sport coat and roll up to the old dealer in my dad's Mercedes. See what happens then!

Anyone want to loan me some dress shoes? :P

[E8502]

When I went to the dealer Thursday night, I half sat in a 300C in front of the showroom windows. As soon as I got out a salesman locked the door and (nicely) mentioned that he had just sold it and the new owner didn't want anyone messing with his car.

I later got to test drive a manager's 300C (with his golf bags in the trunk).
It was the Jade one right??

[3buckC]

I'm so bummed out...

Drove down to my local dealer today, and saw 4 brand spanking new 300's on the lot! Instantly, I decided to come back tomorrow for a test drive. I hung around the dealership for a while, snapping some pics of a couple Limiteds and Tourings. Just after I notice the bright silver C sitting in the showroom (one of only 2 in town!!!), a sales rep comes out to have a chat with me. Since I'm obviously 18, he was skeptical about my interest at first, but I quickly convinced him I knew what I was talking about :D . He eventually told me about driving a C, an RT and a Ram SRT-10 over in Atlanta. So, naturally, I ask him about test drives. About the C: "Not a chance. That car isn't moving until someone buys it." Bummer. How about the others? "Well, we're not giving test drives now. We want to keep the value of the cars up, so we're trying to keep the miles down. If you want to drive one, we need proof of genuine and serious interest, and we have paperwork for you to fill out. Besides, we're charging another $2500 for availability." Super Bummer. He told me to come back in about three months, and that I could get a test drive then. Uber Super Bummer. Guess I won't get to drive a Magnum untill college. :cry: Any of this jargon sound familiar to anyone? Or am I just a snot-nosed kid that he wanted to get rid of?

Many years ago, my dad wanted to kill some time instead of wait for someone so he walked INTO a Rolls Royce dealership. Just looking atthe cars and a salesman starts talking him up. Giving him all kinda of information, HAVING him sit inside the car etc. My dad pretty early on said "I don't want to take your time, I honestly can't afford the car and have no plans on buying one". The salesman replied "That's alright. Who knows, maybe one day you'll win the lottery and think of me." Great Attitude

It's too bad the sales rep didn't handle things differently. He should have been straight with you. Asked you if you're serious about buying and take your word. And if you said no, ask you if you'd mind waiting 3 months. He strikes me as a novice salesman who doesn't know how to deal with people and what kind of approach to use. And he'll suffer for it without knowing is my guess.

[threefortyduster]

welcome to being a teen...i'm 18 and when i asked to test drive a Magnum RT at my local dealership (bought more than one vehicle there) they flat said no because of their crappy markup made it a $40K car and they needed to keep mileage down. This really pissed me off, because i had already driven an SXT and liked it...but they are doing a great job making sure we dont buy our RT there. This is after i am on a first name basis with everyone at the dealership besides the sales managers. But they can be super dicks....i cant stand the sales managers there...they said noone can buy it until you are ready to buy THAT DAY. So i'm gonna take my mom in, test drive it, then decide we aren't ready to buy

[3buckC]

welcome to being a teen...i'm 18 and when i asked to test drive a Magnum RT at my local dealership (bought more than one vehicle there) they flat said no because of their crappy markup made it a $40K car and they needed to keep mileage down. This really pissed me off, because i had already driven an SXT and liked it...but they are doing a great job making sure we dont buy our RT there. This is after i am on a first name basis with everyone at the dealership besides the sales managers. But they can be super dicks....i cant stand the sales managers there...they said noone can buy it until you are ready to buy THAT DAY. So i'm gonna take my mom in, test drive it, then decide we aren't ready to buy

Ask for their card. Get their email address. Send them a picture with "Bought FROM a dealer who would let me test drive."

[1cobrakid]

Anybody remember when the Miata was introduced. I was....maybe 25 at the time, two incomes, no kids and so on. They told us "we aren't giving out thrill rides, no money, no test". Probably lost a sale there, but they didn't care because all of the cars were sold before they got on the truck. When the RX-8 was introduced each dealer got a Mazda owned car so everyone could test drive. I took a spin in one and would have purchased on if the gas mileage was a little better.

[thuffman03]

I did not get a chance to test my RT until my loan went through. They let me test the SXT but would not take the RT out of the SHOW room. Now this was the day before the Dodge Premier night and I told them up front that I liked the car but we need to get INTO the numbers before I would even consider putting a deposit down.

[Vaderwagon]

I personally will not buy anything I cannot test drive. Subaru dealers were doing that with WRXs when they first came out. They were also giving away memberships to the SCCA for whichIi have been a member for 20 years. That did not matter to the dealer. If I were serious then they would offer me a test drive. Needless to say I did not buy a WRX.

As an option to a test drive of a 300C go rent one. One of our local dealers has rental cars and they offer a Magnum Hemi and a 300C. Of course you might need to reserve one a fair amount of time in advance but it will be worth not HAVING a salesman hassle you. Of course with this dealer you have to be 23, have a credit card and proof of full coverage insurance. We are renting a Magnum this weekend so we can decide if we want that or a 300C. I am leaning toward the 300C as I like the look of the sedan. Although if Chrysler saw fit to offer the EuropeanTouring Edition (IE: Wagon) I would snap it up in a hurry.

Just as idea for thought................... :D

[bri]

these tips may help.. i've had no problems getting test drives in all sorts of cars i could never afford to buy.. for me, this has worked:

1. never act like you can't afford it.. treat and refer to the car like it's no big deal, you could easily do without it.. let your jaw DROP on the inside and on the outside give a "yeah, it's ok" face.. salesmen play poker with you, you should play back..
2. don't take a shotgun approach, pick one car specifically first and talk only about that car.. if you get to drive it, later you can look around at others and say "how about that one?"
3. know more about the car than the salesman.. this is easy to do.. :)
4. don't give them a reason to give you an excuse - rather than ask "can i drive it", instead try a "ok, let's take this one out" approach..

your mileage may vary, and it obviously isn't the only way to get test drives, but this approach has never failed me in situations where my age or appearance didn't fit the stereotypical car shopper..

i do agree that the dealer should just let you drive it, but this is what's happening, i think.. a local dealer here has an RT with about 3000 miles on it already, all FROM test drives.. since it's never been titled, it's officially "new", but would you buy it? it's pretty well scuffed on the inside, too.. by erroneously applying some sort of economic profiling, your dealer is trying to keep FROM HAVING a 3000 mile new car while at the same time selling as many as he can, so his sale-probability-meter is pegging you low on the scale.. i guarantee you can get a ride in it if you make him believe he has a sale..

in a perfect world we wouldn't ever have to behave differently than we do normally, but especially in car dealerships there are all kinds of weird politics at work.. there are dealers who don't do that so much, buy FROM them.. but while you're searching for that dealer, why not see if you can test drive RTs at other places?

my advice, hit a bunch of dealers with RTs if you can, make them work for you.. gauge the salespeople's reactions.. rate them on how you're treated and enjoy a couple of test drives.. buy FROM the one who treated you the best, and EXPLAIN to all of them why you did..

[Chrome57]

I've never had a problem test driving. In 2002 I was twenty (I looked 17, hah). A friend and I went down to the Chevy dealership. He was interested in a Trailblazer. The sales lady let us take it out by ourselves, no questions asked. When we returned I mentioned that I liked the new Cadillac Escalade and that it would be nice to drive it. She said, "Sure, take one." I was FLOORED. She let us take it out. No time limit, nothing. We drove it to a friends house and acted like we just bought it. So funny. We respected the opportunity to look down at other drivers with contempt, so we didn't beat on it or floor it or anything.

It was because of that experience that I always go to that sales lady first when it's time to get a car.

And I was 22 (still am) when I went looking at the 300. One dealer insisted on coming on the test drive (it was a TOURING model). I even had my dad and sister with me. He was pleasant but not all that welcoming. Then he sort of ignored us while we were waiting to buy it, so I left.

I went to another dealer, and they didn't have any 300s except for a 300C that was ordered, but the person took one off the lot instead. So I went over to look at it like it was a museum piece--no touching. The salesman was like, "why don't you just drive it? I was thrilled. The only 300C in town and I get to drive it?? That sold me on both the car and the salesman, and I drove out with it two hours later.

[Pablovision]

I went to a Chryco dealer WAYYYYYY back in maybe 84 I was 19, asked to drive some little piece of crap Sapporo or something like that, the sales guy said that I could drive it around the lot. I left and never went back to a Chryco dealer until I bought my Magnum.

They have to learn that at any age we are potential buyers, I went a block away and put half of the price cash down on a demo VW golf that I drove for 11 years.

Paul.

[hemi dawg]

bri's comment regarding wierd dealer politics brings to mind a bizzare but true story.

Years ago, I walked INTO a dealership knowing exactly what car I wanted. I asked the salesman to take my cash and give me the car. He seemed a little taken aback and excused himself to speak with his manager. He returned and advised me to test-drive the car, go home, come back a few days later, take another test drive, and then offer him the cash. That way, he explained, his manager would know that the salesman had invested a lot of time in the sale and thus could offer me a lower price. :shock:

So that's what I did. No s**t.