You’ve done your research on the new or used car of your dreams, and you’re finally at the dealership ready to have a look in person. The sales consultant asks you some questions about your situation, shows you the vehicle, walks you through the features, and then asks, “how ’bout a test-drive?”
The obvious answer for most is, “of course.” But let’s be honest: fears about manipulative sales people sometimes make suspect every offer, question and suggestion of theirs. This could be said of any purchase situation, and in a few of those, being guarded will serve you well. But don’t throw the baby out with the bathwater.
Afraid of Love.
When offered a test-drive, many shoppers reply with, “I don’t want to fall in love with the car”, sensing that a test-drive will put them at an emotional disadvantage if they’re at a dealership where they’ll need to negotiate price later on.
I say “you’re supposed to fall in love with your car.” Nothing wrong with it. If you don’t fall in love with the car you’re test-driving, you should move on to something else. If you do fall in love, be trained to switch to an objective mindset before you get to the paperwork. Just ask for a few moments if you need it.
That Evil Sales Guy
Are sales people trying to play some mental trick on you when they offer you a test drive? Is there something about a new car’s smell that they know destroys free will? Not really. I, for one, have two objectives when offering you a test-drive.
The first is to give you the most accurate idea of the car’s characteristics and value so there are no missing pieces to the puzzle. If you choose not to test drive a vehicle and sit down at the dealership to make a decision on whether or not to buy it, you’re subconsciously going to have a nagging uncertainty about this being the right car for you. That can ruin what should be a fun experience, which leads me to this…
Second, I want to eliminate buyer’s remorse – a phenomenon that feels icky to the buyer, and is also bad for long-term business. If the salesman is anything like me, he could experience guilt if the customer is not totally satisfied. My job as a sales professional’s is to make my customers absolutely certain and confident in buying. Anything less harms my reputation and my conscience.
Redundant?
Other car buyers, in refusing a test-drive, want to keep the process as short as possible. They’re satisfied to rely on past experience driving a similar car. Yes, one Chevrolet Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71 pickup truck will feel and drive like any other Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71, but a Silverado 1500 LTZ Z71 and a Silverado 1500 WT with the 4.3L V6 engine that you test-drove two weeks ago will feel and drive completely different… and you need to experience that before making such a big purchase.
Even if the vehicle you took for a spin two weeks ago is identical to the one you’re getting ready to buy right now, it takes only 15 minutes to refresh your memory and make yourself that much more confident in (or opposed to) this purchase that amounts to tens of thousands of dollars.
Used.
For used or pre-owned vehicles, the test-drive is a must. Once a vehicle has had its shakedown of several thousand miles, it begins to form its own unique driving characteristics that you need to be aware of and feel comfortable with.
And although no reputable dealer should be selling a pre-owned vehicle with mechanical problems, taking a test-drive can clue you in on issues that are getting ready to rear their ugly head.
Conclusions.
Are you a business owner with a fleet of a dozen Silverado 1500s looking to add another one identical to the others? No? Well then you really need to test-drive your next car. Practice switching your emotions off later on in the process, but don’t be afraid to sit in the car, drive it, and love it.
