Is it all right to test drive cars if you are not buying?

[Philipkee]

Wanna hear your opinions. Cos lately been thinking of changing cars. Now when I say I wanna change cars, I can buy a new one tomorrow or talk about it for the next ten years without buying. You can reference my round the world trip that is 14 years in the making before I am finally going to do it.

 

Anyway, I am wondering if I will be wasting the SE time by doing test drives on cars I might not buy. Or even visiting showrooms to talk to SE. Those of you who know where I work, I work near some car showrooms so I can drop there literally during lunch as it's a five to teh minutes walk only.

 

Just wanna hear your views.

[WangWang888]

I heard of ppl who go showrooms on weekend just to test cars for fun...anyway, I think it's ok to test even if not buying...it's just like walk into best denki or challenger and play with phones...

[Jamesc]

Wanna hear your opinions. Cos lately been thinking of changing cars. Now when I say I wanna change cars, I can buy a new one tomorrow or talk about it for the next ten years without buying. You can reference my round the world trip that is 14 years in the making before I am finally going to do it.

 

Anyway, I am wondering if I will be wasting the SE time by doing test drives on cars I might not buy. Or even visiting showrooms to talk to SE. Those of you who know where I work, I work near some car showrooms so I can drop there literally during lunch as it's a five to teh minutes walk only.

 

Just wanna hear your views.

 

Listen to this wise man for the answer. 

 

 

Just replace car with test drive.

  

Answer is simple. What do you value more? Like relationships or a car? If it is a car, then naturally you will spend a lot on a car rather than relationships.

 

Replace relationships and car with anything you want and you have your answer.

 

UNLESS you value relationship over car but spend all your money on car then it does not make sense.

 

[Dafansu]

Why not. U buying a high ticket item, likely your 2nd most expensive purchase other than your property.

[Ravinged]

Anyone can disagree with me, I feel it is not a matter of whether it is alright or not to do so. I feel it is more a case of is it considerate to do so?

 

If those who are not really buying cars start queuing up for the test drives, it prolongs the queue unnecessarily and that affects the sales experience at different dealers. Yes, that means car buyers like you and I and many others. It eventually turns around to bite us in the end.

 

Do we have a right to test drive the cars? Yes

 

Do we have a right to negatively impact the shopping experience of others? No

[Jamesc]

The most important decision in your life

 

is who you marry

 

not which house or car you buy.

 

So do you think you should test drive first?

 

Edited May 29, 2018 by Jamesc

[Philipkee]

The most important decision is your life

 

is who you marry

 

not which house or car you buy.

 

So do you think you should test drive first?

 

The MIL? :p

[Jamesc]

The MIL? :p

 

That's exactly right.

 

You don't just marry a person

 

you marry the whole family and

 

the most important is do you like your MIL.

 

Dating, people decide on looks, income, job, education etc

 

Marriage is about living with your spouse habits like messy or neat,

 

wake up late or early and getting along with their whole family

 

especially MIL.

 

Edited May 29, 2018 by Jamesc

[macrosszero]

Wanna hear your opinions. Cos lately been thinking of changing cars. Now when I say I wanna change cars, I can buy a new one tomorrow or talk about it for the next ten years without buying. You can reference my round the world trip that is 14 years in the making before I am finally going to do it.

 

Anyway, I am wondering if I will be wasting the SE time by doing test drives on cars I might not buy. Or even visiting showrooms to talk to SE. Those of you who know where I work, I work near some car showrooms so I can drop there literally during lunch as it's a five to teh minutes walk only.

 

Just wanna hear your views.

 

Nothing wrong with testing cars if that extra experience could potentially tip you over to committing to buy a new car. 

 

Sales staff probably average single digit percentage in successful sales versus customers served.

 

That's their job and that's their lot. 

 

Sounds bad until you figure out they drive better cars than you, have nicer watches than you or bigger diamonds than your wife.

[DACH]

Nothing is wrong with that.

 

As a consumer, we need to ensure that the product fits us and our needs before purchasing. Test drive a few models to determine which one suits you the best. It's a big ticket purchase after all which you will use for the next decade.

 

Better than after the purchase, regret the purchase and blame the SE. And then want to sell away to buy another one, unless of course, you are really loaded to change car every year. 

[Vratenza]

My only rule: don't test drive cars I cannot currently afford. 

 

Why make myself depressed for the next 10-20yrs till I can afford one... 

[DACH]

My only rule: don't test drive cars I cannot currently afford. 

 

Why make myself depressed for the next 10-20yrs till I can afford one... 

 

Motivate yourself? 

[Mkl22]

Anyone can disagree with me, I feel it is not a matter of whether it is alright or not to do so. I feel it is more a case of is it considerate to do so?

 

If those who are not really buying cars start queuing up for the test drives, it prolongs the queue unnecessarily and that affects the sales experience at different dealers. Yes, that means car buyers like you and I and many others. It eventually turns around to bite us in the end.

 

Do we have a right to test drive the cars? Yes

 

Do we have a right to negatively impact the shopping experience of others? No

Yah, it’s also not considerate of those who go to shopping malls to just blow Aircon on a hot day and clog the aisles and make the experience of those genuine shoppers less pleasant.

[Jamesc]

Well it works both ways too.

 

My colleague asked me to see a show flat and

 

next thing I knew I walk out having signed on the

 

dotted line for a new condo.

 

I went for a Case Walk and got a goody bag with

 

free milky oats drink and now I drink it every 

 

morning. So even if you just test drive without

 

the intention of buying you might end up buying

 

it anyway. Free test drives can end up being

 

very expensive.  

 

 

[Vratenza]

I rather sleep soundly at night. 

 

Motivate yourself? 

 

[Newbie26]

There is no right or wrong

 

Depends on whose perspective and the side of coin you are looking at

 

Maybe should not just focus only on the negatives such as wasting everyone's time etc

 

Potential Positives:

 

For a young SE, engaging people who are window/car shopping will increase his/her experience

 

The Qs asked may be different, or may learn to hear the type of qs from those who are just here for fun

 

Sometimes even if someone has no intention of buying may get converted after viewing the cars

 

The "true blue"  SEs are those who always tell customers "Dont worry, does not matter you buy or not, just hop in for a test drive, u may well

 

change ur mind!" The same applies for many other things in life.

 

For those who like to test drive for fun, they can come to share their experiences and opinions in MCF or other forums

 

e.g, "hey, there is a fantastic promotion for management car at 20k discount now!"

 

 

 

  

 

 

 

 

[inlinesix]

My only rule: don't test drive cars I cannot currently afford. 

 

Why make myself depressed for the next 10-20yrs till I can afford one... 

 

In addition, i will not drive a fren's car if i cannot afford it NOW.

[No_worries]

I think all car AD should follow like Audi, they have a product that is Audi on demand and I personally like how it works, you key in the credit card number and you can have the flexibility to book an Audi for 4 hours minimum to 28 days max. I personally tried the A3 cabriolet which I would never buy and can’t afford for 1day. It works great as it allows you to drive it and the cars are all the current models.