What is a test drive: concept, types of cars, rules and reviews

2024 Author: Erin Ralphs | [email protected]. Last modified: 2024-02-19 11:42

Choosing a car based on visual and emotional impressions is not the best option. A correct opinion about the selected machine can only be formed on the basis of its technical characteristics and practice. Test drives were invented specifically for evaluating a car.

Salon Service

What is a test drive? This is a service that is provided to customers by a car dealership to check the car in practice. To put it simply, what a test drive is, it is a free trial ride on the selected make and model of a car, which allows a potential buyer to evaluate its technical characteristics, comfort and ease of operation, system performance and smoothness. The buyer tests the car together with the salon manager, and the trip itself rarely exceeds forty minutes, but large car dealerships offer longer test drives, the duration of which can be up to several days. Such services are most often provided to regular and trusted clients with an excellent reputation.

What is required for a test drive?

Most modern car dealerships offer similar services. For their registration, it is necessary to comply with some formalities:

1. Provide driver's license and passport.
2. Driving experience should not be less than two years.
3. Test drive possible only in good weather conditions.

To sign up for a test drive, you must fill out an application in advance, providing all the documents and specifying the date.

Some car dealerships require the signing of a contract, which indicates all the information provided by the client - insurance conditions, driver's license number, date of service, car mileage at the start of the test. The manager undertakes to inform the client of his responsibilities and obligations.

Preparing for a test drive: what is it?

The client, after completing all the formalities, must do the following:

1. Carrying out a visual inspection of the vehicle to identify defects.
2. Inspection of the luggage compartment for its compliance with the specified volume.
3. Checking all car doors.
4. Checking the operation of power windows, wipers, mirrors and seats.
5. Checking the functioning of additional systems: heated seats, climate control, audio systems.
6. Clarifying the correspondence between the transmission and engine of the test car and the selected model.

A car dealership manager is obliged to tell the client about all the features and nuances before starting a test drive of a new carselected model and inform about the selected route.

Route

Test driving routes in most cases represent a vicious circle of small diameter, the beginning and end of which are located at the door of the car dealership.

Some dealers offer routes approved by the traffic police, not in a straight line and not too short. Such a path construction allows the client to evaluate the efficiency of acceleration and braking of the car, its tendency to maneuver and dynamism.

During a test drive, you should not go beyond the established speed limits and avoid possible roughness of the track. It is better to agree on the nuances of the chosen route with the dealership manager in advance.

Features of cars for checks

Do not forget that a test drive is a procedure under which the car dealership undertakes to provide the client with any brand and model of car chosen by him. If a potential buyer is denied this, then he can write a corresponding complaint to the automaker.

It's not uncommon for dealers to process too many test drive requests, reducing test time to 10 minutes, which is not enough time to evaluate a vehicle. In such a situation, the best option would be to choose a more suitable day for the test and coordinate the selected date with the manager.

Vendors can benefit from giving customers a taste of a car they are not used to:

• hybrid models;
• electric vehicles;
• cars using inas fuel liquefied petroleum gas;
• cars with E85 engines running on a mixture of 85% bioethanol and 15% gasoline.

According to managers' feedback, many customers choose Kia cars for a test drive. This is due to the fact that among them are not only classical models. For example, a client can choose one adapted for specific purposes - transportation of people with disabilities and so on. At the same time, the models of this brand are distinguished by quality and reasonable price.

What to look for when taking a test drive

You should not start moving immediately after getting into the car. First you need to adjust the driver's seat, steering wheel and mirrors so that you are comfortable while driving.

During a test drive, "Toyota" many admire the beauty of the car, without thinking about its practicality. Experts advise to evaluate the following parameters:

• work transmission and engine;
• control and visibility level;
• functioning brakes;
• suspension work;
• sound insulation efficiency;
• Parking convenience and size.

Dynamism of the car is tested by a sharp acceleration from a standstill. Machines with a manual transmission smoothly accelerate to 80 km / h, while the driver must monitor the clarity and ease of shifting and the force required to depress the clutch pedal. It is advisable to speed up and slow down a car with automatic transmission several times to check the performanceAutomatic transmission.

During a test drive, "Lada" pay attention to overcoming road irregularities, the absence of steering wheel vibrations and changes in the trajectory.

While picking up speed, it is advisable to listen to the noise level: it should not be distracting and annoying. At the end of the test drive, impressions about the car are summed up, and based on them, an assessment of the selected model is formed.

Reasons for refusal to test drive

Any motorist who has a category B driver's license can apply for a car check. However, this is in theory, in practice everything is far from being as smooth as it seems at first glance, and in some situations the dealer may refuse the client.

There can be several reasons for refusal:

1. Customer does not meet the required age. In some dealerships, the car is not available to customers under the age of 21, in others - 24 years old.
2. Minimum driving experience. A motorist must have a driving experience of two years or more.
3. Bad weather. Snowfall, ice, rain, storm warnings - for any of these reasons, the dealer may refuse to issue a car.
4. The customer is not considered a potential buyer. Despite the fact that the reason is very doubtful, some car dealerships resort to it. Managers form their idea of the client, and if it does not match their opinion of a potential buyer, then they can make a negative decision.
5. The person is under the influence of drugs or alcohol.
6. The car enthusiast does not plan to buy a car. If a person comes to a car center for a Hyundai test drive just to drive a solid car, then he will be refused.
7. The selected model is out of stock or is in service/repair.
8. The selected car is participating in a test drive.

Depending on the selected dealership, the conditions of the test drive program may vary. Before choosing a particular service, it is advisable to call several salons in order to choose the best option for conditions and comfort.

Cost

The test drive service in all car dealerships is offered free of charge. However, dealerships benefit as the price of the program is included in the price of the car.

How to book a car for a long test drive?

Getting a car for a few days of testing, and not a couple of tens of minutes, is much more difficult. This is possible provided that the car enthusiast is of value to a car dealership or representative office of a car concern.

A car can be given a big test drive under the following conditions:

1. The client works as a journalist writing articles for major publications.
2. The car is chosen by a professional photographer who is able to take high-quality and aesthetic pictures.
3. A car enthusiast can advertise a car brand by writing an interesting article, advertising on social networks or making a video review.
4. Corporate customer who purchases several machines at once insalon.

For a long test drive, cars are issued only to those potential buyers who can tell their subscribers about the selected models or plan to purchase several copies at once for certain purposes - for example, for business.

Test drive is a unique service that gives the car enthusiast the opportunity to evaluate the capabilities and technical characteristics of the car they like before purchasing it.