Do you get nervous on Test Drives?

[Phil330]

I know what you mean, i don't get nervous, but i am a bit conscious of a smooth gear change in an unfamiliar car! Me and a mate took a Saab 93 out when we were younger (no sniggers) and we were touching a hundred near Stansted Airport!! Saab dealer didnt batter an eyelid! Then my mate had a HOT one for a whole weekend! They are the best for testd drives! I must admit though, i was a bit nervous at 18 when i took a brand new 5 series out of the showroom for a test run, with 6 miles on the clock! The salesman was like, are you really interested in this vehicle? Well, i did end up buying it!

[NewNiceMrMe]

I was nervous when I took the Noble M400 out because of the pedal arrangement - they were very close together indeed.

I had big soled shoes on and I could feel the outside edge of my right shoe touching on the brake as I accelerated.

Then I accidently caught the brake and nearly put the dealer principal through the windscreen (and credit to the Transit van driver behind me who braked just in time too!!!).

Since then I've always stayed a fair distance behind any car I see on trade plates with a salesman in the passenger seat....just in case it's a test drive.

I don't generally get nervous though.

[Milo]

I was very nervous driving P_G's S4 from Holy Island to Seahouses recently on tight country roads I had never been on before while following MrMe in his 645

But probably not as nervous as P_G driving my sootchucker on the same roads a few cars behind having just handed over the keys to his S4

[lottiefox]

I think its worst if you stall it......

Maybe we should do inter-TSN test drives (although I know some of us do!! )

[mulkbear]

I get very nervous when i have to drive a customers car when they are in the passenger seat (diagnois on rattles/loss of power etc etc )as they are watching you every move and start talking about there car and how great it is, i hate going out in up market vehicles because if it is a R32 or W8 they think that you like driving there car when really you just want to get back the dealership and back to you work bay continue abusing a apprentice,

[sayerbloke]

I haven't done many test drives, but I don't think I`m as nervous as I used to be.

When I took the Astra coupe out we passed a sign warning of speed cameras.

Me>"Are there actually any cameras along here?"

Salesman>"Heh, no, there aren't"

Me>"Right..."

Pretty quick car, the 2.2i

[Ian_C]

[ QUOTE ]

When I test drove the RS6, the only 'demonstrator' was the MD's own 'run-around'. Even the salesman (who I know reasonably well) hadn't driven an RS6....

[/ QUOTE ]

That must have been a very special day.

Ian

[Phil330]

My bro test drove a Noble, and the sales chap said they had someone who put their foot down exiting the roundabout, and the back end came out and it they came off the road and wrote it off! Apparently the chap had to pay the excess, which i think ran into the thousands! Hope this doesn't make anyone anymore nervous!

[fjfr]

All major dealers say I'm too young to test drive

[david_d]

[ QUOTE ]

All major dealers say I'm too young to test drive

[/ QUOTE ]

How old is that?

[fjfr]

19

[david_d]

Interesting, makes me wonder also, do dealers ever require that you've held your license for a certain period of time?

[fjfr]

In guernsey, my parents were looking at a BMW 330i touring a while ago, but the only demo they had was the 318i touring. Anyways, they put me on the insurance for the 48hr test drive without batting an eyelid even tho i'd only had my license for 2months.

That said, when I took my dad's Mini cooper S in for some work, I wasn't allowd a courtesy car cos of my age (even tho i'd had my licence 18months & this was the above mentioned BMW garage!)

In the UK, before I got the S3, I test drove a 1.8TQ at an independent with no probs, but at Docklands Audi, they wouldn't give me the S3 to take out (even tho I bought it.. ) When the S3s gone in for repair work, they won't give me a courtesy car - 25 is min age.. even in guernsey.

When I used to drive my mums Merc SLK 320 & took it in to get new rear tyres fitted and new cats fitted, they wouldn't give me even a smart car cos I was too young

Independent garage wouldn't give me a TT 225 (or 180), renault wouldnt give me a 182 cup,pergot wouldn't give me a 206 GTI, VW wouldn't give me a GTi and BMW (independent) wouldn't give me a 320ci..

Stupid youth!

Oh, and when some eejit drove into the back of the S3 at a roundabout, the insurance company gave me a Nissan Micra 1L - which cost them £300 per week to insure!!!