SanDiegoBert

My '07 had 6 miles on it, 5 of which the dealer used to get the tank filled. However, I had previously poured a new driveway apron to accommodate the the C6, and the concrete was not ready for weight the day the car was delivered. So, I parked it in the street, and of course, it rained like crazy for about 24 hours. It was a baptism of sorts. The car did not melt.

tgorden

I had one dealer ask me if I wanted to test drive one and I told him sure. I had my son with me at the time and the salesman said he isn't supposed to do this but he knew my son wanted to ride in it also, so he gave me the keys and told me to take it out for awhile, he said it was low on gas so I might need a couple bucks in it if I wanted to go more than a few miles. I had the car for almost 1/2 hour . I also took a grand sport for a test drive with a salesman from another dealer fro a few miles.

MKenM

This being my 1st Corvette I wanted to make sure that this was what I really wanted. The 1st dealer I went to made a picture of my license and handed me the keys to a 2011 GS no questioned asked. And when I came back he said to me "that was a short test drive". I had the car out for 20 minutes. Well needless to say I was hooked. I proceeded to go the 3 other dealers on 3 different Saturdays. The other 3 let me drive one but only with the salesman. Went back to the 1st dealer with my wife and he let me take it out again, just me and the wife no questions asked.

z51vett

Here is one reason not to let just anyone drive a corvette. Here in Atlanta a dealer had a used z06 that they let someone drive he turned off tracion control within eye sight of dealer ship and put into a culvert enough said. He also walked away without buying the car after he wrecked it.
z51vett

florida john

I took a test drive in the car I was interested in with my wife when I bought mine at Stingray Chevrolet in Plant City, Florida. I have also had dealers refuse a test drive and simply walked away. I had also driven a Corvette with the paddle shifters at the Tampa Auto show when GM showed up with a group of new cars for test drives.

Several years ago when I was in my 30's, I had my hometown Cadillac dealer refuse me a test drive and actually refused to take my order on a new Sedan DeVille. I wanted a car without those awful vinyl roof, without "carriage lights" between the front and rear doors, and without the fake wire wheels. I wanted the HD suspension and some other drivetrain options. Demanded to see the manager, who told me that I would refuse the car when it was delivered and then he couldn't sell the car. Well I bought the car elsewhere and original dealer's manager had the ***** to call me an A**hole for buying the car elsewhere.

SanDiegoBert

Well, gosh, he should have bought the remains, at least. Actually, that's why dealers have insurance. There will always be people who exceed their driving ability. It's the cost of doing business.

velomaxx

I looked at a Lancer Evo when just starting shopping this time around. One new one in the lot. The salesman gave me the Evo drivers are special routine, they don't want miles on their cars, so no test drives. I just walked out.

I did not look at any new Z06's or ZR1s. One No. VA dealer brought a new base model out in the rain to show me, revved it up, which was kind of silly. This was after the one on the floor had a dead battery and the sales guys demonstrated they knew nothing about these cars.

One dealer had a GS coupe, I was looking for a convertible, with 950 miles on it and was selling it as new. I asked him how he planned to do that. He said the car was used in the car show circuit. I asked him why that would make it better, and he couldn't say.

No trouble driving them at Criswells. An email, a phone call, and drove up to find the car waiting to go out for a drive. I just did about a 2 mile loop, it was enough.

In northern Jersey the dealers insist on having a sales person with you. It is really aggravating, especially when driving two seat cars and you want someone with you. In southern Jersey I am told the insurance the dealers have prevents them from riding with you, which makes sense to me. In VA I drove a used M3 manual in my little car search journey, and the sales guy rode with me and told me I was reving the engine too high because I was using engine braking due to the traffic and red lights. I told him to stay in the store when I drove the used Z4M, and did not go back there either. If I sold cars I wouldn't want to drive with customers.

I would not buy without driving unless there was something very special going on.

TKgs2010

They're rude, and stupid. If a dealer won't let me test drive any car, or insist that a salesman go along, I'm out the door. They can run my license, google me, whatever, but I'm not out to trash their car, I just want to drive it a bit. I actually had a couple dealers just hand me the keys to a new Vette and tell me to go for a nice ride, one even asked if the car needed more gas. I think they pretty much size you up when you drive in, what you arrive in, how you're dressed, your jewelry, shoes, etc, it all tells a bit. That said, I don't agree with profiling, but it is what it is.

PittMD1

I think a good salesman can size you up pretty quick. I do not think they take much notice of what you arrive in or how you might be dressed. If they did I would never get past hello. LOL I don't wear jewelry and I was driving an F250 or a jetta and wear jeans. All of the dealers that I went to let me drive the car alone or with my wife. Two of them told me to go for as long as I needed. Others had a loop of some kind they asked you to stick to.

CaryBob

I went to two dealers, both had salesmen go with me on test drives. One had a designated low-mileage route, the other didn't seem to care where or how far I went. But both let me drive every car I was interested in.

tim414

My 2010 Z06 had 5 miles on it. Dealer told me that they do not allow the "Z" models to be test driven. They set aside a base model and allow that to be test driven. I also bought a new vert from them in '09. It also had 5 miles on it but it had been in showroom.

Never-Enough

I'll never buy a car without driving it. This is a Vette not a new Lamborghini. Those dealerships get me laughing at them as I walk out.

Never-Enough

Most of them cannot accurately size anyone up. Not only b/c the majority of car salesmen are douche bag morons, but also b/c you cannot judge a book by its cover.

EyeMaster

I wanted to test a Honda S2000 a while back. I was told I couldn't unless I put a deposit of 50 000$ on it, which is buying it, and if I didn't like it they would refund me the money. That's quite silly.

Like you've seen, the dealerships don't want to let you test drive certain cars because some people really freak out and won't buy a vehicle that has a few miles on it (say 100).

Quite ridiculous from both the dealership AND the customers.

PittMD1

Ah! You must have missed "a goodsalesman can size you up ".
Since you said "Most" we are both right.

Never-Enough

Not even all the good ones. Just b/c I drive up in my beater car in jeans doesn't mean I can't afford it. It means I just sold my BMW b/c I wanted a Corvette instead.

Topsarge12R

Useful equation I've always noticed. Excellent credit = test drive anything you friggin want..... LOL!

legbuh

I also walked in and my salesman basically forced me to drive it by giving me trade in value on my Z4 that was spot on.

2.7 miles on it when we got in. 15 later I was driving it home.

Credit score? Blah.. they don't check mine anymore..haha..

P0234

I like dealers that ask for a credit check before test driving, I'll gladly give them my SSN one finger at a time.

el es tu

while looking for a used one, I was asked if I wanted to test drive every time