No test drive allowed?
Team Owner
Joined: Jan 2002
Posts: 23,234
Likes: 4
From: All that glitters is Gold - Hockey Is CANADA'S game
Cruise-In VI Veteran
Cruise-In VII Veteran
St. Jude Donor '05-'06
They could of let you take a used one out for a spin.
Remember corvette owners are **** and when they buy a new vette they what very little mileage on the car.
If I recall my vette had 7km on it.
Remember corvette owners are **** and when they buy a new vette they what very little mileage on the car.
If I recall my vette had 7km on it.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 4,628
Likes: 397
From: Madison Wi
Thorstad Chevrolet here in Madison, Wi does not allow Corvette test drives. They say if you want one, you'll buy it. That way they can guarantee new buyers that nobody test drove their new car before they got it and it has as few miles as possible on it.
I can sort of understand that. When the day comes for me to buy a new one, it will have museum delivery.
I can sort of understand that. When the day comes for me to buy a new one, it will have museum delivery.
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 368,297
Likes: 24,776
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
I can understand their policy - maybe they have had too many people come in just wanting to drive a Vette without any intention at all of buying one. It does sound like if you are really serious they will let you drive one. What criteria they use for being serious is the question.
Drifting
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 1,589
Likes: 1
From: Leelanau County
we have an a--hole dealer here in howell, mi. i would think that a good salesman could tell if their customer was serious or not by some well placed questions. i wanted to drive a duramax when they first came out. i drove up in my older gmc work truck. at this time i had built a dozen or so houses. don't always count on how someone looks to see how they are financially. they wouldn't let me drive a damn pickup! i went to the next dealer, drove and ordered what i wanted. here's to snobby dealerships.
Last edited by germanc5; Aug 18, 2007 at 01:34 AM.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
I could understand this if you drove in a beater but you drive a C5. How serious do you have to be
I had a similar situation in vegas when i first arrived and a dealer didn't take me seriously. I dropped his sales manager a note to make the point after I'd bought my Vert (I know scary isn't it - we Brits still write letters). The 2 mins to write a few words made me feel better.
I had a similar situation in vegas when i first arrived and a dealer didn't take me seriously. I dropped his sales manager a note to make the point after I'd bought my Vert (I know scary isn't it - we Brits still write letters). The 2 mins to write a few words made me feel better.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 752
Likes: 0
From: richardson tx
i understand both sides to this but im giving them two thumbs down. if milage ect.. is an issue maybe the dealer could designate one for test drives? come on you dont even merry the ole lady with out a test drive. try jupiter chevy. i got my c5 from jupiter with shorts, sandles and no money down. even though they did finally talk me out of $500 down on my `04.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
Top 10 Most Expensive Corvettes Ever Sold on Bring A Trailer
Brett Foote
10 Things Every Corvette Owner Needs (2026 Edition)
Michael S. Palmer
8 Most "Only Corvette Owners Understand" Quirks and Problems
Pouria Savadkouei
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Safety Car
Joined: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,333
Likes: 6
From: Louisville Kentucky
Originally Posted by 6pac
When they bring the vette back I bet the oil pressure needle would still be pegged.
Former Vendor
Joined: Oct 2003
Posts: 8,479
Likes: 417
From: Devil's Island CA
Lol, we have had that happen several times and it wasnt at a Chevy dealership. Once when we were looking for our S2000 they wouldnt let us test drive one, then more recently when the GTO came out, they were like no test drives unless your serious. I told him im not going to get serious about a car unless I test drive it. Needless to say we left, we did buy an S2K, and managed to come show the other dealership 
Race Director
Joined: Mar 2007
Posts: 18,308
Likes: 21
From: Marlton. Increasing performance one speeding ticket at a time! NJ
I can understand their policy - maybe they have had too many people come in just wanting to drive a Vette without any intention at all of buying one. It does sound like if you are really serious they will let you drive one. What criteria they use for being serious is the question.
It's all in how you phrase asking.
My local dealer even gave me a brand new 06 Z06 for the day, as long as I didn't put more than 50miles on it. Granted, that was the least he could do for destroying the LS1 in my TA.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 536
Likes: 3
From: bel air md
I sell cars and I don't like to let people just try high end cars. I try to find out why your there, if there really is no chance your going to buy a particular vehicle then why should we put miles on a car your not going to buy, I don't think it's fair to the vehicles next owner. If you were shopping for a C6 and you knew it went out on a bunch of test drives where it was likely run hard everytime because people wanted to "see what it could do", would you still want that car, I wouldn't. Sorry if this upsets people, but you should only test drive cars when your serious about making a purchase in the very near future. In fact I hate the phrase "test drive", it should be a "confirmation drive" when your looking at a high end car, meaning you have the ability and desire to purchase the car.
Race Director
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 10,179
Likes: 2,306
From: Wesley Chapel, FL Las Vegas, NV
In fact I hate the phrase "test drive", it should be a "confirmation drive" when your looking at a high end car, meaning you have the ability and desire to purchase the car.
Advanced
Joined: Jun 2007
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
From: Brunswick Hills Ohio
i had an experiance like this at a ford dealer when the new style mustangs came out. i stopped with my wife to drive a new Mustang GT.I was gonna buy it no matter what the salesman said lets drive it so he got me the keys put a plate on it and i put the key in the ignition and the sales manager came running out yelling you cant drive that car.I was like why not? he said no GT test drives i could drive a 6 cylinder. I was not happy to say the least so we left and 2 years later i bought my vette. kinda worked out in my favour i guess. and the whole thing about how you look is garbage i am a blue collar worker and my wife works from home, but we make enough money and manage our money well enough to afford whatever we want.never look at a person and assume they are poor cause they wear jeans and a t-shirt i could see if i was a 16 year old kid but that was a loong time ago for me lol. besides alot of these cars dont cost much more than a laid out truck or suv anyway so i dont undestand the problem. just my 2c
Race Director
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 13,421
Likes: 8
From: Lake Mary Florida
I sell cars and I don't like to let people just try high end cars. I try to find out why your there, if there really is no chance your going to buy a particular vehicle then why should we put miles on a car your not going to buy, I don't think it's fair to the vehicles next owner. If you were shopping for a C6 and you knew it went out on a bunch of test drives where it was likely run hard everytime because people wanted to "see what it could do", would you still want that car, I wouldn't. Sorry if this upsets people, but you should only test drive cars when your serious about making a purchase in the very near future. In fact I hate the phrase "test drive", it should be a "confirmation drive" when your looking at a high end car, meaning you have the ability and desire to purchase the car.
I agree if your a serious buyer, you probably have spent some time shopping and looking. You probably saw the inventory and came in to verify it is what you want. Put a deposit down, then take a vehicle like this for a confirmation drive. If there are problems have them fixed or no sale. Refund deposit.
Burning Brakes
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 1,019
Likes: 4
From: az
I sell cars and I don't like to let people just try high end cars. I try to find out why your there, if there really is no chance your going to buy a particular vehicle then why should we put miles on a car your not going to buy, I don't think it's fair to the vehicles next owner. If you were shopping for a C6 and you knew it went out on a bunch of test drives where it was likely run hard everytime because people wanted to "see what it could do", would you still want that car, I wouldn't. Sorry if this upsets people, but you should only test drive cars when your serious about making a purchase in the very near future. In fact I hate the phrase "test drive", it should be a "confirmation drive" when your looking at a high end car, meaning you have the ability and desire to purchase the car.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,802
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'08
I went to Reliable Chevy in the Dallas area to look at their used C6's and to test drive a manual to see how it compares to my C5. I explained this to the salesman. His response was there is no comparison. I asked if I could take one out and he said no, their policy is that the vettes can only be taken out if the buyer is very serious. What a load of
My next vette used or new will be bought elsewhere.
My next vette used or new will be bought elsewhere.
Race Director
Joined: Jan 2003
Posts: 19,802
Likes: 0
From: San Antonio Texas
St. Jude Donor '05-'06-'08
Instructor
Joined: May 2005
Posts: 145
Likes: 0
From: Nevada Texas
Me too
I went to Reliable Chevy in the Dallas area to look at their used C6's and to test drive a manual to see how it compares to my C5. I explained this to the salesman. His response was there is no comparison. I asked if I could take one out and he said no, their policy is that the vettes can only be taken out if the buyer is very serious. What a load of
My next vette used or new will be bought elsewhere.
My next vette used or new will be bought elsewhere.