Does Chevy not want to sell the new Vette?
#181
#182
Le Mans Master
#183
Melting Slicks
I do enjoy the work. But, its one line of work where you never bend rules or safety.
Those of us on the electrical/electronic side of it have a saying..
I know old electricians, I know bold electricians, but I don't know any old bold electricians.
#184
Le Mans Master
#185
Team Owner
#187
Truthfully, I think some people want the test drive NOT to test the car, but to test themselves. They have never driven that much power and want to see if they can handle it. I bet quite few of them come back from the test drive having scared the hell out of themselves. If I was a dealer, I would check to see what car they drove in with before I would grant a test drive. If someone comes in with a Chevy Cobalt and wants a test drive, I would think twice. But if they drove in with another Vette, I would have to rethink the options.
#188
Le Mans Master
1. You know nothing about insurance.
2. You know nothing about the law.
3. You know nothing about business.
4. You are incapable of being educated, because you reject everything you hear. But, I'll try ....
INSURANCE: I suggest you get out your insurance policy and read it. You might be surprised by what you learn. There is no exclusion or limitation in the policy for your being foolish. So, if you insist on driving on slick roads with summer tires, the insurer will pay. And then probably send you a 30-day notice of cancellation.
LAW: "Tell me, sir. Were you aware that Chevrolet spelled out in the owner's manual that the summer tires that come standard on the C7 Corvette should not be driven when the ambient temperature is below 40 degrees?"
"You were? So why did you do it?"
"Oh, you weren't going to buy one unless you got to drive it first?"
"Couldn't you just have come back on a warmer day?"
"And were you surprised when you lost control of the car and killed a young mother and her infant ... the same accident that left you a quadriplegic?"
"Isn't it true, sir, that you are yourself suing the dealership for giving in to your stupidity?
"And isn't it true, sir, the Grand Jury will be considering indicting you for vehicular homicide? How do you think that's going to work out for you?"
BUSINESS: If the dealership let people like you put miles on their C7s, then they have to absorb the depreciation when they sell them as used cars. Why would they want to do that, or assume the risk of an accident? If you don't understand anything else, understand this: they simply don't have to. Supply and demand. If you think that car you want to test drive will remain unsold, think again. Twenty minutes after you leave the dealership with your poor little feelings hurt, someone will walk in and write them a check.
EDUCATION: There are a number of car magazines that amply describe the inside, exterior and performance of the C7. It was voted Car Of The Year. Most of the posts on this Forum amply describe how awesome the car is, and how they bought it without having driven it, without having sat in it and/or without having actually seen one. If all of that isn't enough to convince you, you're just too stupid to live.
2. You know nothing about the law.
3. You know nothing about business.
4. You are incapable of being educated, because you reject everything you hear. But, I'll try ....
INSURANCE: I suggest you get out your insurance policy and read it. You might be surprised by what you learn. There is no exclusion or limitation in the policy for your being foolish. So, if you insist on driving on slick roads with summer tires, the insurer will pay. And then probably send you a 30-day notice of cancellation.
LAW: "Tell me, sir. Were you aware that Chevrolet spelled out in the owner's manual that the summer tires that come standard on the C7 Corvette should not be driven when the ambient temperature is below 40 degrees?"
"You were? So why did you do it?"
"Oh, you weren't going to buy one unless you got to drive it first?"
"Couldn't you just have come back on a warmer day?"
"And were you surprised when you lost control of the car and killed a young mother and her infant ... the same accident that left you a quadriplegic?"
"Isn't it true, sir, that you are yourself suing the dealership for giving in to your stupidity?
"And isn't it true, sir, the Grand Jury will be considering indicting you for vehicular homicide? How do you think that's going to work out for you?"
BUSINESS: If the dealership let people like you put miles on their C7s, then they have to absorb the depreciation when they sell them as used cars. Why would they want to do that, or assume the risk of an accident? If you don't understand anything else, understand this: they simply don't have to. Supply and demand. If you think that car you want to test drive will remain unsold, think again. Twenty minutes after you leave the dealership with your poor little feelings hurt, someone will walk in and write them a check.
EDUCATION: There are a number of car magazines that amply describe the inside, exterior and performance of the C7. It was voted Car Of The Year. Most of the posts on this Forum amply describe how awesome the car is, and how they bought it without having driven it, without having sat in it and/or without having actually seen one. If all of that isn't enough to convince you, you're just too stupid to live.
Last edited by Zymurgy; 01-21-2014 at 01:01 PM. Reason: edited quoted post
#190
Instructor
I don't know where you live but unless it is Alaska the tires will not crack. GM would have warning stickers all over the place if this was the case. The real reason the dealer won't let you drive it is because it can be a handful in cold weather because the tires are made for summer driving.
#191
Tech Contributor
Member Since: Aug 1999
Location: Should this thoughtful, valuable contribution meet with no acknowledgement or 'thanks' this post----
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maybe I'm missing something, but no one has a concern about driving a car that a dealer is afraid to let a customer test drive in the winter? I get if it's like now in the middle of a snow storm, but not driving a car because it's cold outside? I've got to be missing something. the poster went right after an ice storm and he went to the dealer in his crampons or snow shes right?
You will hold everyone up behind you when trying to take off at a light, assuming you could drive into that situation. Worse situation is this: YOU CAN"T STOP! You will slide through intersections, run stop signs and red lights, you may whack someone, you may miss your street when you try to turn in the neighborhood...you get my drift (pun intended). Yes, I know this because I've had to drive my Vette in such conditions.
As you may guess by now it is all about the tire compound...it gets rock hard below a certain temperature....look up 'glass transition temperature' in google.
Now, it must also be said: The C7 is not the first car to offer such tires, they've been around for years. If they were as wacko as some have indicated the gubment would not have approved them...it's the DOT's call...plain and simple.
#192
Racer
eric,
if you accept that the tires do not perform well [and maybe are even a bit scary] when it is cold out, then why do you insist on a test ride which will give you minimal feedback. you can't test the power, handling or performance because the tires are too slippery.
nothing worse than a test ride with a nervous salesman and the obligation to drive like granny or risk ending up in a ditch.
i'm with you--test drive before you buy. but do it at a time when you can really drive the car. the salesman may have been rude or impatient, but he did you a favor. go back or go somewhere else when the weather improves.
i got my car on new year's eve. i almost spun out in the bank parking lot. it was 35 degrees and dry. not a good feeling and i now agree it was certainly not the right conditions to ''see what this baby can do.''
oh, you'd better get the car before obama puts you out of a job
if you accept that the tires do not perform well [and maybe are even a bit scary] when it is cold out, then why do you insist on a test ride which will give you minimal feedback. you can't test the power, handling or performance because the tires are too slippery.
nothing worse than a test ride with a nervous salesman and the obligation to drive like granny or risk ending up in a ditch.
i'm with you--test drive before you buy. but do it at a time when you can really drive the car. the salesman may have been rude or impatient, but he did you a favor. go back or go somewhere else when the weather improves.
i got my car on new year's eve. i almost spun out in the bank parking lot. it was 35 degrees and dry. not a good feeling and i now agree it was certainly not the right conditions to ''see what this baby can do.''
oh, you'd better get the car before obama puts you out of a job
#193
Racer
Figure it out, it was just an excuse not to let you drive it period. If it was a small dealer, they want a Vette with no miles on it. If you go to the larger dealerships like MacMulkin or Kerbeck, I don't think they do test drives either. I did test drive one before I bought, but it wasn't much of a test drive. It took about 10 minutes after I took delivery to realize how awesome the car is. If you buy without a test drive, you won't regret it. Very few people are getting test drives. Don't take it personally.
-Mark