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Hard to get a test drive

daz parker

Well-known member
Joined
12 Aug 2015
Messages
301
Has anyone else found it hard to get a test drive??

Granted I could walk into Porsche dealership and I'm sure they will grill me less before offering a test drive but I'm wanting a 997.1 so not many in main dealers.

Which leaves me with indys, now these seem to want me to have the pen over the dotted line before getting out in the car and really apply the pressure.

I've never driven a 997.1 so I would like a nice good test drive to make I like it (which I'm all sure you will say I will ha ha) and a no pressure environment.

I'm located in Doncaster so does anyone have any suggestion to nice indys that arnt full on presssure??

I wouldn't just go alone to any private sale as I think it's a waste of the persons time before I've fully decided.

The 911 has the draw back of the rear seats for me having a 5 and 10 year old but I do have another family car I could use although it would be nice to be able to take the kids out in a 911.
 
I found JR Motor Company in Coventry to be very good. Loads of Porsches and he let me out in the one I was interested in unaccompanied. Several other customers looking at and test driving cars when I was there. Not local to me either as I travelled up from Surrey, but good quality, well-specced cars at decent prices.
I would definitely go there again for my next Porsche.
 
RPM Technik very relaxed in accommodating test-drives in my experience, if you happen to be down south any time soon (Hertfordshire)
 
daz - i know what you mean about test drives - i had to sign before my 1st drive, but i was sold as soon as i put my foot down!

with regards to the kids - i have a ten year old boy (who is over 5 foot tall& an eight year old girl - both love going in the back and don't complain, as if they do i suggest selling the car! they then say there is plenty of room!

ash .
 
To add balance, unfortunately I think it depends on what feeling you get from the potential customer. There are many who think it is completely acceptable to rag the life of a car on a test drive - had someone slamming on the brakes recently to check that they are working like an emergency stop without any notice, and frankly the guy was a liability on the road.

Also, if you let someone drive, what is to say that he doesn't have a few mates waiting up the road to rob the car - this does happen unfortunately.

What happens if he does a money shift for example.

I think most places will allow a drive once they have determined if it is sensible to do so, so best advice I can give is show genuine interest and you should be fine.

Ken
 
I agree with Ken! I have never been refused a test drive but then I never fully ask for one and certainly would not push for one early on in the conversation. I think if they think you are serious then they will off it anyway. All of what Ken says is valid and he now has to make the choice himself with the new evolved 9e! Even if it all goes well and the car comes back in one piece the dealer will likely have to clean it before it goes back on the forecourt. Therefore I understand why the do not offer test drives straight away. Personally though I have never agreed to buy a car without a test drive.

None of this helps you get behind the wheel. I think you need to be narrowing your search so you can be serious about a specific car. Or call a dealer and tell them you know you want a 997 cash waiting etc but can not decide whether it should be a c2 or c4. Ask their opinion of the difference and I bet they'll offer you a drive in each. :D
 
Its true. Especially if you are "young" you will struggle like I did.

Even though I turned up in my A45 AMG to test drive a Turbo and the Indy I went to (Not going to name and shame but you can probably guess who) was going to take my car in as part exchange, and got his colleague "to check it out" drove it down the road without my consent I still didnt manage to get a test drive

"Oh we expect all our customers to have already driven a 911"

"You can drive it when its out of the showroom"

I just walked away and would never go back...
 
Daz It does seem the norm . I have met guys who told me the first time they drove the car was when they picked it up after sale. Some havent even seen the car in person when they pick it up let alone drive it. Your best bet is to phone ahead and tell them which car/s your interested in make an appointment and tell them you wish to road test it . That way you know before driving to them that this will be acceptable or not and it demonstrates a serious intent. Most of the info about these cars you can get from here so it should help you narrow it down to a specific few that meet your needs . re kids in the back my girls are 11 and 12 no problem :thumb:

Its not just Porsches you will find most dealers of sports or exotics will be the same , You can understand a reluctance to allow what appears to be a casual walk in customer take any performance car out. call ahead and build a rapport thats your best chance of a drive and a good deal. :thumb: :thumb:
 
Phil 997 said:
Daz It does seem the norm . I have met guys who told me the first time they drove the car was when they picked it up after sale. Some havent even seen the car in person when they pick it up let alone drive it. Your best bet is to phone ahead and tell them which car/s your interested in make an appointment and tell them you wish to road test it . That way you know before driving to them that this will be acceptable or not and it demonstrates a serious intent. Most of the info about these cars you can get from here so it should help you narrow it down to a specific few that meet your needs . re kids in the back my girls are 11 and 12 no problem :thumb:

Its not just Porsches you will find most dealers of sports or exotics will be the same , You can understand a reluctance to allow what appears to be a casual walk in customer take any performance car out. call ahead and build a rapport thats your best chance of a drive and a good deal. :thumb: :thumb:

I tried calling up and doing this and this still resulted in the same outcome - No test drive

You never know though... worth a try. Dont ask you dont get!
 
I definitely see both sides as I have a few friends who deal in cars but like it's been said it doesn't help me get behind the wheel.

I looked on Porsche used for a manual 3.8 997.1 to test drive and the cheapest was 40k so while this is out of my budget I guess that would be an option.

I'm 37 so not young per say but I'm a big built lad so that might get me a stereotype I guess, I took my 4ft 11 wife last time to balance it out ha ha.

I've had the day off today and couldn't find anything to go see really that I could fit between my school run times.

My show t5 goes at the end of the week so I'll be cash in pocket ready but as I've discussed before it always best to have a ppi and bores checked so takes away the cash on table trick I do.

I am having the trouble deciding between the c2 and c4, I'd like the c4 for the extra wide bum but does the c4 feel too safe of a drive?

I do like this one

https://www.ebay.co.uk/i/302442509368

But I've also loads of others saved and I can't decide which extra spec is a must and which isn't. I'll be sorting the exhaust so pse isn't a must.
 
And to add I've never been refused a test drive but I've never been offered one, the conversation just goes quite so I leave it there.
 
Daz the one in the link has lots of nice bits theres no sport chrono but it has PSE , sports seats, bose, cruise. full extended leather onto the centre console again very expensive option the handbreak is a 1k porsche upgrade and the gearknob is a turbo one again expensive, and the round airbag thicker sports steering wheel . that alone tells me someone has cared about the car. Who ever speced the car from new wanted a comfortable cruiser based on the spec but wasnt interested in the sports option which would indicate an easy life in the early years. :thumb: which is often when they get abused as the first owner often has a 3 yr lease so kicks it hard then hands it back. this doesnt look like that type of speced car. :D
 
Hi OP take the nettle in the hand, phone up ask the right questions and ask do I need to book a test you will be surprised if they falter say well you don't expect me to spend this type of money on an untried car happy test drive ,dealers need to get bums on seats that's what leads to sales that just what an OPC did to me :thumbs:
 
mzmini said:
Hi OP take the nettle in the hand, phone up ask the right questions and ask do I need to book a test you will be surprised if they falter say we you don't expect me to spend this type of money on an untried car happy test drive ,dealers need to get bums on seats that's what leads to sales that just what an OPC did to me :thumbs:

:thumb: :thumb: good advise Chris , like the directional question they really can only answer one way if they want to sell a car. :thumb:
 
Phil 997 said:
Daz the one in the link has lots of nice bits theres no sport chrono but it has PSE , sports seats, bose, cruise. full extended leather onto the centre console again very expensive option the handbreak is a 1k porsche upgrade and the gearknob is a turbo one again expensive, and the round airbag thicker sports steering wheel . that alone tells me someone has cared about the car. Who ever speced the car from new wanted a comfortable cruiser based on the spec but wasnt interested in the sports option which would indicate an easy life in the early years. :thumb: which is often when they get abused as the first owner often has a 3 yr lease so kicks it hard then hands it back. this doesnt look like that type of speced car. :D

Wow you got a lot more out of that ad than I did!

I think I'll become a pain posting up asking for advice on each one I see ha ha
 

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