Free preview · from the dealership side of the desk
A test drive is the fun part of car buying, which is exactly why it gets wasted. Most people drive a loop the salesperson picked, on smooth roads, with the radio on, making small talk. Twenty minutes later they know the car “feels nice” and not much else. Then they buy it and find the seat hurts after an hour or the child seat won’t fit behind the driver.
From the dealer side, the test drive is about building attachment, not information. That’s fine, but your job is to find problems while walking away still costs nothing. Free tip: if the car is used, ask the dealer not to warm it up before you arrive; a cold start reveals rough idles, noises and smoke. Below: the checks before you start the engine, ten minutes each of city and highway driving, parking, the printable scorecard, a worked comparison, and what to say.
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In the full guide
- Before you start the engine
- City driving (10 minutes)
- Highway driving (10 minutes)
- Parking and back on the lot
- The scorecard
- Worked example
- What to say
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