Is this the norm in vancouver? No test drive for cars like Evo and Golf R.

[TouringTeg]

You can thank the test pilots. Also as stated dealers lose money when the mileage starts adding up. Buyers will want a discount for the mileage. There is also risk of a minor or major incident.

I purposely did not list my 911 in Victoria because I didn't want to deal with a bunch of dreamers who just want to drive one for fun. I had a buyer come from Vancouver and he drove the car incredibly hard for an hour or so. Drove it like he stole it. Told him a number of times to calm it down. Of course the car developed an oil leak shortly after. Maybe a coincidence... I will never know.

Best bet is to go in person and build trust. Show that you are serious and not full of BS looking for a joy ride. Even then they may say no.

I'd be interested to hear Tofu's take.

[Traum]

Originally Posted by Timpo

I still don't get the point of Cayman. It's basically a Boxster coupe. Why would people want it? For chassis/body rigidity? Aerodynamics?

What? You don't get the point of the Cayman? I almost wanted to fail you just for that~

As good as the Boxster is, I like the overall shape of fixed top cars a lot better than convertibles. But yeah, the chassis rigidity and the fact that you don't need to put up with stupid roll bar rules for lapping in a fixed top car are reason enough to go for the fixed top.

Originally Posted by BoostedBB6

Hold up, you test drove new M3/M4 but decided on a Civic instead?
Complete opposite ends of the spectrum here and not even sure how you would compare a cheap econobox car to a high end performance car :P

LOL~ It wasn't quite like that. I was instructing in an M3 and an M4, so I did a couple of laps in both cars. They are absolutely fantastic machines, but I am generally a smaller / lighter car kind of guy. So the instructional drives were enlightening in the sense that I found out these cars are really too big and heavy for me.

The Civic, on the other hand... well... it's only supposed to be the appliance car. Visibility from the driver seat was good. The car was smooth and easy to drive. It wasn't sporty, but it wasn't floppy either. So that was all the subjective requirements it needed to meet.

[dared3vil0]

Look at it this way,

you go to buy a $45,000 Golf R.

The car has 148km on it. The sales manager says it's because it was test driven a handful of times.

Would you be happy?

Or, you buy your $45,000 Golf R. It has 14km on it.

Happier eh?


Yeah I know, just use one as a demo. Except when most dealers get only a few of these special cars, one as a demo doesn't make sense.

With that said, when I bought my Mustang they let me drive a 2013 GT500 that i made very clear I had no intention of buying (the one with 662hp) That thing stickered at over 70k...

[b0unce. [?]]

I test drove a Viper to get a free gas card

[originalhypa]

Originally Posted by dared3vil0

Or, you buy your $45,000 Golf R. It has 14km on it.

First off, $45k is nothing these days. I just went on toyota.ca and outfitted a Camry V6 XLE for $46,532.04

Can you imagine if the saleguy told the C-lai that she can't test drive it?

Second, I know a few guys who work at the docks. Those 14 km can be some hard miles. Last week I was crossing the Alex Fraser and a Kia ripped past me with transporter plates. You could smell the new car scent burning off. I hope the new owner bought the extended warranty on that car.

[Galactic_Phantom]

Originally Posted by Timpo

Ok so you call up some dealership and tell them you wanna test drive an Aventador and Veryon, see what they're gonna say.

Not even European exotics, but call up Nissan dealer and ask for GT-R, call Dodge dealer and ask for Viper, call Ford and ask for Ford GT, call Lexus and ask for LFA, call Acura and ask for NSX, call Chevy dealer and ask for Z06...

You're a fucking retard. No fucking shit a dealer is not gonna have a bunch of exotics lying around, let alone a demo. He's asking about a Golf R which is mass produced $40k car.

Originally Posted by Timpo

I still don't get the point of Cayman. It's basically a Boxster coupe. Why would people want it? For chassis/body rigidity? Aerodynamics?

Umm..I don't know, maybe because it's almost 1/2 or 2/3 of the price of a 911 with almost an equivalent amount of fun? Why wouldn't anyone who likes driving cars want it? Lightweight, rwd fun is a selling point too. Not everybody is gonna premature ejaculate over the mighty GT-R's specs.

[FatalCloud]

tried to test drive the first gen mazdaspeed 3, years ago, they wouldn't let me unless i put down a deposit. i laughed at them and left. seriously....not able to test drive a low $30K car

and i'm probably one of the few who understands where timpo is coming from, vr6gti's dumb statement of 'no test drive, no sale'. some cars will sell itself, don't need to test drive.

[Galactic_Phantom]

Originally Posted by FatalCloud

tried to test drive the first gen mazdaspeed 3, years ago, they wouldn't let me unless i put down a deposit. i laughed at them and left. seriously....not able to test drive a low $30K car

and i'm probably one of the few who understands where timpo is coming from, vr6gti's dumb statement of 'no test drive, no sale'. some cars will sell itself, don't need to test drive.

Ummm..didn't you basically just did the same thing? Walked away when there was no test drive?

Timpo's statement is irrelevant to op's situation. He used a CLS63 AMG and exotics as an example. Yeah, those cars can sell themselves because the people who buy those cars are kids with can afford to dick around with their parent's money or grown ups who care only about the status symbol, the looks and the specs to back it up.

A $40k car like the Golf R does not have the pedigree to sell itself nor the Evo for that matter. Those who are in the market for $40k cars probably will think twice before a major purchase and that's probably why those are the cars people expect to test drive.

[bluejays]

Went with my Gf for her to test a ralliart. Waiting about 10 minutes before I had to flag down a salesperson and they scoffed when we asked for a test drive. Came back the next day with my evo and they were on us like a fly to shit.

I understand that it's a commission based industry and they don't want to waste their time with tire kickers, but a little customer service goes a long way.

[320icar]

I couldn't test drive the focus ST but that's because no dealer had any in stock. Took 3 months to get it in after I ordered sight unseen

They did let me test a fiesta ST afterwards just for fun, but I guess they knew I was a paying customer

[brrrz]

When I was at Subaru there was no test drives in any new BRZ, WRX, STi and that was the rule across the board with every dealer. If we had a used one on the lot and the person seemed interested there wouldn't be any problem. People no matter what age come in and just want to go for a joy ride. Doesn't matter if they can afford the car or if they filed bankruptcy 3 months ago. Then you end up with a bunch of new cars with 300kms+ on them.

Where I am now if you aren't 19 and show up with 4 of your friends to all pile in and test drive a 85 grand super duty you will probably get a drive. Only thing you cant test drive is the Mark IV coupe in the show room.

[jasonturbo]

Cross shopping Evo to Golf R? lol

Golf R is so much more car for the money, just buy one, you won't be disappointed.

I feel your pain about test drives though, back when I was in my early 20's I wanted a GD STI, walked into dealer with 10K cash in hand asking for test drive, they told me to pound sand. Couple years older now, just pull into lot with GT3 they let you drive whatever you want lol.

[gilly]

^Not all us balling like you haha

If what you said is true, rent an exotic car for the day and drive into a mitsu, subi, vw etc and ask to test drive their cars. haha

[mr00jimbo]

I wanted to test drive a Corolla XRS before buying it, the dealer told me that he didn't want to bring one in unless I was committed to buying it. He said I could test drive it if I signed the papers. Well no shit, then it's my car lol.

Alternatively, I wandered over to a Ford lot in the summer to check out the new Mustang 5.0. Girl handed me the keys without checking my license or anything and we took it out. I ended up ordering one from her.

[clevernickname]

In winnipeg was cross shopping x1, qx50, glk350. Two of them just gave me keys and said have fun. Didn't even come with.

I was 25 then with the face of an 18 year old.

[604brz]

Just put down a deposit on a 2016 Golf R. Dealership had none in stock for me to test-drive. I had to settle for test-driving a GTI as well.

Originally the salesman wasn't too helpful, giving me vague answers. As soon I told him I wanted to put down a deposit, he started putting more effort into answering my questions

[clevernickname]

Vancouver is a sellers market I guess..

[Digitalis]

You call Timpo and Ulic dumb and yet you can't see the that the TOP of the line cars with very limited numbers on the lot wont be allowed to be test driven?

Originally Posted by originalhypa

First off, $45k is nothing these days. I just went on toyota.ca and outfitted a Camry V6 XLE for $46,532.04

Can you imagine if the saleguy told the C-lai that she can't test drive it?

Second, I know a few guys who work at the docks. Those 14 km can be some hard miles. Last week I was crossing the Alex Fraser and a Kia ripped past me with transporter plates. You could smell the new car scent burning off. I hope the new owner bought the extended warranty on that car.

[hi-revs]

Vancouver is just fucked like this. I bet other canadian cities/provinces aren't so much like this

[plat27265]

Unfortunately, a car like a Golf R is not a fast seller like the regular Golf. Dealerships here in Vancouver will only have one in stock when it is available and none if its not. Test driving a slow moving single example of a top shelf Golf will be next to impossible. People who end up buying a Golf R buy it because they know about it and want it. Dealerships will have more GTI's in stock and dealers will typically have a demo GTI set aside. As someone posted above, the typical Golf R buyer will not buy a demo unit. He or she will most likely demand a unit that was not used as a test mule. I, personally, won't if I do buy a new Golf R.

As a suggestion, another alternative is to look for a used example of a Golf R MK6 or MK7 and test drive that. It will also be difficult to look for a Golf R in the used car market, too.

[Hehe]

I think it's all about the impression. Car salesmen are no longer after the service (at least very few that I know of still do), but rather sales. If you go into the dealership, the chance of getting a test drive would be much greater if not a sure thing. But I guess a relationship would help if car is toward the expensive side (even so, for a sub-50k car?), so, get someone to refer you if you can't get a proper attention.

I mean, when I went car shopping after I came back to Van, my first stop was BMW as I had my mind set on a M6 GC and I liked my previous BMW sales. He took a copy of my DL, gave me the key, put on the dealer plate and away I go for the test drive. I didn't even tell him I was considering buying, but rather want to get a feel of the M6.

[whiteTDIpowa]

I bought a 2016 Golf R

I test drove:

2015 GLA45 AMG
2013 Focus ST
2016 WRX STI
2016 WRX

The Golf R was the hardest one to get in, took me going back to the dealership twice. Then I called out the sales manager in the middle of the showroom...basically told him I will go buy a STI today if he doesn't let me test drive the Golf R they had there. It was a cancelled factory order about 6 months ago.

Anyways, get the Golf R, I never test drove the evo becuase it's dead technology and looks like poop. The R has been the best daily driver rocket I have owned yet. I came from three STI's and this blows subaru quality away, I was literally moments away at buying a 2016 sti, and then the dealer let me test drive the R...and I was hooked on it!

[plat27265]

Originally Posted by roastpuff

Yeah, I've had the same issue with Golf R/Evo/STI etc. I had to really push Mitsubishi for a test drive in a Ralliart for crying out loud. Just silly...

Hey, Roastpuff! Nice to run into you here in RS. We go way back over at GolfMK6 Forum. I see you now own an R.

Before I bought my '11 GTI, I test drove a Ralliart at Mits in R'mond. Salesman didn't refuse my request back then. Not sure why they won't let you try one.

[Kaolinite]

Originally Posted by originalhypa

Second, I know a few guys who work at the docks. Those 14 km can be some hard miles. Last week I was crossing the Alex Fraser and a Kia ripped past me with transporter plates. You could smell the new car scent burning off. I hope the new owner bought the extended warranty on that car.

The 3 Hikari STI's that sold at Richmond Subaru were transported by the lot kids from Langley.. and they did not tear open the plastic over the hoodscoop for the intercooler lol...+ they probably ripped the cars all the way to Richmond.

[ilvtofu]

I ordered my Fiesta ST somewhat sight unseen, none on the lot to test drive or even at other local dealerships (late 2013) but they gave me a cash price I couldn't refuse and also let me test drive a Focus ST they had on the lot.

I'm sure it depends on the salesperson you get but it's understandable, especially with a sporty car with a manual transmission, that a dealer takes a fair amount of risk with that test drive. I remember some dealerships have/had a policy like "if you weren't offered a test drive you'll get a free (blank)"