We understand how to pass a test drive correctly in order to form a final opinion about the car and make a purchase decision.
Choosing such an expensive thing as a car, based only on emotional and visual preferences, is a lot of amateurs. The correct opinion about the practical qualities of the machine, its technical capabilities are formed only in practice. For such an assessment of the car, they came up with test drives.
Test drive — what is it?
A test drive is a service provided by a car dealership to a customer for testing a car on the go. In other words, it is a free trial trip that allows the buyer to evaluate the convenience of driving the car, the adjustment and efficiency of the brakes, the informative steering, the level of vibrations, the smoothness of the ride. A potential buyer is accompanied by a salon manager on a trip, and it lasts no more than forty minutes, but large and respectable car dealerships also practice test drives, the duration of which reaches a day. Such services are available to regular customers of salons with an excellent reputation and proven solvency.
A test drive is an extremely important procedure for a motorist who is going to buy a car in the salon. But, if you buy a car with your hands, then you should not neglect a test ride on this model at a car dealership either — there will be something to compare it with.
What do you need to pass a test drive?
The test drive service is offered today by most modern car dealerships and the conditions for passing are also similar.
To do this, you need to observe some formalities:
- Provide a driver’s license;
- Provide a passport;
- Have at least two years of driving experience;
- Favorable weather conditions.
- In order for the test drive to take place at the right time, you need to apply for a test drive, specifying the date and submitting the necessary documents.
In some car dealerships, it is required to sign an agreement indicating the driver’s license number, insurance conditions, the date of the test drive, and the mileage of the care provided at the time of the start of the procedure. At the same time, it is worth asking the manager what responsibility is assigned to the client in the event of an accident. It is noteworthy that not all dealerships make clauses in the contracts on liability in the event of an accident and damage to the car.
Some dealers make their own additions to the rules for passing test drives, which you should ask the manager about in advance. Such an addition is sometimes the age of a potential driver.
Preparing for a test drive
After settling all the formalities, the client is recommended to perform a number of operations:
- Conduct an external inspection of the machine in order to identify defects;
- Open and close the existing doors in the car;
- Check the compliance of the trunk with the declared volume;
- Check the functioning of the windscreen wipers and power windows;
- Check the adjustment of the seats and mirrors;
- Check the operation of auxiliary systems: climate control, heated seats; specify the type of engine and gearbox of the test car for compliance with the selected model.
- Before starting a trial trip, an employee of the car dealership is obliged to show the potential buyer important features and nuances of the car. Pay special attention to the safety elements, setting up the steering wheel, seats, mirrors, seat belts.
After that, the manager informs the client about the route chosen for the test drive.
Route for a test drive
Routes for trial trips often represent a small circle with the beginning and end near the doors of the selected car dealership.
Many dealers offer a route agreed with the traffic police, which can not be too short and runs only in a straight line. This is necessary so that a potential buyer can evaluate the future purchase for braking and acceleration, for the functioning of the handbrake, turn signals, and assess the ability of the car to maneuver.
When passing the route, it is not necessary to exceed the permitted speed limits, as well as completely avoid potholes and holes on the road. The length of the route and the speed of passage must be agreed upon with the manager in advance. Large dealerships almost always meet customers halfway, satisfying their wishes.
Features of cars for test drives
For test drives, employees of car dealerships exhibit car models with the most complete factory equipment and installed additional equipment. As a rule, there are no cars with the initial configuration on test drives. This should be taken into account before ordering the model you like. In addition, if the selected car model is available in two body types, then only one can be offered in the salon for a trial trip.
What you should pay attention to during test drives
Having taken the driver’s seat, you should not rush to start driving. First, you need to adjust the driver’s seat to a comfortable position, mirrors, and steering wheel, so that nothing distracts you during the test. Do not hesitate to ask the accompanying manager about the features of the controls, as they may differ too much from those to which you are accustomed.
During a test trip, it is necessary to correctly evaluate such parameters of the car:
- Engine and gearbox operation;
- Visibility and manageability;
- Functioning of the brake system;
- Sound insulation quality;
- Suspension operation;
- Dimensions and parking opportunities.
- You should start driving at low speed, gradually accelerating the car, while paying attention to the operation of the gas pedal. Under the appropriate road conditions, the quality of the car’s dynamics is checked by accelerating sharply.
For a car with a manual gearbox, you should smoothly accelerate the car to 80 km/h, while paying attention to the clarity and ease of gear shifting, and the force with which the clutch pedal is squeezed out. For cars with an automatic transmission, it is worth doing a number of accelerations and decelerations of movement, observing the logic of gear shifting, the absence of delays or shocks.
After accelerating the car, perform braking, feel how the brakes work, whether it is necessary to make an effort or a light push is enough to stop the car. The main purpose of such a check is to answer the question-will it is possible to stop at the place where they expected?
Pay attention to how the car overcomes bumps on the road, how easily it happens, whether the trajectory of movement does not change, whether there are no vibrations of the steering wheel.
As you gain speed, listen to the noise that the car makes when driving, understand if it does not annoy you. At the end of the test drive, summarize your own impressions about the car, understand how they meet expectations, compare with other models and only then make the final choice.
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