No test drive.

[shadyDR]

I called up a dealership today and when I asked for a test drive for the nissan 370z their exact words were " we really don't do test drives on the 370z, the only way we do test drives is if there is an order and a deposit." Has anyone got this before?

[Roo]

I am 27, but look 21, and when I went to my local dealer it was on a weekend after I was messing around with my fish tank. Whenever I clean my tank I wear old shorts and a crappy t-shirt and flip flops and thats the way I went into my dealer. The sales person basically told me I couldn't test drive and that I had to go through a credit check process first. I wasted the sales person time having him show me the car, spoke to the manager about the test drive and he let me drive it. After about an hour I told the sales person thanks and as I left he said 'I knew I shouldn't have wasted my time' but I kept walking. I walked into another dealer that day and wrote a check for a touring with nav.

The kicker is the dealer that gave me **** was the dealer I have been taking my car to for the high pitch noise issue and when I see the sales person I just smile and wave.

[nogoodname]

^^ that's bitter for that dealership.....lol

[Robert_Nash]

Look at it this way; if you are going to lay out $35-$40K for a brand new sports car, do you want one that hasn't been driven by anybody (other than factory workers, etc) or one that has been out on a few or more than a few test drives?

I suspect most of us want a new car to be as pristine as possible...as "unsoiled" as possible and the the only way for that to happen is if the dealer is pretty restrictive about who/when/where they allow test drives.

I can fully understand that most people don't want to buy a car they've never had a chance to drive (at least an example of) but I think we can see the dealer's position here too. And, "fair" or not, they are probably going to be a bit more "restrictive" with test drives based on "who" the potential buyer is/how he/she looks, etc.

If you are serious about buying the car and look the part then chances are you'll get a test drive...if you can't then shop around for other dealers (a lot of dealers, especially larger ones, will let the GM or someone on staff of the dealership have a Z as a "demo" and will often use that for test drives).

[CBRich]

I'm 26 and showed up in shorts and a t-shirt and asked to see the inside of the car. Once there I asked the salesman when we were going to drive it and he got the keys. Find another dealer.

[nogoodname]

larger ones always have one model to test drive, that's where you should go to.....the rest of the Z are stored in the back lot waiting for someone to take it.....i understand they want to put a deposit before you test it b/c those are not demo cars.

[fly yellow]

Originally Posted by Robert_Nash

Look at it this way; if you are going to lay out $35-$40K for a brand new sports car, do you want one that hasn't been driven by anybody (other than factory workers, etc) or one that has been out on a few or more than a few test drives?

I suspect most of us want a new car to be as pristine as possible...as "unsoiled" as possible and the the only way for that to happen is if the dealer is pretty restrictive about who/when/where they allow test drives.

I can fully understand that most people don't want to buy a car they've never had a chance to drive (at least an example of) but I think we can see the dealer's position here too. And, "fair" or not, they are probably going to be a bit more "restrictive" with test drives based on "who" the potential buyer is/how he/she looks, etc.

If you are serious about buying the car and look the part then chances are you'll get a test drive...if you can't then shop around for other dealers (a lot of dealers, especially larger ones, will let the GM or someone on staff of the dealership have a Z as a "demo" and will often use that for test drives).

+1

I have read so many test drive stories on these boards from people who really don't plan on buying the car anytime soon. Some people have test driven multiple cars without buying. Dealerships don't exist for people to joyride the latest cars to come out. Salesmen work on commission, and you are really wasting their time by test driving with no intent to buy. If you are going to buy one in 6 months, a year, or even more, then come back when you have your finances in order and are ready to do the deal. Otherwise you are just wasting people's time, putting miles on what will be someone else's car, and making yourself want a car that you can't buy yet even more.

[Roo]

Originally Posted by Robert_Nash

Look at it this way; if you are going to lay out $35-$40K for a brand new sports car, do you want one that hasn't been driven by anybody (other than factory workers, etc) or one that has been out on a few or more than a few test drives?

I suspect most of us want a new car to be as pristine as possible...as "unsoiled" as possible and the the only way for that to happen is if the dealer is pretty restrictive about who/when/where they allow test drives.

I can fully understand that most people don't want to buy a car they've never had a chance to drive (at least an example of) but I think we can see the dealer's position here too. And, "fair" or not, they are probably going to be a bit more "restrictive" with test drives based on "who" the potential buyer is/how he/she looks, etc.

If you are serious about buying the car and look the part then chances are you'll get a test drive...if you can't then shop around for other dealers (a lot of dealers, especially larger ones, will let the GM or someone on staff of the dealership have a Z as a "demo" and will often use that for test drives).

Its a Nissan, we are not talking about exotics here.

[fly yellow]

Originally Posted by Roo

Its a Nissan, we are not talking about exotics here.

That's true, but I don't think people are lining up to test drive a Sentra. It's a particular Nissan, that performs pretty close to some exotics. My dealership said they had a huge problem with people just coming in to test drive the Z. They were very fair with price (beat 5 other dealers on sale price and trade in value), so I don't think people were test driving and not buying because the deal couldn't work.

[nogoodname]

The Z is an icon of Nissan, besides the Gt-R

[TX_370]

Very similar to CBRich, I showed up in jeans and a white t... Took about 5 minutes for a salesman to come out and see me, he asked if I wanted a test drive. Of course I said "HELL YEAH!" He went in got the keys and a temp possession vehicle form.

He didn't even ride with me...

[had12many]

Originally Posted by fly yellow

That's true, but I don't think people are lining up to test drive a Sentra. It's a particular Nissan, that performs pretty close to some exotics. My dealership said they had a huge problem with people just coming in to test drive the Z. They were very fair with price (beat 5 other dealers on sale price and trade in value), so I don't think people were test driving and not buying because the deal couldn't work.

I just had to throw my 2 cents in on this one. I went to my local Nissan dealership about 4 months ago (back when the 370z convertible was just a rumor), with my wife reluctantly in tow. Now I was dressed in a nice pair of golf shorts and a collared shirt, and it was about 3:30 PM on a Thursday afternoon, and the place was DEAD.

They had two 370z's on the lot and a GT-R, and while I drooled over all of them, the "salesperson" came out and started the usual "How can I help you today?" I said that I was interested in a convertible Z, but didn't know if I wanted to wait for the new 370 convertible or go for the 350 converitble. He told me that they were not going to make the 370 convertible and that they were going to keep the 350 as a convertible and the 370 was going to remain a hardtop version only (that should have been my first clue).

He took me over to where the 350s were, started telling me about the bells and whistles on that particular 350. I was peering in the windows, and finally had to ask, "Can I see the inside?" He went and grabbed the keys, and came back. He opened the car, let me in it, put the top down, revved the engine, and when I asked him to take it for a spin, he said, "Well, we really don't do test drives without a deposit."

Okay, now I can understand if I had asked to take the 370 or the GT-R for a spin, but the 350??????? Cmon. I'm 36 years old and look like I'm 40, and was thinking of buying that 350 that day. The lot was EMPTY, and no one was losing any business that day. I lost a lot of faith in that dealer, and so I got my wife, and walked out. Could I have pitched a fit and gotten to ultimately take a test drive? Yes. But the moral of this story is that I'll be buying my Z converitble from another dealership which will value my time and money as much as they value theirs. I have no time to waste with a dealership that treats it's customers as if they are only out for a joyride and aren't serious buyers. Any one that does, should be ultimately penalized by not purchasing a vehicle from them.

Kudos to you Roo for showing them how their unwillingness to do their job cost them in the end. Besides, any person who works at a dealership that sells Zs, and doesn't want to go for a ride in one at every opportunity, is not a person I want to buy a Z from!!

[ENT-Z]

Same thing happened to me! I walked out and went down the road a few miles to another dealer and within minutes was on a test-drive with my wife in a fully loaded 40K Z. I later bought a different one from that dealer.

[Robert_Nash]

Originally Posted by Roo

Its a Nissan, we are not talking about exotics here.

Yet you bought one even though a 370 is "just a Nissan".

[wstar]

Originally Posted by nogoodname007

^^ that's bitter for that dealership.....lol

Actually it's only bitter for the salesman. Dealerships make money on the service department (at times more than on car sales themselves), but the salesman lost his commission.