Test Drives - problems?

[thill]

Originally Posted by thermobox

The reason will vary from store to store.

For us:
1. It is to keep out the "hot lap" drivers that will purely come in to beat up on the cars. We see a lot of customers that will come from other dealers to test-drive our car and buy the car at the other store.

2. To keep low miles on the vehicles. Most Suby buyers don't like to buy the cars with miles on the clock.

3. To gauge commitment. If a buyer is willing to sit with me to fill out all of the paperwork and be run through Finance, I am willing to take them for a test-drive. Many new Suby customers aren't "sold" on the car enough to give me a solid commitment.

I have yet to have a customer return a car or say that it wasn't the car that they were expecting.

If this situation did arise, I'm sure that Mgt would have no problem taking the car back after say a day or so.

This is an alien process to many people. If you don't get it, then you probably will end up not getting the car.

Are you pulling a credit check on people because they want to do a test drive.

I really hope not..

[mezdup]

i test drove at 2 different dealerships. bought the car at the second one. i don't see why they wouldn't let you do it, unless they had a bad experience. someone driving it like an asshole during a test drive etc.

my salesman did mention limited production on the car though.

[R8]

Competition will determine what dealers do.

For now, there's a large fanbase who have already decided they want it without even seeing or sitting in it. No need really then to offer test drives to the normal cross-shoppers who are trying to compare similar cars.

[K2]

Originally Posted by moniz

On that first bold point; shouldn't you be asking why they go buy SOMEWHERE.

It is possible that there is a Firestorm red car at Dealer A, but Dealer A won't allow test drives. So they go to Dealer B, which will allow test drives but doesn't have the right color (Firestorm). After the test drive at Dealer B, they go back to Dealer A to purchase the Firestorm car.

[frs23]

waylonrobert: where are you in SoCal? I ask b/c San Diego has a dedicated demo car (MT) at Kearny Mesa location.

[Jidonsu]

A local Subura dealership had a BRZ Limited in stock, but the dealership decided it "wasn't for sale" and didn't want to me drive it yesterday. I had placed a deposit for an FR-S at another dealership that morning, and would've bought the BRZ on the spot. Too bad for them.

[Rabble]

I don't know what the hell this dealer is on about. At one dealer I took a drive with the salesman and at another dealer the guy just handed me the keys and told me not to wreck it.

[R8]

Originally Posted by Rabble

... at another dealer the guy just handed me the keys and told me not to wreck it.

Do you remember how many miles it had on it?

Just curious, as I had the same experience, but the car had 100+ miles on it, so I'm guessing it was being used as a "demo" car.

[enigmaaron]

Originally Posted by Rabble

I don't know what the hell this dealer is on about. At one dealer I took a drive with the salesman and at another dealer the guy just handed me the keys and told me not to wreck it.

Yeah, if they are worried about miles just ride along and have a set test drive route like my dealer did. They let anyone test drive the FR-S they got (the ONE and only, not THREE like this dealer) and in fact said they weren't allowing anyone to buy it for two weeks so people could test drive. This was June 1st, the day after they got it. They are getting a second one in about a week... because I put my money down after test driving.

[Shin]

Originally Posted by K2

Here are the dates and places of upcoming Scion FR-S FIRST DRIVE events. It's not a real test drive, but it is real seat time.

June 23
Columbus, OH

June 30 - July 1
Chicago, IL

July 14
Nashville, TN

July 28
Kansas City, MO
Blue River Performance Driving Center

August 4 - 5
Dallas, TX

August 11
Houston, TX

August 25
San Antonio, TX

September 8
Phoenix, AZ

September 14 - 15
Salt Lake City, UT

September 22 - 23
Sacramento, CA

September 28
Portland, OR

October 13 - 14
Carson, CA

Where did you get these dates from?

[RRnold]

Originally Posted by thill

Go back and read the OP. I agree, dealer should not let anyone test drive a car that already had a deposit. But that is not how I read his experience. And buying a car without ever having driven it is just ridiculous.

The fact that the dealership only had 3 should be have been an indication that they are not going to allow a test drive. Folks here are already complaining about 30 miles on the odometer...

If they don't allow it, pack up and move on to the next.

[Rabble]

Originally Posted by R8

Do you remember how many miles it had on it?

Just curious, as I had the same experience, but the car had 100+ miles on it, so I'm guessing it was being used as a "demo" car.

It had like 30-something on it, I parked it back at the dealer with 40. Wish I coulda bought it but they didn't want to deal on my trade in.

The one that I drove with the salesman ride along had 120-something.

[thill]

Originally Posted by RRnold

The fact that the dealership only had 3 should be have been an indication that they are not going to allow a test drive. Folks here are already complaining about 30 miles on the odometer...

If they don't allow it, pack up and move on to the next.

Few dealers near me have more than 2-3 cars, I don't really see what that has to do with it. And yes. Move on. Dealers that want you to buy before you drive are not worth the trouble, and I am sure they will try to screw you at the finance table as well.

Again this is a Scion, not a Bugatti.

[R8]

Originally Posted by thill

Again this is a Scion, not a Bugatti.

In $$$$ value it isn't, but in adoration and rarity there isn't much difference. It is a Bugatti to the people here who love it with an almost religious-like devotion.

[tripjammer]

The FR-S is not that rare. Scion is going to build 10,000 of them this year...Subaru will build 6,000 BRZ this year.

There are still some out there right now and many more coming each month. Don't let the dealers lie to you and say they are not getting anymore in. Each Scion Dealer will get at least 2 to 4 per month, Subaru 1 to 2 per month...maybe even more...

If you really want this car, you can get it.

[thermobox]

what's the big deal guys? If they don't let You drive Their cars, then move on.

Plain and simple. This is a free country. They don't have to give you a test-drive and you don't have to buy a car at their store.

At this point in my area there are a lot more Lambo, Ferrari, Porsche, etc highline cars available for test-drive than a BRZ,WRX,STi or LGT.

My customers are more than satisfied with my customer service and that they are the only ones to put the miles on the clock.

[thill]

Originally Posted by tripjammer

The FR-S is not that rare. Scion is going to build 10,000 of them this year...Subaru will build 6,000 BRZ this year.

There are still some out there right now and many more coming each month. Don't let the dealers lie to you and say they are not getting anymore in. Each Scion Dealer will get at least 2 to 4 per month, Subaru 1 to 2 per month...maybe even more...

If you really want this car, you can get it.

Agreed. I had one dealer tell me "this is a rare car with a limited production run" and that they were not taking deposits (in hopes of getting some sucker to walk in and pay markup I assume).

This is nothing new. Every few years there is a popular new car and hype builds up and there is initially more demand than supply. Basic economics 101 folks, and it only fuels the hype machine and gives some shady dealers ammunition to take advantage of you.

Just use commonsense. Buying a car before ever driving it is not commonsense. Paying well above MSRP is not using commonsense. Buying a color you don't like or buying a car that has a transmission you did not prefer is not using commonsense. Telling someone they have to apply for financing before test driving is not using commonsense. Putting down non-refundable deposits is not using commonsense.

[thermobox]

Spelling commonsense is not using common sense. Sorry, couldn't resist.

[RRnold]

Originally Posted by thill

Few dealers near me have more than 2-3 cars, I don't really see what that has to do with it. And yes. Move on. Dealers that want you to buy before you drive are not worth the trouble, and I am sure they will try to screw you at the finance table as well.

Again this is a Scion, not a Bugatti.

It has a lot to do with it. They only have 3 and might not get any more. They know these are selling at MSRP so why allocate one as a demo and have to mark it down.

Trust me, I hate stealerships just as much as you do but if a dealership won't allow a test drive, on to the next. Don't waste their time and don't waste mine.

[cdrsfrg]

I went to Subaru of Newton, NJ and met a sales rep. We sat and talked about the BRZ and when he thought one would be delivered to the dealership. After giving him all my contact info I started the wait.

On June 4th I got the phone call. A Premium BRZ 6AT was at the dealership. When would I like to come look at it. I of course said tomorrow as soon as my wife is home from work we’ll be there. The next day my wife said she really didn’t want to go, it was going to be my car anyway. So off I went.

When I arrived at the dealership the sales rep was waiting and the car was parked in front. I said, “OK let’s take her for a spin.” That is when things went a little sour. The sales rep informed me I could look at it, sit in it, look at the lights come on and go off, even start the engine, but I could not drive the car. “Why not? I asked.” “We are not going to let anyone drive the car, we want to keep the mileage at a minimum.” I indicated that I would not buy the car unless I could drive it first. Then the sales rep said they were planning to sell the car with a 3-5k premium. “Kind of like a Vet,” he said. I said, “forget it, I’m not paying more than the sticker price, have a nice day,” and left.

The rep called me while I was driving home to let me know that the manager said he would sell a BRZ to me for the sticker price if I ordered one. I had fully intended to order a car while I was there. I didn’t want an automatic trans to begin with. I instead went home and called the Toyota dealer, right down the road, and asked if they had a FR-S 6MT on the lot that I could test drive.

What a totally different experience. I was forwarded to Betsy in sales. She said they did indeed have an FR-S 6MT on the lot and when would I like to drive it. I said, “I’ll be there in 30 min.” When I got there Betsy had the keys in her hand, we went for a short drive, and I bought the car when we got back. The Subi was traded in and I was out the door with my brand new Asphalt FR-S 6MT in a matter of a couple of hours.

I am having great fun as the car is. The only upgrades I see in the near future are a throatier HKS exhaust system, different brake pads, and stainless steel brake lines.

The FR-S already handles way better than my Impreza RS, which did very well in Auto-X and HPDE at Lime Rock.

[Sciontissst]

Yea the subaru dealer in my area said there only getting in 12 in the whole year witch sounded odd. Then I went to my scion dealer got in 6 right from the start and let me test drive one right away! lol Im only 19 too.

[K2]

Originally Posted by Shin

Where did you get these dates from?

I wrote to the "Contact the Host" email address and asked for dates and places of future First Drives. The reply was from vipevents@scionvip.com