Test drive from hell

[BlueDubbinTDI]

Originally Posted by mush

when i asked for a test drive the salesman asked for a copy of my drivers license, handed me the keys and i was on my way

Yep this is how mine went. Then again, my salesman was only 22 (I'm 24) so we actually had kinda a bromance enthusiast test drive lol. He really sold me on the car (I was looking at a Cooper S at the time). They also gave me $3700 more on my trade than any other dealer offered. I love my dealership sorry you had a bad experience!

[jadewbj]

This is exactly why I "ordered" my car. I wanted a whiteout manual with 0 options as I change almost everything anyway. They put a request to get one from the allocation that matched it and put a huge "do not drive do not wash SOLD sticker on it.

I got it from the same dealership as you.

I sold cars as a "kid" and still remember a guy taking a GSR integra, used, out for a test drive. He did a full on burnout out of the lot and damn near put the car into a pole. This started the policy that no customers drive them off the lot at that dealership.

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by z3ro

i was referencing your signature...

humfrz.....

its weird when you don't put that at the bottom of your posts

Oh, I seeeeeee..........

Yep, I used to till several folks commented it was redundant since "humfrz" appears on the side bar. So, I quit "signing".

Do you think I should start signing off again .. ??

humfrz ..... or not

[z3ro]

Originally Posted by humfrz

Oh, I seeeeeee..........

Yep, I used to till several folks commented it was redundant since "humfrz" appears on the side bar. So, I quit "signing".

Do you think I should start signing off again .. ??

humfrz ..... or not

i dont feel comfortable emotionally if you dont

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by z3ro

i dont feel comfortable emotionally if you dont

OK, I'll start .... again .....

[Pickleahoy]

Originally Posted by humfrz

OK, I'll start .... again .....

What have you done???? lol

I'm planning on talking to the big manager tomorrow about the whole ordeal so we'll see if he cares for the better.

Somewhat unrelated, the clutch on these FRS's has such short travel! It was really hard to get used to a pedal that hit bottom so quickly.
The thing I liked the most about the car was the seating position and the shifter, my god that thing was tight!
The only downside I found was that the car felt really hesitant to go up in revs. I thought my GTI was a dog above 5,500 rpm but this car seemed to go up the revs slower than my current car. Maybe it had something to do with the meathead salesman ripping it a new one....

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by Pickleahoy

What have you done???? lol

I'm planning on talking to the big manager tomorrow about the whole ordeal so we'll see if he cares for the better.

Somewhat unrelated, the clutch on these FRS's has such short travel! It was really hard to get used to a pedal that hit bottom so quickly.
The thing I liked the most about the car was the seating position and the shifter, my god that thing was tight!
The only downside I found was that the car felt really hesitant to go up in revs. I thought my GTI was a dog above 5,500 rpm but this car seemed to go up the revs slower than my current car. Maybe it had something to do with the meathead salesman ripping it a new one....

Errrrr......I'll resume "signing" "humfrz" at the end of my posts ....

Yep, the clutch takes some getten used to. For example, I came out of an 06 Miata, where I had to push the clutch pedal half way to the front bumper to get it to function. The first time I clutched an FR-S, the salesman jumpted cause I hit the floorboard so hard.

The shifter is "tight" especially when cold .... just the way they are.

I found that my FR-S didn't spin up real fast till I had about 5,000 miles on it ..... now the red light (shift light) (set at 6,200) flashes at me before I know it. Of course, that car you drove was most likely driven by that salesman before and it was fixing on tossing a couple of rods ....

I suggest you give another FR-S a spin ....

humfrz

[gily25]

Salesmen...sometimes I can't tell if they're jerks because they can tell you're not going to buy the car or if they're really just that clueless about customer service. On my Scion test drive the salesman came with us ad made my wife sit in the backseat. The 6'5" (really no other salesperson could take this drive...) jerk proceeded to continually reach into the center console area and dash trying to show me the stereo (which I already said was going to be replaced if it were my car) while allowing me only to go around the block. At least he never offered to drive, lol.

Needless to say I had a much better experience at Subaru and had no problem buying the BRZ instead. Got it cheaper than the FR-S too, FTW.

[UnOvertime]

I originally went to Autonation Toyota in Winter Park as well and the salesman I had told me he would "allow me to drive the car so he could show me that I did NOT want the car". He told me it was small, not practical, and far too uncomfortable and that he was doing me a favor by telling me all this. He actually made me want to go next door to the Lexus dealer and buy an IS250.

Needless to say I did not end up buying my FR-S from them. Some salesmen just seem to not want to sell the car or in the case of a Toyota dealer just know absolutely nothing about the FR-S.

[HunterGreene]

Sounds like the asshat sales bro just wanted an excuse to drive the car. I'd never let the sales person drive a car I was thinking of purchasing.

Thankfully, I got mine about a day after it came off the truck. Nobody touched it except the porters, and I was the first person to drive it off the lot.

[thill]

Originally Posted by Gaiseric

Unfortunately most dealerships wont allow a test drive without an employee present just to cover their own butts in case you damage something. To test drive without an employee or to take the car home for the night you would have to sign paperwork that states you take all liability of the car for the time being and provide any other information they need, most likely valid license and full coverage insurance.

It prevents things like 50 mile test drives, getting food with the cars, stealing any cars, hit and runs, and more things of that nature lol.

I have been on numerous test drives over the past two years with no salesman in the car with me. In fact for my WRX I just bought I had nobody else in the car and was gone almost 45 minutes. The only thing I handed them was my drivers license and proof of insurance.

The Hyundai dealer let me take a Genesis Coupe home with me for the day. I had to give them my drivers license, insurance, and a $200 deposit (refundable) on my credit card but signed nothing else.

Maybe I look too trusting...

[Braces]

This thread should reinforce that it probably is not a good idea to buy a "demo" car at the dealership regardless of the discount. It is unfortunate that someone will buy that car .... and then a new thread will re-appear here about their car being a lemon.

[Pickleahoy]

I left a voicemail and an email for the general manager since saturday. No calls yet. I guess they really dont care at that dealership

[Turbowned]

That makes me SMH. If you can't drive a car properly just don't.

The last BRZ I sold, the customer was 18 and a little new to driving manual. I was waiting for him to hammer the thing but he was actually very gentle on the car and wasn't shifting above 2,000RPM. It was such a tame test drive that when we got back to the lot I asked if he trusted me to drive it with him riding shotgun. He said yes so we did a Chinese fire drill and I drove it after him; something I can say I've never done before.

I didn't beat on the car of course, just drove it a little quicker and a lot smoother than he did, so he'd get a feel for how it could drive. Went around some corners and revved it up to 4k rpm just to give him a little taste. After that he bought the car.

Then I gave him some tips on where the best shows were put on and what sanctioning bodies he could join in order to do auto-x, track days and drifting. I realize I'm one of few salespeople who would ever do this, but know that we're not all bad guys. Just mostly