Dealer won't let you test drive a car?! Good/bad experiences salespeople

[oldlostcory]

I had a very similar thing happen to me with a Subaru dealership and a wrx. I went in asking if they'd let me take one for a test drive. They were really annoyed. Then one of the salesmen took me into his office and started going over how I could afford it. He wanted to know how much I made a year. Asked a bunch of condescending questions and then just came out and said you can't afford this car. I could afford the car if I wanted to but I was planning on saving up to make payments lower. Well I have the money together now and I am going to buy a brz from a different dealer.

BTW I went into a vw dealer and they were practically throwing gti keys at me. Such a better experience.

[BRZfan]

....."we have safer cars but still have the same speed limits as 50 years ago"----

Yes, safer cars but same level of driver inexperience & ignorance.

Originally Posted by Gords_zenith

Relax, this statement is the reason why NA has become such a nanny state! When I was a kid, my dad drove on hilly roads just so we could play in the back and feel like we were floating.....I'm seemingly still alive and well! Not everyone has to live their life ultra conservative and ultra safe. Where's the joy in that?whats your idea of fun, A theme park that has to wash down rides to be "safer", 2 hour long waits for....what 30-45 seconds of excitement, $200+ for a family day, or would you prefer an innocent acceleration burst that can provide all of that in 10 seconds or less(I am not endorsing organized street racing-but just some fun acceleration sprints), a spirited cruise on never ending roads for fraction of time and money(provided nothing breaks or tickets), or accelerating on a freeway on ramp way beyond what the recommended states but still within the cars limits for some fun? I for one hate the way we have grown as a society, we have safer cars but still have the same speed limits as 50 years ago, out dated driver training(bare minimum and just don't care attitude to improve) and generally a lack of care for the automobile other than its a "A to B" transportation. I'm assuming your a car guy as you bought one of the greatest cars in recent time to enjoy "driving", so a little understanding would much appreciated. Rant over lol.

To the OP good for you, I am glad you have taught your daughter the joys of driving and riding in a car other than "it has this _______(fill in the blank with w.e. technology)" mentality to amuse her and I hope your able to get a BRZ/FRS sooner rather than later to take her more joy rides! Good luck.

[ntron1]

Wow....I called the Subaru dealer, told him I wanted to drive one. Set an appointment for the next AM. He copied my license and threw me the keys. I returned 1/2 hour later. Had him search the area for my color and gave him a deposit the next day. I went out of town and picked it up the day I returned. Simple, fast and easy...

[elbles]

I had all but decided on a 1-series Bimmer before I got my BRZ. I had been anxious for the BRZ to come out ever since I first read rumors of it in 2008, and when it finally showed up on our shores, I was anxious for a test drive, but figured they'd be hard to come by, based on all the pre-orders and general hype around the car.

My father works just down the road from a Subaru dealer, and stopped in once he saw one on the lot. The sales guy seemed OK with test drives, so I went the following weekend (this was in August of last year, so still pretty early in the deliveries for the car, IIRC). Took the car out right after someone got back from a test drive, and went out by myself, without any issues, hesitance, or pressure.

A few more months went by while I noodled on the decision (the BMW was/is a much nicer car, but the BRZ was/is way more fun, and that was my dilemma), and I went for another test drive in December, again, without issue. I finally made up my mind in January, and let my sales guy know I was coming in to buy one. I got there, and he thought I just wanted another test drive (and was perfectly fine with that, ha).

It's always cars that I think I'd have a hard time test driving that are a piece of cake. Lotus dealer 30 minutes before closing for an Elise? No problem. Porsche dealer for a Cayman S? Here's the keys, have fun. VW dealer for a Golf R? Again, no big deal (granted, I got my GTI from them, but still).

On the other hand... I had the bullshit experience with a Nissan dealer when I went to test drive a 370Z. They only had one, and it was in the show room. I was honest with the dealer, and said I wasn't ready to buy anything that very day, and they were very honest with me in that they didn't want to be bothered to take the car out. OK, I get it, but I had driven a few cars that day, and wanted the back-to-back experience. I think I would've gotten the BRZ anyway, but that Nissan dealer lost any chance of my business ever with that stunt.

Oddly, a similar thing happened to my father way back in the day, when the 240Z first came over. He couldn't get a test drive, until he badgered the salesman enough to let him come in after closing to take a test drive. The more things change, the more they remain the same, I guess...

[hanabie]

You went to a wrong dealership. Try scion because they have more stocks.
Who the fuck traded frs in for a brz. I seriously have no respects for that kind of owners.
All brz dealers in Ca kept telling me how rare the brz was. I honestly dont give a shit. I can buy either frs or brz. My money is good for either one because I just love both. I finally bought a brz because it was cheaper in my book.

[bestwheelbase]

No test drive? Bollocks.

[AznBRZer]

I find the light hooning in the OP more than a little questionable, but I've experienced similar bad treatment at a Lexus dealer in my area a few years ago. With check in hand and ready to sign and drive a IS250 off the lot, they wouldn't even let me go on a test drive and it was a freaking used car. I was plenty pissed, but now I'm glad because if I got the IS, I would've never gotten a BRZ...LOLZ

[DownFracture]

Originally Posted by AznBRZer

I find the light hooning in the OP more than a little questionable, but I've experienced similar bad treatment at a Lexus dealer in my area a few years ago. With check in hand and ready to sign and drive a IS250 off the lot, they wouldn't even let me go on a test drive and it was a freaking used car. I was plenty pissed, but now I'm glad because if I got the IS, I would've never gotten a BRZ...LOLZ

Hooning, interesting word never heard that one before.
Hoon is a derogatory term used in Australia and New Zealand, to refer to anyone who engages in loutish, anti-social behaviours. In particular, it is used to refer to one who drives a car or boat in a manner which is anti-social by the standards of contemporary society, i.e. too fast, too noisily or too dangerously.

I don't know if it was nearly that bad, at least I hope I wasn't being a jackass. I try to avoid being that person. Anyway, The salesperson just wanted to play to what I was looking for in a car, he tried to show off what the car had to offer and get me excited enough to have me pull the trigger on the car that day. Earlier I told him all that mattered to me was to buy a car that was fun to drive. He was trying to sell me on how much fun it was to drive, by having a fun drive around Anchorage. What He told me in his own words was "the experience of buying a BMW should be as good as owning a BMW". He was a good sales person, he listened to me and did his best to provide an experience that appealed to my interests.

[Wilsonk227]

Originally Posted by hanabie

You went to a wrong dealership. Try scion because they have more stocks.
Who the fuck traded frs in for a brz. I seriously have no respects for that kind of owners.
All brz dealers in Ca kept telling me how rare the brz was. I honestly dont give a shit. I can buy either frs or brz. My money is good for either one because I just love both. I finally bought a brz because it was cheaper in my book.

maybe the guy realized how much more worth it the BRZ is, i mean the FRS trading in, you wont lose that much.

[hunter3232792]

called a subaru place in miami when they first came out

me: hello do you guys have any brzs?

guy at the dealership: excuse me what is a brz...?

went with a frs :P

[Mehaha]

None of u are from Singapore. The Subaru dealer NEVER allow a test drive on the BRZ vs Toyota encouraging anyone keen to go ahead on the 86!! Don't understand why the difference in attitude!

[RhafikJaan]

off topic.. but how close is the scion frs in the gran turismo 5 game to driving a frs in real life lol... i'v heard from race car drivers that the cars are pretty close to in real life.. just wanted to hear from you guys

[meeskee2]

I have been told by a salesman once that I could not test drive a Lancer Ralliart until I had a deposit down on it and was planning on buying it.

More recently I went into a dealership with my buddy to look at a 2011 WRX. The sales guy told us that we couldn't go on a test drive unless we were really interested in getting the car. He then told us that he didn't want us "wasting" his time if he wasn't going to buy the car. We just walked right out.

[Ganthrithor]

Originally Posted by bestwheelbase

No test drive? Bollocks.

[ame="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gDgrnP-f8VY"]Banned commercial - Volkswagen Bollocks - YouTube[/ame]