Almost every prospective car buyer knows that taking a test drive is an important thing to do. But what many of us don’t know is what should we be noticing and doing during this period of time.
As odd as it may sound, one thing you can do is to not drive at all. At some point during the test drive, ask the salesperson to switch seats with you and drive the car. What this does is to give you a chance to play with all the controls, and concentrate on the ride quality.
If you’re driving, the salesperson will probably chat you up on the great features of the car, but this is a distraction and you may miss important aspects such as road noise, handling, and comfort. So definitely, let the salesperson drive for awhile.
Check the TechModern cars are turning into computers on wheels. The array of technological gadgets and wizardry can be astounding. If your vehicle is set up for voice commands, ask the salesperson to demonstrate these features for you.
Can the sales person easily turn the audio system on or off with his voice? Do the volume and other audio controls work well through voice command?
When you pass the driving duties on to the salesperson, during the test drive, check out all the features on the console. Play around with the touch screen controls and see if it is easy to navigate. Some control consoles on certain model cars are notorious of being difficult to use, so make sure the interface makes sense to you.
Try out the sound system and find out if the audio controls are easy to use, as well as how good the system performs. Cheap speakers or bad interior quality will cause buzzing or rattling when the bass or volume is turned up.
If the car has creature comfort features such as powered adjustable seats, heated seats, climate control, and even the vanity lights, you can check these out to see if they are readily accessible and easy to use. If you are driving, try out the cruise control, if you are comfortable in using it, and see if it performs well.
Real World TestsOne thing that can make or break a deal is how much power and performance the car has. A car may look very stylish and sporty on the outside, but try entering the on-ramp of a freeway to see if it has enough acceleration to merge with traffic.
If the car is under-powered, the engine will strain and struggle to reach a safe speed. In some cases you’ll actually hear the engine try to exert itself. This isn’t a good thing if your commute or driving habits are often associated with freeway driving.
Test the suspension of the car by trying to drive on some uneven roads or streets to see how well the car absorbs bumps. If the suspension is stiff, you'll quickly get tired of the ride.
The turning radius of a car is usually overlooked, but if you are used to a certain turning circle, the car you test drive may surprise you by having a wider one than you like. This may seem like a small thing, but if you frequently like to pull u-turns in the middle of the street, this may become a big annoyance over the long run.
Source:
U.S. News