OT: Paying cash for a new car, tips?

[fourflys]

Originally Posted by 45K10

Great comments everyone, thanks!

So what is the best way to handle the test drive?

We have a good idea of what type of car we want but we would like to test drive some different makes and models.

Do you schedule one online and and try and fend off the sales people?

Just show up at the dealer tand ask for test drive?

You can go test drive any car without doing a deal.. probably have to let them copy your license and insurance.. and dealing with going to the dealer vice online isn’t that bad.. just go in and tell them they have 30 min and be prepared to walk out at 30 min if that’s important to you.. not all dealers ar me that predatory (some are for sure)

[NYCfixie]

Originally Posted by fourflys

You can go test drive any car without doing a deal.. probably have to let them copy your license and insurance..

And I always ask for it back when I leave. They DO NOT need that info until you actually buy a car. Dealerships are not great about protecting personal information so I shred it myself.

[yngpunk]

Originally Posted by fourflys

You can go test drive any car without doing a deal.. probably have to let them copy your license and insurance.. and dealing with going to the dealer vice online isn’t that bad.. just go in and tell them they have 30 min and be prepared to walk out at 30 min if that’s important to you.. not all dealers ar me that predatory (some are for sure)

You shouldn't need to provide a copy of your insurance to test drive a vehicle. You should be covered by the dealer's insurance policy should you get in an accident or damage something.

[Ralph]

I might add....I always try to treat them with the same respect I want back. I try to be nice, friendly and business like, and I expect the same from them. It doesn't hurt to make a good impression. You can do business without being a jerk.

I really dislike buying from our local Honda dealership (which I did once for CRV), An Auto Nation. They play all these games. Buying my wife's Lincoln Nautilus was a good experience from that dealership and dealing with their service department is the same. It's amazing the difference in dealerships.

[Nomadmax]

When I have a vehicle choice narrowed down, I rent one. Yes, it's money out of my pocket but I have time to really get to see/drive it without someone yammering in my ear.

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by fourflys

You can go test drive any car without doing a deal...

... with the possible exception of a new Corvette. A lot of dealers won't let you sit in a new Corvette, much less drive it, until the deal its done. Apparently, it's really important to many buyers that they take possession of their new car with only 1.3 miles on the odometer.

[benb]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

... with the possible exception of a new Corvette. A lot of dealers won't let you sit in a new Corvette, much less drive it, until the deal its done. Apparently, it's really important to many buyers that they take possession of their new car with only 1.3 miles on the odometer.

Eh... legit worry if a car has a break in period and/or a manual transmission.

They don't want to buy one that someone test drove to 100+ mph in the break in period and then accidentally downshifted from 5th to 2nd.

[FriarQuade]

Originally Posted by benb

Eh... legit worry if a car has a break in period and/or a manual transmission.

They don't want to buy one that someone test drove to 100+ mph in the break in period and then accidentally downshifted from 5th to 2nd.

You can't "money shift" the new Corvette, they're auto only.

Corvette owners have their stereotype for good reason and they love to think all these random things add value to their relatively common cars. But the break in concern is very valid for performance cars that people have legitimate reason to want to drive swiftly during a test drive. I always felt like a dealership should have demos for cars like these so people could go enjoy a broken in car like they are made to be driven and then sell you a brand new one with single digit mileage. But there's a lot of extra cost for a low volume car involved.

[Louis]

Originally Posted by FriarQuade

You can't "money shift" the new Corvette, they're auto only.

In that case, maybe a Blackwing...

[tomato coupe]

Originally Posted by benb

Eh... legit worry if a car has a break in period and/or a manual transmission.

They don't want to buy one that someone test drove to 100+ mph in the break in period and then accidentally downshifted from 5th to 2nd.

It seems to be a weird Corvette thing. I have test driven many high performance cars. Sometimes a salesman rode along, and sometimes they just tossed me the keys and asked that I bring the car back in an hour. The only other car I was unable to test drive was a Viper, but that was a one-time thing.

[Llewellyn]

When we bought our Volvo's about 12 months ago the salesman asked how we'd be paying, we said cash and he didn't bat an eyelid or try to talk us into finance. We paid the deposits on credit card and did an EFT for the balance a few days before pick up. Couldn't have been any easier.

Thinking about it I don't think any dealerships would take a bank cheque these days.

[benb]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

It seems to be a weird Corvette thing. I have test driven many high performance cars. Sometimes a salesman rode along, and sometimes they just tossed me the keys and asked that I bring the car back in an hour. The only other car I was unable to test drive was a Viper, but that was a one-time thing.

The salesman doesn't care, he/she will never be footing the bill if something you do puts undue wear on the car that will only manifest later. (E.x. burning up the clutch on the test drive, the car will still seem fine but whoever buys it might have to replace the clutch earlier than they should have)

I do agree it's probably way less likely you're going to damage an automatic transmission/automated manual car, and if the manufacturer really has a break in like restricted RPMs until you hit a certain mileage/hours then they should be programming that into the computer.

The stereotype of the Corvette owner is very easy driving though I guess.

You want to see a tough buying experience go try and see if anyone will let you test ride a high performance sport bike.

At one point I was allowed to test ride a used sport bike.. after I had many years of experience with the dealership and they knew I was skilled & responsible. I was never ever able to test ride a brand new bike though.

For good reason, it's so easy to find those videos where the new buyer totals the bike < 100 yards out of the dealership when they pick it up.

Speaking of break in a couple of the motorcycles I owned had severe break in guidelines, one was so severe you couldn't go on the highway till the break in procedure was done because it limited you to 50mph for the early break in. Almost all bikes like that will do 75mph in first gear, many do 100mph in first gear, so a clueless test ride would absolutely blow right through those RPM limits.

[rice rocket]

Originally Posted by tomato coupe

... with the possible exception of a new Corvette. A lot of dealers won't let you sit in a new Corvette, much less drive it, until the deal its done. Apparently, it's really important to many buyers that they take possession of their new car with only 1.3 miles on the odometer.

I was at the 24 Hours of Daytona last weekend, they had a few on display, doors were open, including a Z06 w/ Z07 package. Sticker on it was $154k.

[buddybikes]

If paying off loans early, are car loans front loaded - pay more interest up front? If so would think taking a loan to pay off quick wouldn't work.

Forgive me, last time I had car loan was 1980s..

Wishy Ryun was nearby (New England) neighbor across st needs car fast, someone totaled his few weeks ago

[bikinchris]

Originally Posted by buddybikes

If paying off loans early, are car loans front loaded - pay more interest up front? If so would think taking a loan to pay off quick wouldn't work.

Forgive me, last time I had car loan was 1980s..

Wishy Ryun was nearby (New England) neighbor across st needs car fast, someone totaled his few weeks ago

Yes, car loans are heavily front loaded.