When people come in looking for used cars, we always recommend they take a test drive. This is one of the best ways for them to decide if a car is right for them. Not all test drives, though, are the same. There are certain things that can make a test drive more valuable.
Take Your Time
In our experience, it is seldom enough to just drive out on the road for a few minutes. It is best to experience several different types of traffic and road conditions. A car might handle well in a residential setting, but not have the power a person demands on the freeway. How does the car perform in a high-traffic situation? Is the car easy to park? Some of these questions can only be answered by spending about thirty minutes in the car.
Listen For Sounds
Different people have different tolerances for noise levels in a car. We encourage our customers to test drive our used cars with the music off, at least for a short while. This allows them to listen to the sounds of the tires on the road, of the wind outside the window and of braking and steering noises. We recommend they listen to the sound system, too, to see if that meets their standards.
Get in and out
Our customers are encouraged to get in and out of the car several times. This way, they can see if the car is big enough and roomy enough for them. It is also helpful for them to get in the backseat and see if they are comfortable there. They can check if there is enough leg room and if the ceiling is high enough.
Shopping for used cars takes a bit of time. A good test drive should help a customer decide on the right car.
