would you pay a $500 deposit to test drive a car?

[[D4RKS1D3]]

Hey everyone,

Just a quick poll,

Ive been tryin too sell my car and all i get is tommy makinen wannabes who think that their competing in the dakar rally.

Ive been tryin too sell my car and all i get is tommy makinen wannabes who think that their competing in the dakar rally.

That weeds out all the dreamers w/o finance and if a buyer is serious about a purchase, then just so long as they come up with the deposit, then im more then happy to let them have a test drive and give it a bit of stick.

Just wondering if you guys would be willing to put down the deposit if you were looking for a car?

Cheers

Paul

[cowie165]

Hi Paul

No, I wouldn't be prepared to put down a deposit to test drive a car. That said, I've never done the test pilot/tyrekicker thing - if I go to see a car it is because I want to buy it.

I can imagine your frustration mate! Perhaps only show the car at first and ask the 'buyer' to come back another day if they wish to test drive?

Mark

[[[d a n n y]]]

usually i dont test drive to buy a car

i let the owner give me a spin

then when i pay the money ( full amount ) i drive

[wrxkilla]

i presume you are trying to sell an evo?

i had similar issues selling mine.

i just said no test drive (i drive you) until you bring a deposit.

then i know your serious.

simple as that.

mick

[slow13dude]

$500? Hell no. Maybe $50 for your time and the petrol used.

[Cubes]

You should be able to pick the test drivers.

I sold a VS 5ltr 5speed commodore a while back. I had a few young wannabe's, I soon leartn to pick them.

[someonestolecc]

I wouldn't deposit but then again I don't tyre kick.

I think it's reasonable to say as someone suggested to take them for a spin then they put a deposit and or start buying it then they can drive it..

I think if it's an evo the difficulty is that there aren't many and if you've never driven the car you like to drive it.. so a legit interested person who has never driven one will definately want to drive.

Either way good luck.

[WazR32GTSt]

i presume you are trying to sell an evo?

i had similar issues selling mine.

i just said no test drive (i drive you) until you bring a deposit.

then i know your serious.

simple as that.

mick

good advice.

if i were interested in a car and they guy said it would bea 500 deposit for a test drive i would tell him to shove it and find another car to buy...

after all, you're trying to sell a car in a very competitive yet stagnent used car market. you don't want to shoot yourself in the foot with potential buyers

if it were me, i would do what mick said...

cheers,

Warren

[**JaR**]

]']usually i dont test drive to buy a car

i let the owner give me a spin

then when i pay the money ( full amount ) i drive

yeah thats the way i did it when i went and bought my car.

[Links]

After having just bought a car in the past month i've come accross this a number of times..

I test drove probably 6 different skylines till i found the one I wanted..

There were another 3 that I didn't test drive, they were all asking for a $500/$1000 deposit before they would let me near the car.. I pretty much laughed and walked away.

The problem is - your not the only one selling a car, there are so many out there it can make the difference between someone buying and someone walking away.

If you are worried - than I suggest if people are interested than you take them for a drive. This should be enough to satisfy you - and also get rid of the tyre kickers..

I also suggest giving people a look, than taking them for a spin, than saying - if your still interested in a couple of days let me know and we can discuss something/work out taking it for a spin..

remember though - you are selling a performance car - and I wouldn't buy anything someone wouldn't let me drive hard before buying it - that's the way it goes, I probably drove half the test cars harder than I drive mine now - you goto weed out what are good and bad cars, and unfortunately that means your car is gonna cop it a bit cos your selling it.

So that's my thoughts.. good luck with it..

[MANWHOR3]

You don't have to absolutely rip a car to know if it's good. Links, by you saying you drove them harder than you drive yours now; remember the saying 'treat others how you want to be treated'.

By driving a car firm, and by ripping the shit out of it makes no differene in giving you an indication of the condition.

[Amaru]

You don't have to absolutely rip a car to know if it's good. Links, by you saying you drove them harder than you drive yours now; remember the saying 'treat others how you want to be treated'.

By driving a car firm, and by ripping the shit out of it makes no differene in giving you an indication of the condition.

Agreed 100%. When I bought mine, I didn't expect to take it for a test drive. I asked the seller if we could go for a drive, we did and he pulled over, got out and basically made me have a drive of it. He obviously knew I was genuinely interested, and as a result I did end up buying the car. While I was driving it, I gave the car a nice clean run out to redline bit didnt thrash the crap out of it. As said, treat others how you want to be treated. God knows if some young punk came and started thrashing my car on a test drive, id kick his ass so hard he wouldnt have to worry about catching a bus home/back to his car after I have ditched him on the side of the road.

I dont think $500 is unreasonable, 90% of people genuinely interested in your car wouldnt mind putting this down. Good luck with the sale.

[eXc]

What I did was I asked the owner to drive it hard (in a straight line, cause I don't trust people I don't know on corners!) So I knew it went all good. Then I drove it like miss daisy just to make sure I liked the general handling of the car.

One thing I will be doing when I sell my car is going with them. And I will ask for their license, which I will be leaving at my house with a mate. Why? Well it means they wont be as tempted to speed since they dont have a license on them (bigger fine/points?)

It's what every test ride (as in bikes) from a private sale has done. Since they wouldn't want to be doubled, or double you, you take their license so you hope they wont go too crazy. It also gives you a chance to get all their details. In case it is stolen while you are trying to sell it (maybe they are checking it out, and gonna come back that night)

As for paying $500 - I would only do it if I considered it a deposit. Ie "yes i will buy it so long as it meets these things...." I would then ask the owner to be honest as to whether it would meet those things. Assuming he/she was confident it would mean I was gonna buy it...if they know it would fail....then they would say "no it wont meet that...so i guess you dont want a drive"

[eXc]

I dont think $500 is unreasonable, 90% of people genuinely interested in your car wouldnt mind putting this down. Good luck with the sale.

Personally, I would assume it's a stolen car, and he's gonna run with the cash once I leave. I mean there are prolly ways around it (check license to the adress you are seeing the car at etc)

[Guest Mashrock]

i wouldnt pay 500 for it just to drive it.

when i was looking for a pulsar i drove about 10 of them, and out of them 10 only one really stood out.. so i bought him.. and broke him again, and again,,, and again.. but thats another story././ fkn gti-r's

but when it came to the skyline./ i dont beleive i test drove him at all i payed about 8000 before it was even in australia.

then drove him when he got here, and i was really excited.

[xRHETTx]

I would never buy a car that I personally have not test driven, and I wouldnt fork over $500 for a deposit.

I test drove 4 R32s before i bought mine, it was never a problem, it helped being off my P's though. A few of the sellers said that they wouldnt let me drive if i was still on my P's.

And i wouldnt be happy with the seller driving the car and me just going along for the ride. They know their cars weaknesses and will try to hide them. Also i doubt they would do things like changing from 5th to 2nd at 80km/h etc, that quickly show up any problems with the gearbox/synchros etc.

Maybe if it was $50, as an assurance they werent going to spin the wheels excessively etc.

If they are on their P's, maybe try asking them if a parent could test drive it for them?

[Bekkyboop]

When i first read this i was think about a FPV GT i wanted to test drive alittle while ago. As i am 21 and female the salesman almost laughed me off and told me i wanted to test drive it i would need to put a deposit down.

I havent heard of private sales doing this, although i can see the problem you are getting.

But still its hard cause yeah, there are so many out there who are selling and it could mean the difference between a sale and not.

[pentae]

Bekky is on the money, being under 25 and asking for a test drive of any high performance car (particularly from a dealer) is a nightmare.

But if your selling, and they believe they deserve a test drive, you deserve to at least know if they've brought a deposit.

I prefer to take them for a drive in the car, maybe even scare them a little (feel them out first) by showing them what your car can do, after all, you've got years of experience driving it compared to them.. then if they ask to have a drive ask them if they've brought a deposit with them and are they prepared to buy today if they like the car.

Explain that you've had lots of test pilots and telling them a few stories about previous test drive nightmares you've had might stop them from driving like an idiot once they do get behind the wheel.

I also like to say "Mate you can drive it as hard as you like once its yours, but I've treated this car with respect the whole time I've owned it."

If they dont agree with that tell them to take a walk.

If your buying from a dealer, go to the ATM, take out $1k.. then when you think theres a good chance you might buy the car if it drives well, take it out and wave it in their face, hand them your license and say "I hate screwing around let me drive it, if I like how it drives, and my mechanic say theres nothing seriously wrong with it, you've got a deal"

[OnTheBoost]

A deposit as in you recive it back at the end of the test drive if you chose not to buy the car is what i understood the $500 to be for??

If this is the case i think it's fair as if you are seiouse about buying the car you will want to drvie it and will be prepared to put the money down.

This would definally get rid of most of the people not actually seriouse.

[scottman]

i have only let one person test drive my car but i knew he had the money and was ready to go and he was a mate

that sold my silvia soon after that

Let one mate i know with a skyline drive my skyline when he wanted to buy it he also had money