RETIRED – How to Make the Most of Your Test Drive

Of all the aspects of buying a new car, the test drive is the most important. After all, there’s only so much that consumer ratings and car reviews can tell you about a new vehicle. At some point, you’ll want to see for yourself if the car you have your sights set on is the right one.

There’s no single right way to test-drive a car, but the following tips will help you avoid any potential pitfalls and make your test-driving experience a better one.

Free Up Your Schedule

Time is something you’ll want to have plenty of during your test drive, so make sure your schedule is freed up for the duration. Ideally, you’ll want to set aside the entire day for test driving, especially if you plan on visiting multiple dealerships and/or driving multiple cars. By having the entire day free for test driving, you’ll feel more relaxed and focused on the test drive itself, plus you won’t have to rush through any aspect of the process.

Plan Your Route Carefully

Before arriving at the dealership, it’s a good idea to pre-plan your test drive route relative to the dealership’s location. For this, you can use Google Maps to plot a test drive loop and save the directions on your smartphone. Make sure your planned route isn’t too long or too short. A good 15- to 20-minute drive across different types of roads should be enough to reveal the car’s character and quirks.

A good test drive route should include the following:

• A long stretch of straight highway to see how the car feels during steady-state cruising
• A highway on-ramp to test acceleration up to highway speeds
• Rough sections that let you get a feel for how the car handles bumps and various other road imperfections
• Curvy sections to test out the car’s cornering and handling prowess
• A parking lot with plenty of open parking spaces so you can try out the car’s various parking assist features
• Slower, narrow city streets that let you test out the car’s low-speed steering and handling characteristics
• A safe, traffic-free stretch of road that lets you test the car’s braking capabilities

Leave the Salesperson Behind

Many dealerships have the salesperson tag along to supervise the test drive. While it’s a perfect opportunity for the salesperson to go into greater detail about the car’s features or just drive a harder sale, it doesn’t leave you with much breathing room to decide for yourself if the car is right for you. Fortunately, most dealers will let you test drive the car on your own when asked. All you need to do is leave a copy of your driver’s license and insurance card at the dealership.

Some dealers may even let you take the car home and keep it overnight. By spending more time with the car and actually parking it in your driveway, you’ll find out if the vehicle truly fits your lifestyle as well as your garage.

Drive It Like It’s Yours

A common mistake many people make on test drives is not driving the car like they would their own. While it’s tempting to treat a car you’re effectively borrowing differently, there’s a good chance it will eventually be yours.

Don’t be afraid to drive it the way you would normally drive your car, but don’t abuse it, either. Also, a test drive isn’t the time to try out a vehicle that’s way out of your depth. Take manual transmissions, for instance. If you don’t know how to drive stick, a test drive is the worst time to learn. If you have your eyes set on a manual-equipped car, get some practice in before scheduling your test drive.

Let a Friend Ride Shotgun

It’s always a good idea to have a second perspective, aside from the salesperson, of course. That means bringing a friend or a relative along for your test drive. Your passenger can offer unique insights about the vehicle that you may miss while you’re in the driver’s seat. If you’re buying a car but plan on having someone else be the primary driver, you might want to bring that person along so they can get a good feel for the car and spend some time behind the driver’s seat.