Aggressive test driving when buying a car
Discussion
I've got to post this as this has been on my mind all day.
I'm not ashamed to ask this and I'm prepared to be made fun of as I am a bit too soft and polite when selling cars.
Someone came to view my car the other day, got in it and asked to test drive it. I've never had a problem with anyone test driving my cars, I've never personally had a bad experience despite what some people say online.
However, he drove the car incredibly roughly- lots of extremely harsh acceleration and braking to test the car, going right up close behind people- in the middle he answered his phone whilst driving and started swerving all over the place.
This might all sound ridiculous but this really did happen and because I'm a bit soft I didn't know what to do or say. Maybe it's normal to test drive a car aggressively? I feel like it's common courtesy to drive someone else's car gently.
Does anyone have any advice for what I should have done. He was actually a genuinely nice guy and very polite but I feel that telling someone how to drive or taking over mid-test drive creates bad blood. Having some opinions for what the right thing to do here would put my mind at rest should this happen again.
Open to insults
I'm not ashamed to ask this and I'm prepared to be made fun of as I am a bit too soft and polite when selling cars.
Someone came to view my car the other day, got in it and asked to test drive it. I've never had a problem with anyone test driving my cars, I've never personally had a bad experience despite what some people say online.
However, he drove the car incredibly roughly- lots of extremely harsh acceleration and braking to test the car, going right up close behind people- in the middle he answered his phone whilst driving and started swerving all over the place.
This might all sound ridiculous but this really did happen and because I'm a bit soft I didn't know what to do or say. Maybe it's normal to test drive a car aggressively? I feel like it's common courtesy to drive someone else's car gently.
Does anyone have any advice for what I should have done. He was actually a genuinely nice guy and very polite but I feel that telling someone how to drive or taking over mid-test drive creates bad blood. Having some opinions for what the right thing to do here would put my mind at rest should this happen again.
Open to insults
I was once almost forcibly pushed into test driving a car I didn't want by a dealer (it was a maestro, who wants d one of those?) so drove it like I'd stolen it (I knew the country lanes like the back of my hand, he didn't), but I wouldn't do that in a private sale.
I also wouldn't drive it like my granny though.
I'd have stopped your tester as soon as he used his phone though
I also wouldn't drive it like my granny though.
I'd have stopped your tester as soon as he used his phone though
I don't like people test driving my car because if they bin it, it becomes a headache. That being said, it can show faults so I don't mind the car being taken to the red line if it's done properly and safely. Same with braking, a firm stamp on the brakes can reveal juddering disks, a pull to one side, ABS trouble, all sorted. As long as it's done safely I wouldn't be annoyed but driving like an absolutely tosser? That would seriously annoy me. It has to be test driven for sure, but not kicking 7 shades out of it because it's not their car.
If it’s a performance car once it’s warmed up I would want to make sure it revved cleanly up to the rpm red line and that the brakes were good by doing a hard ish stop. Privately though I’d probably ask the owner to do that and then just drive it myself normally. At a garage I’d want to test those things myself.
If it’s a standard type car then I’d drive it normally, as for the phone thing that’s bang out of order.
What is it and did they buy it op?
If it’s a standard type car then I’d drive it normally, as for the phone thing that’s bang out of order.
What is it and did they buy it op?
I'm usually encouraging them to use more revs, not less 
That sounds like quite a bellend of a test pilot though.
I usually hope for a stretch to see how it pulls through the revs, but don't take the piss. Most frustrating test drive I've ever had was a P11 Primera GT in which we didn't get out of a 30 limit.
That sounds like quite a bellend of a test pilot though.
I usually hope for a stretch to see how it pulls through the revs, but don't take the piss. Most frustrating test drive I've ever had was a P11 Primera GT in which we didn't get out of a 30 limit.
Edited by Fuzzarr on Wednesday 16th November 15:56
If I test drove a car, then the general feel and comfort would be what I was looking for. Most cars handle reasonably safely, and a specific car has its own known cornering and performance characteristics. If I wanted to check the brakes on a used car, I would ask the owner’s permission. Maybe some slalom movement would be OK, to check any weak chassis or steering issues on a used car, but in a very safe location, and certainly not on road aggression.
I would have asked home to stop the car, once he was phoning, and made him walk home!
He sounds like a bit of a knob.
I would have asked home to stop the car, once he was phoning, and made him walk home!
He sounds like a bit of a knob.
Pixelpeep 135 said:
what car is it ?
It's a VW Golf GTD, so technically it is sort of performance car-based. I completely get that cars need to be driven properly to point out faults. It's the dangerous driving, swerving and going right up behind people to the point the park pilot is beeping that concerns me. Over-aggressive I felt. aceofspades1 said:
I've got to post this as this has been on my mind all day.
I'm not ashamed to ask this and I'm prepared to be made fun of as I am a bit too soft and polite when selling cars.
Someone came to view my car the other day, got in it and asked to test drive it. I've never had a problem with anyone test driving my cars, I've never personally had a bad experience despite what some people say online.
However, he drove the car incredibly roughly- lots of extremely harsh acceleration and braking to test the car, going right up close behind people- in the middle he answered his phone whilst driving and started swerving all over the place.
This might all sound ridiculous but this really did happen and because I'm a bit soft I didn't know what to do or say. Maybe it's normal to test drive a car aggressively? I feel like it's common courtesy to drive someone else's car gently.
Does anyone have any advice for what I should have done. He was actually a genuinely nice guy and very polite but I feel that telling someone how to drive or taking over mid-test drive creates bad blood. Having some opinions for what the right thing to do here would put my mind at rest should this happen again.
Open to insults
You were too kind !! he may have been a nice chap but showed no car sympathy at all. I would of had to say something as totally unacceptable IMHO.I'm not ashamed to ask this and I'm prepared to be made fun of as I am a bit too soft and polite when selling cars.
Someone came to view my car the other day, got in it and asked to test drive it. I've never had a problem with anyone test driving my cars, I've never personally had a bad experience despite what some people say online.
However, he drove the car incredibly roughly- lots of extremely harsh acceleration and braking to test the car, going right up close behind people- in the middle he answered his phone whilst driving and started swerving all over the place.
This might all sound ridiculous but this really did happen and because I'm a bit soft I didn't know what to do or say. Maybe it's normal to test drive a car aggressively? I feel like it's common courtesy to drive someone else's car gently.
Does anyone have any advice for what I should have done. He was actually a genuinely nice guy and very polite but I feel that telling someone how to drive or taking over mid-test drive creates bad blood. Having some opinions for what the right thing to do here would put my mind at rest should this happen again.
Open to insults
Even if wanted to test brakes and red line ( once car up to temp) it would of been courtesy to say what his intentions were and on a quiet road in safe conditions.
Alan140266 said:
If it’s a performance car once it’s warmed up I would want to make sure it revved cleanly up to the rpm red line and that the brakes were good by doing a hard ish stop. Privately though I’d probably ask the owner to do that and then just drive it myself normally. At a garage I’d want to test those things myself.
If it’s a standard type car then I’d drive it normally, as for the phone thing that’s bang out of order.
What is it and did they buy it op?
I agree completely. I've sold plenty of cars in my time and with performance cars, where appropriate, the buyers do rev it out and test it properly. I've never had someone absolutely rag a car to the point the wheels were slipping, I've never had someone answer the phone whilst swerving, and I've never had someone go up so close behind people in wet weather.If it’s a standard type car then I’d drive it normally, as for the phone thing that’s bang out of order.
What is it and did they buy it op?
He wasn't rude or forceful. He said he would come back another day when he'd had a thought about my offer. That's why I need advice for what I should have said as I'm a bit of a softy and have never had someone test drive a car dangerously before.
I think I'd have said something.
Although not a test drive, my friend asked if he could have a go in my car (it's only an Astra diesel, but with more than double the power of the Corsa he drove), I said yes, and made sure insurance was sound. Anyway when he floored it in a 30 and hit 60 I told him he can either slow down or pull over. I'm not a particularly assertive person, but I'm not having someone drive my car like that, he said he'd take the points if I got a ticket (no s
t sherlock I thought), but that's not the point.
Although not a test drive, my friend asked if he could have a go in my car (it's only an Astra diesel, but with more than double the power of the Corsa he drove), I said yes, and made sure insurance was sound. Anyway when he floored it in a 30 and hit 60 I told him he can either slow down or pull over. I'm not a particularly assertive person, but I'm not having someone drive my car like that, he said he'd take the points if I got a ticket (no s
t sherlock I thought), but that's not the point.Pica-Pica said:
If I test drove a car, then the general feel and comfort would be what I was looking for. Most cars handle reasonably safely, and a specific car has its own known cornering and performance characteristics. If I wanted to check the brakes on a used car, I would ask the owner’s permission. Maybe some slalom movement would be OK, to check any weak chassis or steering issues on a used car, but in a very safe location, and certainly not on road aggression.
I would have asked home to stop the car, once he was phoning, and made him walk home!
He sounds like a bit of a knob.
This is the thing. I really should have asked him to stop but I'm not really firm enough to do things like that. I wasn't really expecting it to be honestI would have asked home to stop the car, once he was phoning, and made him walk home!
He sounds like a bit of a knob.
I hate that part of selling privately. I always ask for insurance and they say "yeah got it" but always in the back of my mind it's probably 3rd party. For me I've only ever sold cheap cars privately and only had one person who drove a bit crap - couldn't drive at a constant speed and always accelerating.
Don't know how you can get around it on a private sale aside from getting them to buy the car before they drive it. Often the bad experiences are borderline where you might say something but don't want to come across a wet blanket/loose a sale.
Auction/WBAC/Part ex is the least hassle and probably worth the cost on a newer more expensive car.
Don't know how you can get around it on a private sale aside from getting them to buy the car before they drive it. Often the bad experiences are borderline where you might say something but don't want to come across a wet blanket/loose a sale.
Auction/WBAC/Part ex is the least hassle and probably worth the cost on a newer more expensive car.
I will be advertising my Jaguar XFR on here very shortly. Nobody will be test driving it, especially if the roads are damp, unless they can show me proof of fully comprehensive insurance covering the specific car. If they were to bin it without proper insurance cover then that would be my, very expensive, problem.
Last few cars I have sold they have not asked to test drive and after a few horrendous drivers it’s not something I’ll allow in the future either. Nobody has fully comp and most won’t even have third party.
I offer to drive , follow their instructions, if they want to brake hard, accelerate hard etc via me - that is fine.
When I have test driven cars in the past before accelerating hard I will ask if it’s ok to put my foot down a bit and make sure they are alright with it first.
I offer to drive , follow their instructions, if they want to brake hard, accelerate hard etc via me - that is fine.
When I have test driven cars in the past before accelerating hard I will ask if it’s ok to put my foot down a bit and make sure they are alright with it first.
joropug said:
Last few cars I have sold they have not asked to test drive and after a few horrendous drivers it’s not something I’ll allow in the future either. Nobody has fully comp and most won’t even have third party.
I offer to drive , follow their instructions, if they want to brake hard, accelerate hard etc via me - that is fine.
When I have test driven cars in the past before accelerating hard I will ask if it’s ok to put my foot down a bit and make sure they are alright with it first.
You see, most buyers I have dealt with are like you. Courteous, and they ask beforehand. I've never had a bad test drive before. This one has really thrown me off whether I allow them again and that's why I was wondering what people here would have done if they were me.I offer to drive , follow their instructions, if they want to brake hard, accelerate hard etc via me - that is fine.
When I have test driven cars in the past before accelerating hard I will ask if it’s ok to put my foot down a bit and make sure they are alright with it first.
aceofspades1 said:
You see, most buyers I have dealt with are like you. Courteous, and they ask beforehand. I've never had a bad test drive before. This one has really thrown me off whether I allow them again and that's why I was wondering what people here would have done if they were me.
The last time I turned someone away I said “sorry, someone test drove one of my previous cars and almost caused a collision, since then i always conduct test drives but I can follow your lead, if you want me to demonstrate anything in particular. not unreasonable at all and it shifts any conflict of “I don’t trust you” to the phantom test driver of Christmas past. Told this tale before but I was advertising a TVR Chimaera, buyer phoned, was nearby and arrived about an hour later. He and wife got out of their car, each carrying a small flask of coffee and he started looking at the car, while drinking the coffee, Wife sat back near their car.
After a long wander, poke, prod, quiz etc He asked to test drive it. Told him I'd drive but not him unless h could prove insurance, which he couldn't.
Off he stormed, coffee still in hand "if I can't test drive it I won't be buying it"
Still think he was just after a day out.
After a long wander, poke, prod, quiz etc He asked to test drive it. Told him I'd drive but not him unless h could prove insurance, which he couldn't.
Off he stormed, coffee still in hand "if I can't test drive it I won't be buying it"
Still think he was just after a day out.
Op I would have told him to slow it down a bit. You really don't need to drive like your arse is on fire in order to assess a car.You can assess brakes, steering and listen out for noises at moderate speed. Unfortunately, a lot of people don't actually know how to assess a car so assume that they just go ahead and rag it.
People who assess cars for a living can pick up faults in a ten minute test drive at sensible speeds.
People who assess cars for a living can pick up faults in a ten minute test drive at sensible speeds.
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