Ducati Dealer - Test Ride odd
Discussion
Not posted for a while but I’ve just had a bizarre experience (for me at least) with Ducati trying to get a test ride on a MS V4S
1. Yes we have one you can try Sir, but……
2. We have to do the finance first to ‘make sure it’s affordable’!
2. Test ride is a prescribed route, following one of their sales team and takes about 40 mins!!
Never heard anything like it, I’ve always been given the bike and told take as long as you want, even with BMW. I was seriously looking to buy one but I’ve told them to do one, i’ll wait until the GS1300 is out next year instead.
Different but I had the same with Lotus, I wanted to try the new Emira and was told it’s an accompanied 20 minute prescribed route, 20 mins to make a decision on an £80k car, no thanks
Worlds gone mad
Rant over
1. Yes we have one you can try Sir, but……
2. We have to do the finance first to ‘make sure it’s affordable’!
2. Test ride is a prescribed route, following one of their sales team and takes about 40 mins!!
Never heard anything like it, I’ve always been given the bike and told take as long as you want, even with BMW. I was seriously looking to buy one but I’ve told them to do one, i’ll wait until the GS1300 is out next year instead.
Different but I had the same with Lotus, I wanted to try the new Emira and was told it’s an accompanied 20 minute prescribed route, 20 mins to make a decision on an £80k car, no thanks
Worlds gone mad
Rant over
).Nottingham let me go out for as long as I wanted, they just said bring it back before we close. I did have to call the day before the test to make sure it was still ok to take it out as they don’t allow them out in the rain as they get dirty.
I loved the ms v4s but ended up going for the tiger gt explorer. The cost and fuel range of the ms put me off. Incredible bike though.
I loved the ms v4s but ended up going for the tiger gt explorer. The cost and fuel range of the ms put me off. Incredible bike though.
poo at Paul's said:
They chose to ‘qualify’ you and you’ve initially failed. Hence the extra checks.
I doubt it from just my name, but you never know although I’ve never had any issues before and I’m not a nipper either. He said it was their std practice but hey there loss and probably BMW’s gainTo be fair, there are a lot of test pilots out there and not all dealers are willing to let people they think do not intend (or don't have the ability) to buy their bikes/cars have a go.
The Lotus test drive thing was the same even for those of us with a deposit placed.
The Lotus test drive thing was the same even for those of us with a deposit placed.
Edited by PorkInsider on Sunday 2nd July 00:27
fridaypassion said:
Entitled much? Kicking the tyres with dealers is a thing of the past now since Covid. I'm in the trade and fully expect a deal done prior to a test drive. Seeing off you like it or not isn't a service I offer. That would be called car hire.
Are you a dealer or selling used? If used then I fully understand that. For new bikes I fully expect to be able to have a decent test ride, one of my local dealers pretty much encourage test rides, an hour first and if you are serious on a particular bike they are then more than happy to let you take it for the day.
I think that’s perfectly reasonable when spending 10k+ on a bike.
the thing is there isn't as much production and the next guy will just get it delivered sight unseen. Its a tough shift for people to manage but the way of the world now. I can't remember the last time I test drive a car before I bought it and some of the cars have been pretty lumpy. I just bought a FK8 Type R never even sat in one before. Youtube reviews...you get a broad set of opinions. Does anyone really make a bad car or bike any more?
fridaypassion said:
Entitled much? Kicking the tyres with dealers is a thing of the past now since Covid. I'm in the trade and fully expect a deal done prior to a test drive. Seeing off you like it or not isn't a service I offer. That would be called car hire.
A big part of the reason I have my current bike is that the dealer chucked me the keys and said see you in a couple of hours. Your view is ok with used sales but it’s not good for new expensive sales.
I've never test rode a bike, and never test drove any brand new cars either.
Used cars yes, Used bikes no.
I have been tempted by a V2 Pani Bayliss. Think I'd want a test ride on the stock version before parting with 18ishk on a bike
Worcester ducati seemed to have plenty of demos just sat in the car park with Woecesters finest seagull guano, so presume they arnt too precious about them.
I'd expect to have to have a proper sit down with them before getting the keys though.
Used cars yes, Used bikes no.
I have been tempted by a V2 Pani Bayliss. Think I'd want a test ride on the stock version before parting with 18ishk on a bike
Worcester ducati seemed to have plenty of demos just sat in the car park with Woecesters finest seagull guano, so presume they arnt too precious about them.
I'd expect to have to have a proper sit down with them before getting the keys though.
My BMW I think I got an hour and was asked to fill the tank back up before I returned it.
One annoyance was that a pillion wasn’t allowed for insurance reasons so I just left my wife round the corner and picked her up when I started the test run. 5 minutes and she was happy so I did the rest of the run solo.
I’ve bought bikes after test runs and bikes without but the bike I was trading in I’d bought without and regretted it so I wasn’t making the same mistake again. Plus it was (at that point) the most expensive bike I was buying.
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