11 Useful Tips To Test Drive A Car At Car Dealer
“What points to be noted during a test drive from a dealer? Usually for a first buyer.”
This is a very good question and we think that a lot of people can
benefit from such information, so in this article we will share some
basic things one should keep in mind during a test drive at the car
dealer. Our list is not complete or exhaustive, so we would request you
to add your suggestions and comments at the end of this article so that
more readers can benefit from your advise and experence
Tips For A Good Test Drive and Observations
Here is a list of points to note and some tips for a test drive:
Take Out Ample Time
Don’t go for a test drive in rush and hurry, take out ample time so
that you can patiently observe a car’s characteristics and test is
properly. Usually a test drive in hurry won’t give your enough taste of
the real experience. We think you should take out at least 30 minutes to
1 hour for complete test drive as it also important to see the car from
exteriors, interiors along with a thorough drive. Ideally you should go
in non-peak hours to avoid too much traffic during the drive and its
better if it’s a warm sunny day so that you can check the
air-conditioning properly.
Take A Friend Or Family Member With You
Its usually easier to take decision when you have some good friend of
family member with you who can point out the good and bad points about a
car which you may miss to observe. Having a friend or two with you will
help you to build and opinion better. Also, along with the opinion, you
can check rear seat comfort by seating two or three adults at the same
time at rear seat (ask your friends to sit at rear and give their
feedback). Because rear seat comfort is also important specially in
India when car buyers mostly drive with their families on weekends and
long trips.
Observe Exteriors And Boot Space
Before you actually drive the car, take 5 minutes and walk around all
the side of the car and observe from every angle if the car looks
appealing to you. If the build and finish of the car up to your
expectations, also open the boot and check if the boot space is enough
for your needs and whether the boot loading gate and angle are apt for
your usual luggage needs.
Observe Interiors, Plastic Quality, Seat Fabrics etc.
After you have checked the exteriors and are satisfied with it, sit
at the front seat and look at the instrument cluster, dashboard, turn
the knobs to see how is the plastic quality, check the seat fabric etc.
Also see what are the storage options and cubby holes on the inside to
keep your stuff like water bottles, cup-holders, door map pockets etc.
Also observe the accessibility of all the dashboard knobs and controls
from the driver seat. You should also check the door mounted controls
for power windows and check their quality, accessibility and ease of
use. Also check whether gear knob is at comfortable reach of your hand.
Also check the features of the car which are available like steering
mounted controls and other small features provided to see whether they
are useful for you or not.
Test Driver, Co-passenger and Rear Seating
Then sit on the driver seat and adjust it as per your driving
position and see whether you are feeling comfortable in the driving
position, and if the seat height gives you enough visibility. Some cars
have driver seat height adjust and steering adjust for a more precise
setting, so set it up as per your driving needs and check if your feed
are comfortably reaching the accelerator, brake pedals etc. without any
trouble. After you set the driving seat, get down from the car and sit
on the rear seat right behind the driver seat and check if the leg space
ample for the rear passenger when the driver seat is properly set. If
yes, its good for the rear seat comfort of your friends and family whom
you would like to seat in the rear seats.
Also sit on the front passenger seat by the deriver and set the seat
to a comfortable position, now check the leg space on the rear seat
behind the co-passenger seat. This will help you ensure that the car has
got good interior space and comfort for driver and co-passengers. Also
check if the seat cushion is comfortable, and the back and under-thigh
support for the driver and rear passengers is up to your expectations.
Engine Noise Vibration and Harshness Levels
While the test drive car is still at the stand still in the outdoors
or on the road, start the engine, roll down the car windows and hear the
engine noise levels, you should be able to hear engine noise easily.
Now roll up the car windows and engine noise will reduce to a good
extent. At this point, do not press the accelerator and observe if there
is any vibrations (usually more pronounced at the steering wheel and
gear knob), noise and harshness reaching inside the car with all the
door closed and windows rolled up. Usually, these vibrations and noise
are very little and acceptable in most cars at idling. If the noise it
making you uncomfortable, then you should think twice before buying it.
Once you check the Noise Vibration and Harshness (NVH) at the idling,
press the accelerator (without putting the car in gear) just to rev up
the engine to higher RPM for about 10 seconds and observe the changes in
NVH levels. If its too harsh and uncomfortable, it might be a point of
concern, usually noise will be high, which is quite acceptable, but the
vibrations and harshness should remain under acceptable limits.
Drive And Handling Test
When you start the drive, try to take at least three or four
passengers with you on the drive, so that there is enough load on the
car. If the car is able to please you with 4 or 5 adults in the car, it
will please you when you ride it alone (as the load is quite less).
Don’t accelerate too quick on the first go, for two reasons, first being
that its most likely first time you are driving this particular type of
car, so it maybe bit unsafe, second, you should try to observe how
smooth and silent the car is if you pick it up gently. Once you reach
outdoor, stop the car, turn on the air conditioning, wait for a few
seconds and pick up the car again. This time, the power delivery will be
slightly reduced as air-conditioning puts additional load on the
engine, also you should observe how effectively the car is cooled on a
hot day. During all these observations, you should keep a watch on the
NVH levels, if the car becomes too noisy or harsh under load or certain
conditions.
Once you check the smoothness of the car, take the car to a less
congested road and accelerate a bit harder to see how agile the car is
(try it on a straight stretch for better judgment). Also go on a curvy
road or a round about to see how well the car steers, and how much does
the car’s body tilt towards one side when you turn at some speed (this
is called body roll, which should not be too high). To test the brakes,
go up to a non-congested road, speed up to 40 to 50 KMPH and try to sop
suddenly (
NOTE – MAKE SURE THERE IS NO VEHICLE BEHIND
YOU). Also one of the most important factors is that if you feel
comfortable when you are test driving that car.
Suspension is also one of the key factors. If possible take the car
to a not-so-good road (which are not difficult to find in India), and
observe how well the car drives on such road. Whether it is able to
absorb the bumps while keeping the car stable. Try not to drive fast on
bad road as it maybe dangerous (a speed of up to 30 KMPH is enough to
test the suspension on a bad road.)
Test Drive Rival Cars Also
As car buyers, we research a lot before shortlisting a car, but it is
always wise to test drive a rival or successfully competing car from
the same segment. This will help you make up your mind better and
compare the differences between the car you selected and the car you
have not selected.
Just a friendly reminder to all our readers, always wear seat belts
when you test drive, or drive in your day-to-day life, as nothing is
more precious in the world than well-being and safety of a person. Drive
carefully and responsible.
