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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Car dealers .... generally.

40 replies

DGRossetti · 26/06/2021 13:55

Time to renew the lease car. For reasons that are no ones business but my own, I drive an automatic.

For reasons that are also my own I refuse to buy a car without a test drive.

So why are sales reps in new car dealerships surprised and a little bit tetchy when I walk away if they tell me they won't source an automatic for me to test drive ?

Age, I guess Smile

So as a general AIBU ... if someone expects you to part with the equivalent of a deposit on a decent house without having a chance to try one out ... who's the unreasonable one ? Me for walking away, or them for expecting me to just buy it.

(The best one was a dealer who told me it would be "easy to imagine how an automatic would drive" ... to which I noted it was also easy to imagine winning the lottery and buying an island, but that wasn't going to happen either ....)

OP posts:
newnortherner111 · 27/06/2021 11:26

I am not wishing to be intrusive and apologise if I am, but I would argue that having a test drive to check a particular car is OK for you is a safety issue. If you are somehow distracted when driving because of/or the layout of the car could create a problem for you, then the risk of a crash is greater.

covidcloser · 27/06/2021 11:27

@Phineyj

If you'd consider second hand, if you go to one of the car supermarkets you'd be able to test drive as many as you like.

Surely the issue is the same, OP can only test drive from stock?

Mmmmdanone · 27/06/2021 11:54

With the likes of arnold clark they will deliver a car from any of their areas to a showroom of your choice. I think you pay a deposit for this though, and not sure if you get it back if you don't buy the car.

Phineyj · 27/06/2021 12:51

When I've used one in London they've had dozens of every model (I can't speak for automatics as I don't drive one). It's huge. I found it a refreshing change from dealerships and their can't do attitude. Greener too!

Phineyj · 27/06/2021 12:54

OK, so I just looked and they have 484 in stock (it's CarGiant).

This really does seem a very solvable problem!

YouReallyAre · 27/06/2021 12:57

Potentially op could be trying to lease a mobility car and therefore cannot physically drive a manual. The pedal height would be different and that for me alone would be an issue.

With more garages offering mobility vehicles you would think that the least they can do is source a suitable car to test drive.

DynamoKev · 27/06/2021 12:59

YANBU OP but lots of people buy expensive cars without even driving them - IIRC it's something like 50% of BMWs.

DialSquare · 27/06/2021 13:01

I bought a new car last year and wanted to test drive 3 cars. One dealer didn't have any version of the model I wanted to test drive and didn't know when one would be available but still wanted me to come in and have a chat with them (pointless so refused). Another didn't even call me back after my first interaction with them. Volvo not only arranged a test drive, they also gave me another 4 day test drive to make sure. They were also proactive and kept in touch all through the process. I don't understand the actions of the other two dealers who lost out. They seemed uninterested in a potential customer which is a strange way to run a business.

PerciphonePuma · 27/06/2021 13:39

@Biker47

So you're going to renew a lease, probably with the same company you're already with or no doubt; an online leasing company. And you're wondering why a dealer isn't bending over backwards to get you the exact car you want to test drive when they know it probably won't result in a sale?? Why are they tetchy? Because you sound like a time waster.
No - if it's a Motability lease then you order from the dealer
PerciphonePuma · 27/06/2021 13:41

@newnortherner111

I am not wishing to be intrusive and apologise if I am, but I would argue that having a test drive to check a particular car is OK for you is a safety issue. If you are somehow distracted when driving because of/or the layout of the car could create a problem for you, then the risk of a crash is greater.
Where on earth have you got that from?! You've just made that up!
PerciphonePuma · 27/06/2021 13:44

@Biker47

Car dealers .... generally.
cupofdecaf · 27/06/2021 13:52

Hybrids are automatics so test drive/ buy a hybrid.

Biker47 · 27/06/2021 15:13

No - if it's a Motability lease then you order from the dealer

Where does the OP mention motability? They go as far as to mention "part with a deposit as much as a decent house deposit" which leads me to believe it isn't motability.

PerciphonePuma · 28/06/2021 02:19

@Biker47

No - if it's a Motability lease then you order from the dealer

Where does the OP mention motability? They go as far as to mention "part with a deposit as much as a decent house deposit" which leads me to believe it isn't motability.

I said not IF it's Motability. Also many other leasing schemes have you order from the dealer. You still have a deposit with Motability vehicles!! In some cases, it's thousands, especially if automatic!! Mine was £1,245 and my previous automatic was nearly twice that
mayblossominapril · 28/06/2021 02:40

To wouldn’t but an automatic without test driving back it.
I think it’s really strange big dealers don’t have an auto to test drive. Loads of people have automatics, I’ve been driving automatics since 2010 wouldn’t go back to manual now

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