Test Drive Tips

Summer is our busiest season for sales, with hundreds of people coming to the dealership to take test drives. Taking your potential future vehicle for a test drive is extremely necessary and honestly, we wouldn’t want you to purchase a vehicle before doing that!

Getting into the driver’s seat will tell you how it handles, if the vehicle’s interior is big/small enough for you, what the parking and turning radius is, and many more important details that will determine if that’s “the one”.

Here are some important things to do, and consider, when taking a test drive – straight from our experts:

Get Familiar

Before you get in, a sales associate will do a walkaround to tell you all about the vehicle – here you’ll be able to hear if the car has all the features you’re looking for. Still interested? Get in and familiarize yourself with where the controls are, including turning signal, windshield wipers, and headlight controls, and if they are convenient to access.

Turn the Radio Off

As tempting as it is to go for a cruise with the windows down and the radio blasting, having a quiet ride will allow you to hear how the engine runs, the gears change, and if there are any sounds you don’t recognize.

It Takes Two

Bring a friend! Bringing someone along who isn’t as invested in the vehicle as you will provide a unique perspective to this potential purchase, and they can act as a sounding board for your thoughts on the car. A sales associate is also a great person to take on a test drive – they can show you more features as you drive, and if there are things you don’t like about the car they can pinpoint your preferences to show you something that might work better.

Parallel Park

This dreaded maneuver will tell you a lot about the size of the vehicle, how it handles, and how you handle it. Turning radius is something not a lot of people test, but it’s incredibly important should you find yourself in a tight spot. Knowing your future vehicle’s capabilities in those situations could save you a paint job in the future!

We are proud to have one of the best selections of quality used vehicles in Thunder Bay, but a vehicle that suits one person might not suit another! It all comes down to what your specific needs are; a test drive will quickly determine if that vehicle is for you.

Ready to go for a spin? Visit us today