Test Drives 101: No More Buyer's Remorse (2024)

You’ve found it – the “perfect” car. You love the exterior and interior color, it’s a great price, and it even has a sunroof! It’s perfect… or so you thought. When you took it for a test drive, you noticed the windows were small, so visibility was tough; the seats were heated, but they weren’t very comfortable; you didn’t realize how low to the ground the car was until you had to climb out. Thankfully you took it for a test drive, right?

The above scenario is just one of many reasons why it’s important to take any car you’re thinking of purchasing for a proper test drive before purchase. At the base level, a car is a tool of transportation, so it’s important that you are comfortable operating the tool safely.

Test driving a car isn’t as difficult as some people may think it is – in some cases you can pre-schedule an appointment online! However, there are a few documents you’ll need to ensure that you bring along. Here’s what you need to know about test driving a car.

Standard Test Drives

If you’re test driving a car for the first time, chances are you’re going to be taking a standard test drive. These typically last between 15 – 30 minutes, sometimes longer. If the salesperson tags along for the test drive, they may direct you along a predetermined route on the roads surrounding the dealership.

It is also entirely possible that the salesperson may hand you the keys for a “self-guided” test drive. These “self-guided” test drives have become more popular following the COVID-19 pandemic, when social distancing was the norm.

Extended Test Drives

30 minutes not enough to decide whether you love a car or not? Need to see how the new ride looks in your driveway? An extended test drive is what you’re looking for. Most commonly, extended test drives are 24 hours long.

Extended test drives are a great way to see how your prospective new ride fits into your life (and how your life fits into the ride!). You have more time to test a variety of driving conditions – from stop-and-go traffic to the open highway – as well as the privacy and comfortability of getting to know the car at your own pace.

It’s important to note that every dealer is different and some may not offer this service. However, it never hurts to ask.

“Love It or Return It” Policies

While this is technically more than just a “test drive,” the overall idea is similar. Some dealerships offer a certain return window after you purchase your vehicle – if you don’t love your new ride, you can return it within a certain time period and mile threshold (e.g., 3 days, 500 miles, etc.). So if 3 days down the line, you decide that you actually don’t want the white leather interior, you don’t have to ride in regret.

Again, not all dealerships offer this kind of policy; if this is something you’re looking for, be sure to ask the salesperson you’re working with directly.

DIY Test Drives

If the dealership ends up not offering extended test drives, another option is to rent the same exact vehicle from a rental car company for a few days. Companies like Enterprise, Hertz, and many more have a wide variety of available rental vehicles. You can also look for a private, 3rd-party rental company through platforms like Turo.

An important callout for this is obviously the cost – you’ll be responsible for shelling out the cash to rent the car. But, when you consider the major investment that buying a car is, the extra peace of mind of knowing this car is the car could be well worth the rental car costs.

No matter the type of test drive you’re taking, you’ll at the very least need a current driver’s license. We also recommend that you bring along a copy of your proof of automotive insurance. While dealerships are required by law to have their own insurance that covers property damage and injuries, some dealerships may request a copy of your insurance policy – especially if you’re taking their car for an extended 24-hour test drive.

Heads up, it’s quite common for dealers to take your driver’s license to make a photocopy of and keep on record – so if the salesperson walks away with your license, don’t fret! You can also ask for the copy they make after the test drive is over if you’re concerned about your private information.

It is also common for dealers to have you sign a waiver that will hold you liable for any damage you may cause. As with any contract, be sure to take a thorough read through of the waiver before signing.

If you’re under 18 and looking to test drive, bring a parent or guardian with you. Many dealerships have no problem letting a 16-17 year old test drive a vehicle so long as they are licensed and insured with a parent present.

1. Don’t be afraid to do a test drive – and take lots of them!

For some people, the dealership can induce a lot of anxiety – especially if this is their first time buying a car. However, don’t be afraid to ask for a test drive – dealers expect (and hope) that customers will want to take the cars for test drives. After all, it is a major purchase that you’re about to make, so it’s important that you are 100% certain that this is the car you want.

That also means testing various competitors. For example, if you’re eyeing the Toyota RAV4, it’s a good idea to test competitors like the Honda CR-V or Hyundai Tucson. While you can compare these cars’ specs online using tools like TrueCar Compare, seeing and testing them in-person can make a huge difference.

Additionally, don’t be afraid to ask for what you want. If you’d rather go on a self-guided test drive than have a salesperson come along, ask the dealership if that’s possible. Remember that every dealership is different – so if one dealership doesn’t offer that service, there’s always another that will.

2. If you see a car online, call to confirm that the car is still there.

With the current state of the automotive industry, inventory is moving fast. That means that even though you see a car listed on a dealer’s website, it may actually already be gone.

Connecting with the dealership ahead of time can save you the time (and heartache) of driving down to a dealership to test drive a car only to see someone else driving off in it. In some cases, the dealership may be able to reserve the vehicle for you to come and see at a specific time, but again it depends on the dealer.

3. Take your time to explore the entire car.

Don’t be afraid to take your time when test driving the car – even on a standard test drive! Driving a car these days is more than just the gas and brake pedal. Nowadays, each OEM has a unique infotainment system, driver assistance features, special design choices, and so much more that affect your daily drive.

So, before you hit the road on your test drive, don’t be afraid to spend 10 to 15 minutes just playing with the infotainment interface; move the seat around to find a comfortable driving position; check out your interior storage options like the glove box and center compartment. It’s also not a bad idea to bring items like child safety seats or strollers to see how they fit in the car.

4. Test drive in as many driving conditions as possible.

Driving on the freeway is entirely different from driving in a downtown setting. When you’re on a test drive, try and get some varied driving conditions. See how you like the car driving around a local neighborhood. How does it feel in stop-and-go traffic? How’s the wind noise at 70 MPH? Does it have enough power to get up steep hills? These are all questions you’re going to want to know the answer to.

Additionally, automotive lighting technology has come very far in the past few years – specifically LED headlight technology drastically increasing visibility at night. If you’re able to secure an extended 24-hour test drive, be sure to drive the car both before and after sunset so that you can get a full understanding of what life with this vehicle will be like.

5. Look for these specific things when test driving a car.

When you are test driving a car, it’s easy to get distracted by the wow factor of driving a new car. While you obviously want to enjoy the moment, remember that this is (very fun) research.

Each car will require you to look for specific things, so if you can, do some research on the exact car you’re going to see beforehand to see if there are any known issues (e.g., rusty frames, catalytic converter theft, etc.). But, in general, when you test drive any car, be sure to look at these 3 categories:

• Drivability. Basically, how does the car feel when you drive it?
• Comfort and Interior. Is the car comfortable to drive? Do you and your stuff fit well?
• Body and Under the Hood. Is the body in good shape? What about the engine? You might want to get a mechanic to assist you with this step.