Make sure that you pilot the car way you normally drive. All too often, buyers will follow the drive route that the salesperson tells them to take without considering their surroundings or the different driving conditions they should be experiencing. If you spend a lot of your commute time on highways, then take it onto the highway. How will you know what it feels and sounds like at 100 km an hour if you never bring it up to that speed? Drive it into a parking lot and see how it feels to park it between other cars. Drive on bumpy side streets. Make sure you do lots of starts and stops. Turn the windshield wipers on (run the fluid), and fiddle with the radio.
And for your own sake: Ask questions! If the salesperson can’t answer you, ask them to get the information and get back to you. If you're not satisfied with the answer and/or information the salesperson provides you with, then go home and do your own research or go to another dealership and ask the same question.
When it comes down to your final decision, hopefully you have your written list to refer back to (wants/needs and pros and cons of each test drive). If you have to go back a second or third time to make up your mind, then do it! This is like finding the perfect little black dress (for a few thousand more, mind you); once you take it for a test drive, you'll know you've found the perfect car for you.
And for your own sake: Ask questions! If the salesperson can’t answer you, ask them to get the information and get back to you. If you're not satisfied with the answer and/or information the salesperson provides you with, then go home and do your own research or go to another dealership and ask the same question.
When it comes down to your final decision, hopefully you have your written list to refer back to (wants/needs and pros and cons of each test drive). If you have to go back a second or third time to make up your mind, then do it! This is like finding the perfect little black dress (for a few thousand more, mind you); once you take it for a test drive, you'll know you've found the perfect car for you.
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