How to test drive a car like a pro - Top 10s
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Date: 2022-04-11
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Comments and reviews: 10
Ty4ons
One thing with handling is if you live somewhere it snows it's a really good idea if you can to test drive the car when it's slippery in the winter. In my experience it can be night and day with some cars understeering a lot, but once the rear end steps out it comes suddenly and other cars being quite predictable and easy to point in the right direction. Small roundabouts with little traffic are great places to test how the car behaves when it starts to slide at a low speed. ESP/traction control systems can also vary a lot. Some are quite jerky and give a sudden and dangerous correction once they detect a slide and some traction control systems are so intrusive it can be hard to get up a slippery hill, even when they are turned -off- (on a lot of cars you can't turn it off. It's also a good idea regardless to learn how your ESP system behaves so you're prepared for its correction should you come into a sticky situation. It can't stop you steering into a ditch.
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One thing with handling is if you live somewhere it snows it's a really good idea if you can to test drive the car when it's slippery in the winter. In my experience it can be night and day with some cars understeering a lot, but once the rear end steps out it comes suddenly and other cars being quite predictable and easy to point in the right direction. Small roundabouts with little traffic are great places to test how the car behaves when it starts to slide at a low speed. ESP/traction control systems can also vary a lot. Some are quite jerky and give a sudden and dangerous correction once they detect a slide and some traction control systems are so intrusive it can be hard to get up a slippery hill, even when they are turned -off- (on a lot of cars you can't turn it off. It's also a good idea regardless to learn how your ESP system behaves so you're prepared for its correction should you come into a sticky situation. It can't stop you steering into a ditch.
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Ash
Something I'd point out that +carwow seems to overlook in it's reviews is the comfort of the seatbelts. For example, in some cars you can adjust the height, whereas others you can't. The other thing Carwow seems to overlook is rear seat practicality with three adults wearing seatbelts. For example, in cars such as BMWs where the middle row seatbelt comes from the roof, this can be uncomfortable for the person sat in the rear on the nearside when everyone is wearing a seatbelt. Cars with the middle seatbelt coming from within the seat back seem to be more comfortable in my experience. The Carwow practicality videos never show rear passengers wearing seatbelts, so I assume this isn't tested?
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Something I'd point out that +carwow seems to overlook in it's reviews is the comfort of the seatbelts. For example, in some cars you can adjust the height, whereas others you can't. The other thing Carwow seems to overlook is rear seat practicality with three adults wearing seatbelts. For example, in cars such as BMWs where the middle row seatbelt comes from the roof, this can be uncomfortable for the person sat in the rear on the nearside when everyone is wearing a seatbelt. Cars with the middle seatbelt coming from within the seat back seem to be more comfortable in my experience. The Carwow practicality videos never show rear passengers wearing seatbelts, so I assume this isn't tested?
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Chris
You missed the most important advice: Make sure to take note on what extra or specific options fitted on the test car. Maybe the handling was excellent on the test car, but that was because of 3k extra Air suspension and rear-axle steering. Really annoying to forget to order those extras and the handling will become different on the custom ordered one if leaving those options out. Same could be said for almost any option. If the seats doesn't feel well there might be an other option that is more comfy, and so on.
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You missed the most important advice: Make sure to take note on what extra or specific options fitted on the test car. Maybe the handling was excellent on the test car, but that was because of 3k extra Air suspension and rear-axle steering. Really annoying to forget to order those extras and the handling will become different on the custom ordered one if leaving those options out. Same could be said for almost any option. If the seats doesn't feel well there might be an other option that is more comfy, and so on.
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Hertfordshire
Was this video a subliminal advert for the disgraced German car manufacturer VW? Whatever a German car manufacturer sells as a -new- overpriced fancy optional feature, car manufacturers like Nissan already provide as standard for many years! VW pays millions to people like Matt and car magazine editors to promote their products and shove their overpriced cars into the psychic of UK consumers. All through the VW emission scandal none of these VW pundits spelled a word about this big news.
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Was this video a subliminal advert for the disgraced German car manufacturer VW? Whatever a German car manufacturer sells as a -new- overpriced fancy optional feature, car manufacturers like Nissan already provide as standard for many years! VW pays millions to people like Matt and car magazine editors to promote their products and shove their overpriced cars into the psychic of UK consumers. All through the VW emission scandal none of these VW pundits spelled a word about this big news.
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Dubai
Honestly I expected something of a better advise from someone who is testing cars for over 14 yrs. I wouldn't be surprised if an amateur car journalist came up with better advice.
i. e. -bring a measuring tape- - man, r u serious? Every car model brochure comes with car specs and dimensions, you don't have to u immitate Mr. Bean with a measuring tape & double check the measurements: D That will make people look like fools. Please try again Mat: P
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Honestly I expected something of a better advise from someone who is testing cars for over 14 yrs. I wouldn't be surprised if an amateur car journalist came up with better advice.
i. e. -bring a measuring tape- - man, r u serious? Every car model brochure comes with car specs and dimensions, you don't have to u immitate Mr. Bean with a measuring tape & double check the measurements: D That will make people look like fools. Please try again Mat: P
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Stefan
There are two ways of buying a car. With you brain and with your heart. If you are buying it with your brain, you consider all these steps, shortlist a few cars, and then decide. Which is a good, logical, practical way of buying a car. But if you are that 1% of lucky people who can buy their dream car, then lucky you. You can buy any car, but you dont, you have that dream car in your mind, you just walk into a dealership and yell: That one in blue!
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There are two ways of buying a car. With you brain and with your heart. If you are buying it with your brain, you consider all these steps, shortlist a few cars, and then decide. Which is a good, logical, practical way of buying a car. But if you are that 1% of lucky people who can buy their dream car, then lucky you. You can buy any car, but you dont, you have that dream car in your mind, you just walk into a dealership and yell: That one in blue!
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LeadHammer
Pull up the trunk floor to see whether the car has a spare tire, also check whether the floor is made of plastic and whether it is sturdy enough to put heavy items or to sit. Case in point: the Golf Mat is driving has trunk floor which is made of plastic and does not rest on a sturdy metal piece, so you cannot sit there. Imagine going skiing, you want to put your boots on, but you cannot sit on the rear bumper/trunk - this sucks.
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Pull up the trunk floor to see whether the car has a spare tire, also check whether the floor is made of plastic and whether it is sturdy enough to put heavy items or to sit. Case in point: the Golf Mat is driving has trunk floor which is made of plastic and does not rest on a sturdy metal piece, so you cannot sit there. Imagine going skiing, you want to put your boots on, but you cannot sit on the rear bumper/trunk - this sucks.
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David
I am really old and have never taken a test drive willingly. Despite having never taking a proper test drive, I have never been disappointed with any car that I have bought, new or used. If you are too fat for the seats, then lose weight. If you know lots of old folk, who want lifts, then get a car that can-t take them, with low seats. People are the problem and not the cars.
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I am really old and have never taken a test drive willingly. Despite having never taking a proper test drive, I have never been disappointed with any car that I have bought, new or used. If you are too fat for the seats, then lose weight. If you know lots of old folk, who want lifts, then get a car that can-t take them, with low seats. People are the problem and not the cars.
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Yeah
Yep but also use the car as if its heading for the scrap, hack at the buttons/controls, close the doors like you wanna smash them, bounce up and down on the seats, make all the tyres go bald by skidding etc etc etc. in other words be like crazed chimp in there (just like Matt lol. No wonder they don't let Matt review cars like a bugatti veyron xD
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Yep but also use the car as if its heading for the scrap, hack at the buttons/controls, close the doors like you wanna smash them, bounce up and down on the seats, make all the tyres go bald by skidding etc etc etc. in other words be like crazed chimp in there (just like Matt lol. No wonder they don't let Matt review cars like a bugatti veyron xD
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R-b
Ive done a couple of test drives, and almost every time the salesmen doesnt care about me. Had 2 volvos, sold those just because of the service. Bought an qashqai instead. It is more noisy and less comfy Yeah. But more modern, more rugged for my Need and Daym the service is AMAZING. Gonna buy an leaf as a daily driver as well
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Ive done a couple of test drives, and almost every time the salesmen doesnt care about me. Had 2 volvos, sold those just because of the service. Bought an qashqai instead. It is more noisy and less comfy Yeah. But more modern, more rugged for my Need and Daym the service is AMAZING. Gonna buy an leaf as a daily driver as well
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