No sho demo

[SuperHO]

wow...i've driven two without a dealer ******.

 

[Phoenix]

I sold Audi's and Porsches and yes years back Fords. Thankfully Im out of the business, but my experience with the RS4's, R8's and 911's and even the first 96 svt cobra - all dealers are the same. They want all the dough they can get in the name of 'exclusivity' be real or superfluous. Sadly the salesman are often at the mercy of the manager. Some managers understand to sell emotion it ihas to be invoked, others dont care. The sad reality is all of the legitimate 'exclusive' cars are sold for what the dealer wants (at least in my first hand experience. I had the owner of Nu skin waltz into the Audi dealership and demand to see an invoice to one of the two R8's we had coming. Told me to put his name on the first and that he'd pay no more than 500 over our invoice. His face went white when I casually walked over and grabbed a brochure stuck out my hand and thanked him for stopping by. After a tirade with the GM and then GSM he came back a week later to give me his $10k deposit and he signed to buy the car at the agreed $9k OVER sticker - he was given a 'discount' from the 10K over to 9. So even the super wealthy sometimes dont make any progress over us poor and helpless . The $5 or 10K gauge for over sticker does fly with those who have cash and want to be the first to own that model. Dealers know this and are willing to **** off the average joe at that expense. Their side is once a car like this - in Ford showrooms especially - shows up there are ALOT of 'just wanna drive' customers show up. Would you want to buy a SHO for $50K that has 300 very hard drivin miles on it? The answer is no.
You can get them often times to let you test drive by doing a couple of things. 1st call and set up an appointment rather than just drop in. 2nd, if they are still reluctant, play games by asking the out the door exact amount and then say you will go to your credit union with a sales invoice to arrange your financing, they will immediately change their tune and try to lure you into the finance office there or get the basic credit info to 'see' if they can beat your own cu financing bs. All they are doing is verifying you have the credit means to finance a car. Dont give them birth date or ss# (most know this but still) NEVER argue about numbers before driving the car. The more they think they are in control the better your chances of driving will be. And remember, selling cars was awesome - it was the customer most times which made it unbearable!

That pretty much sums it up , Sad but so true.

 

[SHOclub1]

when the Merkur came out, I was in the market for a new car, I went to the local LM dealer and they had one equipped like I wanted, in a color I could accept on the showroom floor. I was in a business suit driving a decent older car.

I asked to drive the car after looking it over and the salesman said: "but we just washed it". I said, well, you can wash it again but I won't ever buy any car without driving, especially something totally new to the market that has nothing similar to test. Salesman repeated "but we just washed it". I said, by all means, keep the car clean, but you lost a sale.

I went to the dealership across the street and bought a new car, and drove it to the LM dealer and showed it to the salesman, and asked to speak to his manager, and told the manager what just happened. Loved the look on their faces.

Never regretted not getting that car after hearing about all the service problems, still have never driven a Merkur.

 

[stephen newberg]

Nice story, Don.

I have never had a problem getting a test drive at a dealership for a car I was interested in, but I have had good luck finding solid dealerships and then sticking with them.

pax, smn

 

[sperold]

You would think that a well worded explanation of "just around the block, with me - cause it is spoken for" would keep the dealership and the people happy. You can't sell a car without it. If the dealer gets a single car, and doesn't have test drives, there will be no need to order a second car.

 

[RonPorter]

Well.....

After being burned by SHOs in the past, they may only be getting ordered cars, which would mean no test drives.

Or they never sold any/many SHOs (like a rural, primarily a truck seller), so see above.

Or they feel they can sell whatever they bring in, and don't want the miles on one. Or aren't willing to have one as a demo.

I suspect that if you are in a smaller town with a small dealer, you will be out of luck. Probably better at a larger dealer where one of them is a demo and being driven by one of the managers.

I'll bet any of the limited-production Mustangs, ZR1 Vettes, etc, were never available for test drives, and they still sold them.

 

[ShoTide985]

I'm young, but based on my experience, I could probably convince a dealer to give me a test drive...even though I'm broke as a roach!

 

[PonySHO]

I've always ordered my vehicles, I wouldn't buy one that has been used for test drives. The only reason I bought my SHO off the showroom floor was because of the incentives at the time and it was exactly what I wanted. It only had 29 miles on it, 12 where from it being chosen for a random quality check at the assembly plant and 5 from my buddy driving it between dealers since it was a swap.

 

[SHOred]

I went to our local dealer here in not so rural NC. The salesman was all over me when I walked up to the SHO. He showed me all the fluff it had and then asked me if I would like to drive it. I said I didn't figure they would let me. He said how could he sell it if they didn't allow people to drive it. He went to get the tag and then away we went. He even encouraged me to spin the turbos up a couple times so I could feel it pull.
So why did he let me drive it. Well I am 60 years old with white hair and was wearing a suit. I just reallly doubt someone in their 20s in jeans and a t-shirt would have been allowed to even sit in it.

Henry

 

[Tx_boy]

That is why you wear a suit to a car dealership or a ********** because they think you have money even if you dont!

 

[thepawn]

The dealer I bought mine from let me test drive an MKT, but then wanted a deposit if I wanted to test drive the SHO.