Selling your car do you allow test drives?

I rarely sell a car, but when I did I was always the that one drove it. The potential buyer can get a good feel for the car from me driving it. If he insists on driving it, he can find another car. With my background, worst case is he blows the clutch or wrecks it. You're SOL then. Don't make a mistake. Alternatively, if he insists on driving it, a 5K non-refundable deposit. That will weed out the tire kickers and the serious buyers. Just my thoughts.

 

I think its fine if the buyer is ready to purchase after all other inspections including the old "check w the spouse trick" then the test drive is agreed to be the final act before payment and title swap.

That deposit idea is good too.^^

 

No. No test drives.
Ride along? Sure. Watch it operate all the shifts/gears/brakes. But no. The liability of a test drive is too high in a sports car for a stranger. End of story.

 

There’s no need for the buyer to drive it. When I bought my 430 from CNC I was allowed to test drive it with the salesman as the passenger, but I could have seen how the car drives, shifts, sounds, smells, etc. from the passenger seat.

When it comes time to sell my car, there will be no test drives.


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I dread selling the ferrari if I ever do. I'll probably consign it or something. I've sold several high performance cars and after a few joyrides by gym bro douchbags in my GTO I will never let a buyer test drive by themselves.

 

When I sold my 360 I had a couple serious buyers.

1st one did a couple of laps around the car, kicked the tires, asked to test drive it. I said, "Nope" and he walked away. I guess, in hindsight, he wasn't all that serious.

2nd one showed up with his checkbook in hand. Walked around the car, handed me a check for my asking price and said, "I'll drive it when we transfer the title and it's mine."

We took the car to Algar Ferrari a few days later where they helped me transfer the paperwork. They were going to do some work on the car for the buyer, and I'd known those guys for years (and bought the car from them originally.)

I've sold a bunch of cars over the years, only had two that got test driven, a 911 and a BMW M3 Roadster. So two test drives out of maybe 10 private sales?

I even sold one site unseen to an eager buyer.

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I don't think he regretted it.

D

 

eBay has worked well for me over the years with out of state buyers who ask if I can help with shipping, instead of a test drive.

If I was selling locally, no, I wouldn’t allow a test drive unless I was already paid and the test drive was to make sure they didn’t hate the car, or to confirm the car was as stated.

I would certainly allow for a PPI, and for them to ride as a passenger though.

 

Selling a car on consignment does away with this issue. But there is a cost however.

 

How does it solve the problem? Depending on the dealer, anyone who wants a test drive will get one. I guess it may be better anyhow. If a tree falls in the forest and no one hears…

 

Of course the dealer can offer a test drive, but they vet the prospect first. Hard for an individual to do. You just don’t have to be there.
Having sold dozens of cars when I was younger, I’ve resorted to consignment of late. No tire kickers, no, no shows, etc. But as I said there is a price for this option. For me it’s worth it. To each their own.

 

When I bought my first and second Ferraris(F430’s), both from exotic car dealers (not Ferrari), they both said the same thing… sign for it, drive it and you have 20 minutes to bring it back if you don’t like it- lol - my third(F8) I bought out of state, unseen so same thing- bought all 3 without test drives


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The "ride along" is the solution to test drive requests if you are selling it yourself.

(the other question that will come up occasionally is the "will you take it to xyz mechanic for a ppi" or not or allow only a mechanic you trust)

That said, I prefer to pay a 5-8% fee and consign it at the local dealer (often they can get more than a pp, so your net cost may not be that much). Significant savings in work, stress, worry and silliness to deal with for a modest cost imho.

 

Some of you shouldn't be doing private sales, no offense it just isn't for everybody. It isn't just the test drive thing, but some can't take their pride and joy being criticized, some just don't have the emotional detachment, and some just suck at it. I've dealt with several from each group, thank God they are easy to recognize so the phone calls are short.

Not allowing a test drive will weed out most legit buyers. I have bought 2 private party cars. Drove the first one (with his mechanic as a passenger) after completing the PPI and flying from Tx to NJ. The second one was a local car that I drove (with the owner as passenger) even before having money in the deal, but he had read my posts and knew I was a real buyer. Then he let my mechanic drive it (with myself as passenger) during the PPI.

 

No test drive, only shotgun ride along

 

I wouldn't buy a car without test driving it myself first, and I always buy my cars from a private person and never from dealers. How else is someone going to know if he likes how the car drives before buying it? Are you actively looking to scare away potential buyers that you don't want test drives? What I do however, is pre agree to a price and everything, make a contract and let him/her sign ofcorse, and if the test drive is good (with me in the passenger seat ofcorse), the car is sold, no haggling anymore etc, its just sold. Also, if he damages the car in any form (might be as small as a nudge on a sidewalk) he is buying the car at the agreed price, wether he likes the car after the drive or not....

 

Maybe Australia is different. In the US, that would be a clear signal to go elsewhere.

 

I once let a person test drive my MBZ 560SL many years ago. He ran a stop sign and wrecked my car unfortunately not totaled and put 2 others in the hospital. You know what comes next …… he walks from buying my car and my insurance rates skyrocket for years to come. So no test drive for my cars. I learned the hard way.

 

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Some pictures of me driving your former car after purchase