Anyone here buy a used car without a test drive?

[Raify]

I would never buy a car without a test drive. This is the reason I didn't buy from Hexagon, as they seem to think that arranging to come and see a car (and spending an hour to get there) means only looking at it.

I'm never going to buy another car without pouring over every inch and detail of it either, AUC or not. In fact I'd check an AUC cr more thanks to my experience with Dick Lovett Bristol.

Just because a BMW tech has (allegedly) looked at the car and ticked some boxes, means nothing.

 

[Rudd]

i bought mine from a BMW dealer auction, no test drive for me.

my and my dad had a really good snoop around the few z4's i was interested in. i always say i took a bit of a gamble but i saved myself some money and i got a great car with no problems out of it.

as CJ10jeeper i think it was said. most people dont even know what to look out for.

 

[AlanJ]

The forum has loads of complaints about what dealers do or don't do, how much they charge, poor service etc etc and yet some people think because purchasing a car direct from a BMW dealers it's OK to purchase without a test drive. It's a buyers market - if they won't let me have at least an hour to test drive and check the vehicle then I move on to a dealer or seller who will. CAVEAT EMPTOR..... I'm with you Raify!

 

[Lucy]

a 1 hour test drive covering a combination of different roads from fast dual carriageways (where he didn't utter a word about going too fast), to VERY bumpy & twisty B-roads where I was taking it easy as I could not guage where the frontmost part of the car was.

That's exactly the same for me. Well, it was more half an hour than an hour. I bought it from Soper BMW in Lincoln, within 15 minutes of getting there i was out driving it. Took it on some dual carriageways in the area, and he didn't complain at me doing, ahem, excessive speeds, just to watch out for police :lol: Then i took it down some country roads, but like you i couldn't get to grips with the front end so took it quite steady on there. It was on my drive a few days later as i loved it and knew i could happily drive it every day

I don't think i could buy a car without driving it first. As to me it's not just about making sure the car drives ok, i'd have to know that i was going to enjoy the car and wouldn't get bored of driving it. I need it to be fun!

 

[Darkman]

Rightly or Wrongly, I didn't test drive mine as it was still under warranty. Test drove another Z4 before I bought though to get a feel for the car. Had pleasent suprise as the one I got was an 2.5 SI, the previous one was just the 2.5 i. The extra power makes a big differece..

 

[emmelldee]

I drove a 35 demonstrator, then put down a deposit on the slightly used 23 which was coming in a few days later (last week ) - on the basis that if I didn't like it they would refund the deposit... When it arrived took it out for a quick spin, but guess I knew that I wouldn't be saying No even before I had seen it!

 

[Beancounter1980]

OP here, Some good responses here.

I am surprised a lot have not test driven their cars beforehand. Probably a great testament to BMW engineering, although this is my first BMW.

I kinda have always done it with previous cars. My other car, 2003 W211 E-class was test-driven. But it is a hunk of s**t. Rust problems, ball joint wear every 6-12 months. Two new tiptronic auto boxes and three torque converters later i wish i had driven it off a cliff!

 

[MrGringo]

Didn't test or see mine before I bought it as it was bought at a BMW auction through a family friend car dealer who gave it a quick once over.
Figured it only had 8k and 1.5 year old so loads of warranty and any faults could be sorted through that. Right spec for our budget and significantly cheaper than the going rate at the time due to the auction, it was a no brainer. Won't forget the day we went to collect it - Is 'that' seriously ours!! WOW 8)
We had test driven a similar car locally though. 20k further on I am still loving it and had no serious problems with it.

 

[glastoveteran]

I imported a 350Z from Japan through an auction a couple of years ago obviously without having driven or seen it, and I would never ever do it again - biggest mistake of my life! The car was fine, but between me winning the auction and picking it up was 11 long months when I was promised 3. Needless to say the depreciation meant that the car was worth considerably less than what I'd paid for it!

 

[sp3ctre]

I have an interesting (maybe a matter of opinion) question...

In the UK, if you purchase a product over the phone or on the internet you are covered by the distance selling act, meaning that you have the right to return the product for a refund if it is not fit for purpose. Does this cover cars too, or are you obliged to accept it upon handover?

Not saying I would ever buy a car without driving it, but I just wondered if the dealer themselves would have a vested interest in getting you to come and see the car first?

 

[RX-78]

Not sure about all the dealers but my Zed's dealer, BMW park lane, sent me their T&C which covered distnace selling:

In a nut shell, they said if a deal has been concluded without any face-face consultation, the buyer had the right to cancel the agreement with in 7 days of the delivery. This sounds pretty much like the distance selling act. Not surprisingly they would not deliver the car, and insisted on payment for the car after I test drove it

But I'm sure I've read somewhere buyers had the right to reject a car if there is a valid reason with in 6 months of delivery. Not sure if this applies to a used car though :?

 

[PetKiller]

I have. Someone else said something earlier in the thread about how much you can tell from one and I agree with that. It takes me a while to learn a car and I trust the judgment of what I have read in the motoring press to be more or less what the ownership experience will be like. It is hard to get a proper idea of what a car is like in half an hour with a salesman sitting next to you.

 

[jtomo]

Yep, bought my last four cars over the internet/phone without seeing them.

In the same respect I have traded in my old cars the same way. There has to be an element of trust between you and the dealer I admit, but I always ask for them to walk round the car I am buying and to tell me of any scratches, scuffs, etc. You also have the right to reject when delivered, though to be honest I have not had a problem to date. It's worth adding that I only buy cars up to a year old and with low millage, so I guess that gives me some comfort.

 

[GAZA62]

Never drove my Z till i picked her up as i loved the look of the cars so much i new i would enjoy the drive and adjust to the cars habits but i did buy mine from BMW and my mate who is a BMW Tech did the test drive as i knew as said above i would be to in love with the car to do a proper test drive i was useless when checking her over went into melt down as i was gob smacked that i was buying such a nice car lucky my mate was there to make sure all was well.

 

[GAZA62]

Not sure about all the dealers but my Zed's dealer, BMW park lane, sent me their T&C which covered distnace selling:

In a nut shell, they said if a deal has been concluded without any face-face consultation, the buyer had the right to cancel the agreement with in 7 days of the delivery. This sounds pretty much like the distance selling act. Not surprisingly they would not deliver the car, and insisted on payment for the car after I test drove it

But I'm sure I've read somewhere buyers had the right to reject a car if there is a valid reason with in 6 months of delivery. Not sure if this applies to a used car though :?

Bought mine from Park Lane but they would not deliver which my mate thought was strange as other Stealers will so i had a nervous drive back through London on a wet Sat morn.

Paid the money when i picked her up

 

[RX-78]

Same here Gaza! I know the feeling - had to drive a car that's got more then twice the bph and half the view through London during peak hour listening to tomtom

I almost had a heart attack when they announced they would only accept 2k on credit card too (loaded it up with cash to earn some points). Luckily had just enough in the bank to pay them.

Apart from that, they've been alright.

 

[GAZA62]

Same here Gaza! I know the feeling - had to drive a car that's got more then twice the bph and half the view through London during peak hour listening to tomtom

I almost had a heart attack when they announced they would only accept 2k on credit card too (loaded it up with cash to earn some points). Luckily had just enough in the bank to pay them.

Apart from that, they've been alright.

Yes buying mine from them was a nice experience over all agreed the price over the phone subject to viewing and test drive when we arrived greeted by some nice young ladies with coffee and bics viewed the car fell in love followed by a few beers in London before heading home looking forward to picking her up and when i did they topped up the tank so i got home without having to stop

 

[Aerospace]

Had the AA test drive mine for me

 

[Redzedfour]

Did'nt test drive the Zed we saw it at dealers had a look round it 22k on the clock very low mileage for a 53 ,liked it went in did the deal picked it up a week later and still loving it