What You Need To Know Before Test-Driving A New Car

The whole point of a test-drive is to "test" it out, right? How can you test out a car's capabilities such as fuel consumption if you are only permitted the "privilege" of taking it for a cautioned "spin around the block"? — Impossible.

CarsGuide Australia has offered many tips through their online magazine, and one of the best tips we agree with is this one: “Take a proper test drive”.

Here’s what you need to consider when test-driving a new car:

• Time
• Luckily in today’s market, it is easier to ask your dealership for an extended test-drive; one that consists of two to three days. Most dealerships will agree to this since those days of it being a seller’s market are long gone. Also, the possibility of a wide range of cars to test is larger now than it was 20 years ago, which means dealers are more willing to allow for an extended test-drive.
•  
• Interior
• Take a look inside, adjust the seating and the mirrors. Ensure that you can see properly from all angles. Familiarise yourself with the interior and decide if you like what you see. Is it user-friendly? Is there ample space for you?
•  
• Usual travel routes
• Drive along the roads you usually take: if it’s on a highway to work or on backroads to the mall, drive on those roads and take note of the feel. Is its suspension good when you go over bumps? Does it climb well up a hill?
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• Petrol
• Calculate how much petrol a day’s trip costs you to and from work. Does this match up to what you expected? 

Only by taking your potentially-new car for an extended period of time to test it, will you be able to decide properly whether this car is truly for you. Do not be embarrassed to insist on this—remember, you are the one who will be forking out the tens of thousands of dollars, not the salesman.

Also, it is good to remember that purchases made on the spot without the opinions of family and friends can be one made with regret. For example, the boot-space may be way too small for your usual grocery-run or perhaps it doesn’t fit your bag of golf clubs properly. In other words, use the time you have with the car to check it out properly, and without the stress of a salesman breathing down your neck for an answer.

Ultimately, what this will do is make you happy with the choice of car you made.

For more information or to discuss an “extended test-drive” option, contact City Kia Melbourne today!

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