The Chief

Just had a call from Subaru UK about the 24hr test drive that has been offered by them and told me to contact my local dealer.
Great i thought at last! they missed my first choice date even though i had given them around 6 weeks notice but to be honest i left it because the response has been huge.

Anyway i rung local dealer who bombarded me with questions (understandable with all the Chav's who've applied) but get this before the test drive they said i would have to come down for a meeting to decide when i am going to be purchasing a new car and if suitable offer me a short 10 minute accompanied test drive and then decide after that if i could have a 24 hour test drive.
i got the impression if they had the slightest inkling that i would not be making a purchase i would be fobbed off from the test drive.

i think the whole purpose of the test drive is to give people who would never have considereda Subaru a chance to drive one to show them how good they are.

I would never have considered one as i thought of them as ugly and over rated that is until i drove a classic.

I might not buy one but if i had a test drive who knows? i might even re-mortgage the house.

Just a little moan for today

Andy_1271

No such problems from my dealer, I even asked if I could get a drive in a WRX or STi, even though they know I'm only interested in a forester, they seemed agreeable enough. I had my forester drive last monday - really enjoyed it....

The Chief

Blinkin' Flip!!!!!!

Andy_1271

My local dealer in MK had told me they'd had drive requests in from all over, as far north as B'ham and as far south as London, maybe I've got a good Scooby dealership???

compshack

Same happened to me, I was told there was not a STI 05 demo avaliable in my area (North West) which I found hard to beleve. I was also told that they would have to "weigh me up " first to see if I was really capable or interested enough to buy a new STi, even though I am driving a MY04 Sti.
I forgo the ringing dealer bit to be honest I could'nt be bothered, their loss my gain at least I'm not parting with any MORE money to Mr Subaru UK.

Just feel sorry for all the genuine people that are really interested, which might have been myself, maybe I'll spend money on the car I've got instead.

catherines car

I work for a dealership group that includes a main Subaru Dealer. Unfortunately they are very cagey about who they give the cars to becase they can get damaged. It's a shame but it's true. I wouldn't after all let anyone drive my Scooby without sitting next to them. But then again I'm not trying to sell one. I speak to the guys who work in the dealership and none of them are either particularly into the cars or the rallys. Before you all start shouting at me I work for a seperate dealership within the group, based on the same site but autonomous to Subaru, so it's nothing to do with me!

The Chief

Any more experiences good or bad?????

RRH

I think its probably the way its being put across that causes more offence than what's actually being said, and that they aren't properly explaining for whatever reason, and to be honest I'm not surprised potential customers are taking offence.

However I reckon there must be about 50 people just wanting to drive one, without the ability or intention of buying one, to every one serious test driver.

I am sure they are inundated by 'unsuitable' canididates for test drives, and they do have to filter them fairly carefully.

The STi is a very powerful car, and to let someone (chav or not) with little or no experience of a performace car loose in one could be fatal, to the customer, the car, everyone else and last but not least the dealers motor traders insurance policy.

I'm sure that we would all be pretty careful if we had to let someone else drive our beloved Impreza- and especially so if it was on our insurance.

austen_wrx

I'm sure that they have so many requests from chavs/boy racers etc that they are going to be cagey. I turned up (last august)in my last WRX and asked for a test drive of a new WRX, expecting a salesman to come with me, but they just handed me the keys and said see you later. I actually did this twice (at different dealers) and got treated really well. I've just dropped my new WRX in for a service and enquired about a 24hr test drive of a forrester 2.5, which they said was no problem and i was booked in for the following week (the same day as the WRX was in), but unfortunatley as i was only 29 i turned out i couldn't have it over night (have to be 30+ for insurance), but they said i was welcome to have it for a few hours. So all in all i'm happy with them, I think if you turn up, rather than phone, they will sus you out and give you the decision there and then. I can totally understand this attitude, would you let a complete stranger who turned up in a battered xr2 take you car out for a spin????

The Chief

whats wrong with an XR2 oh bugger it!

Do you think what you turn up in makes a difference???

austen_wrx

Nothing wrong with an xr2, apart from it probably isn't worth a lot, which definetly makes a difference. My mate who used to work at a saab dealership used to check out the cars people arrived in as a guide to whether thay should be allowed to take a car out for a test drive. He had to do this has he was wasting so much time with test pilots! If you just turn up and say i want to drive without showing any interest in the cars in the showroom, it doesn't send out the best signals.

The Chief

i've got a Audi A6 Quattro so i should not be too bad then!
looks more expensive than it is

eric Scofield

Gotta say Days of Chelmsford were brilliant ... after the first one was c*cked up by the agency who forgot to send confirmation to Days - they re arranged it for the following Saturday, we had a brief chat about Scoobies and that was it .. I turned up in my g/f Golf 1.6, filled in a small form and off I went - brilliant car, though I actually went for another one I had spotted from a private dealer in the end ...