Before deciding what to buy, go for a test drive...yeah, right!

I think if you have the intention of 'buying' then the salesperson will recognise it and will be willing to let you have test drives in their ponies.
May be not the first time you meet them but after a few visits and loads of questions then they would be happy to, I think.
I tested drive my 328GTS one afternoon and then gave the cheque to the dealer the next morning being afraid that it might be sold to someone else.
no regrets since.
I am going for a test drive on 1994 512 TR this week.

I think you have to get acquainted before they let loose their ponies.

 

Exactly what I was wondering.

 

Every salesperson is working on a conmission. And it is a big waste of time and resourses to take a person whose only purpose is to enjoy the feel of driving a Ferrari with no intention of buying the Ferrari to test drive the car. Any believe me there are many of those around. The salesperson knows it.

But in reality who say you have to buy every car you test drive, you can test drive with a true intention of buying but you might end up not liking the car. I once got an opportunity to test drive a Lamborghini Diablo for a weekend. The offer was great. It was a demo car of the dealer, so the price was right. Plus I got a big discount since I offered to pay cash. But after taking the car home and put a few hundred kilometers in it that weekend, the car was not to my liking. The car was hard to control, big, clamp, heavy, not my idea of a good fun sporting car. The point is show your true intention. If you don't let you test drive, then you learn that they got something to hide... walk away

 

Nobody will buy that car without a testdrive! So if his feeling about you is good he will definitely let you drive the car.
I have never had a problem when I wanted a testdrive. I will also testdrive a 512 TR next week.

You could try it this way:

Go to the dealer and have a good look at the car. Ask the right questions (maintenance, number of owners, accidents, insurance, etc)
Call him the next day that you want to come back with your wife. Make an appointment. Ask him if it is possible have a testdrive the same day.
If you bring your wife they think that it is decision time!

 

Never had a problem as long as you are seriously considering purchasing a car.
But a nice trick, Ton, bringing the wife. However, I think the most difficult part is to convince the wife to go when she have learned that you 'might' get a Ferrari.

 

Tell me this isnt crazy. I wanted a 348 but knew it was a little farther away. I saw one at a local, small higher dollar lot. I went in on a Sunday because my girlfriend told me that we set the clocks back that day, when we didnt!!! So I got to work an hour early! So to kill that hour and went to this lot. I asked the lady if I could look at the car....She says "you wanna drive?"..I said 'really? sure" she throws me the keys and says "me and my husband would love to sell you this car". So I took off in the car...returned it 20 mins later knowing I was going to buy one. She never took my car keys (to my 97 4Runner), she never got my license, SHE NEVER GOT MY NAME! I was calling people I knew during the test drive to tell them "this company just tossed my the keys to their Ferrari and gave me a plate and never got my license or my name" Quite the opposite of what you would expect, especially for someone that looks 24. I made an offer but they wanted a lot more, they got their price too from someone else.

 

Like all others had said, the question is, are you really looking into making a purchase? If you are, I do not see any problems in asking for a tet drive. And no, there is no need to show them any of your money. The salespeson or the owner would probably want to go with you for the ride, but why shouldn't they? wouldn't you do the same if you were the owner or are responsible for the car?

I see that you are in the Portland area, I have heard good things about Ron Tonkins, give them a try. If not, come up North and go to Ferrari of Seattle, they will help you and let you test drive the car you are interested in buying.

 

Ton, can I come with you to test the TR
i Hadn't the same problem when i wanted to buy my 348...but i only asked to test drive one car...MY 348...In fact i wanted than the first F car i drive has to be mine....

So when i was nearly certain to buy it, i asked to test drive it...
and now it's mine ...So I only drive one ferrari...my 348...

 

Buy a car without a thorough test drive? I won't do it. No test drive, no purchase.

I think my response would be "If you expect me to spend $XX,XXX on this car without a test drive, you're nuts."

 

If you present yourself to the dealer as someone who is genuinely interested in purchasing a car, they will most likely offer you a test drive. It happened to me the first time I walked into a Ferrari dealer with that purpose. The year was 1989 and the dealership was Continental Autosports in the Chicago area. I had never bought a car from them, did not own a Ferrari and drove up in a 1988 Acura Integra. I still spend a lot of time in that dealership chewing the fat and I see test drives arranged all the time. On the other hand, if you come across as a tire kicker who is only going to waste the sales person's time, you may not be offered one.

 

I would show up in a decent car, dressed reasonably. Ask the right questions, see if they offer a drive. Be honest tell them your intentions and what else you may be looking at, make them work for the sale, a test drive is part of it.

 

I think some people have missed the point that's really being made in the OP... Often people are wondering about getting a 308 QV vs a carb car, of will they regret getting a 308 QV vs a 328, etc, and people often say "Drive it and see if it matters to you." That's not always easy. These cars are hard to find, and when you go someplace that has one and say "well, I'm not sure if I like this car or not, I need to drive yours, then wait till I find a comparator, then drive that. I might be buying something in 6 months..." you're not likely to get a test drive.

So what it boils down to is you gotta look & act serious and of course you'll be able to get a test drive, but people casually say "drive both and decide" like we're comparing a Taurus to a Lumina and that's a lot different. That's the sentiment being expressed in the original post, not that anyone's being expected to buy a car without a test drive.

 

The trick, I think, is to get involved with the local Ferrari/Exotic club -- or start one if there's not one.

The first Ferrari I drove was the one I bought, after I wrote the check. Since I've been involved with the local club, I've had opportunity to drive other Ferraris.

 

You need to step back and consider this from the dealer's perspective. Just in the last year, two cars have been stolen during test drives, one was a F-50.

Moreover, most of the cars are on consignment. Trust me, I'd be mega-pissed if the sales man didn't qualify you throughly before letting you drive my car. I'm sure that you would feel the same if it was your car.

The answer is to convince the sales manager that you are a real buyer and not some crackhead walking in off the streets.

Dale

 

I was interested in a 348 last fall and I e-mailed the dealer who was about 2.5 hours away from me, and asked for an appointment to see the car and I also asked if I could test drive the car he replied that he would be glad to show me the car. I then e-mailed him again asking if I would be able to TEST-DRIVE the car whereupon he e-mailed me back saying he still had the car and would love to set up an appointment to show it to me. I then called him and wasn't able to catch him in he evidently had been in florida at their other dealership, so I set up a time to drive down to the dealership. I arrive meet the person who I've been e-mailing back and forth with ask him about a test-drive and he said we don't allow those people buy our cars sight unseen usually. Sooooo I ask why I can't test drive any of his cars and he replied that I could have an accident and then I wouldn't want the car and he would be stuck with a damaged car! So here I am a potential customer I pulled up in my then 6 mo. old S2000 which I own and I had also brought p.work proving I could afford to pay cash for the car I was interested in but no test drive. He did let me at least SIT in it.

 

I remember reading a story about veteran movie star, Michael Caine in the 70's who, subsequent to the success of his hit movie "Alfie" and all cashed up, walked into a Rolls Royce dealership in London with the express purpose of buying a new Rolls. Apparently Caine was dischevelled and had long hair at the time - and the Rolls Royce dealer showed him the door - he didn't even get a look in due to his physical appearance. Small price fame! Would a Ferrari dealership treat someone of similar appearance any different? Maybe if they were Rod Stewart (recognisable star) they'd pass the physical appearance test!

 

Never buy cars from there, never. If that how they treat you at the begining imagine how they would treat you if you bought the car and you got problem with the car...

 

Tavelled all that far and got a rejection to test drive, I would have given that #@$%# guy a good %$%$#@#@!!

 

I contacted the salesman, at the dealership where I later bought the car, two years earlier and said I was a long time Ferrari fan and would love a ride in a 348 or a F355. I said a ride, not a drive.
He told me to call back and when I did we arranged a date.

When I got there he showed me the cars on display and then we took a 348 for a drive with med in the passenger seat.

When everything was warmed up and he had driven it for a couple of miles, he asked if I'd like to drive it back to the shop, and did I want to!

Then, for a comparison he took me for a short drive in a F355, with him behind the wheel.

He was really cool, probably because I was totally honest with him from the start, I was very clear that I wasn't in the position to buy one for a year or two but I guess he saw that I had a genuin interest in the marque.

After that he e-mailed me whenever an interesting 348 or F355 got back to the shop. When the timing was right for me I bought the 348.

Sweden is not a big market for Ferraris, I think we have one or two authorised dealers and probably five more independent.


/Peter

 

I wouldn't even consider buying from them after that incident and it's too bad because the salesman was very polite and courtous and knew about Ferrari's but to not let cars go on a test drive because of possible damage is just not the way to do business IMO. Isn't that what insurance is for?
On the positive side I did have a good experience getting a test drive when I actually really wasn't planning on going for one. While visiting relatives in R.I. if I have extra time I always stop by a high end dealer there and just look around. One time I pulled up in the Porsche section I was wearing jeans and a T-shirt, ratty sneakers, my beard was overgrown and I had pulled up in my 94 Toyota 4x4 which had a bit of rust on it sporting Vt plates and parked it right by the showroom, basically I was looking the part of a serious redneck. I got out and was looking at a 96 911 (this was awhile back maybe 2000 or 2001) after a couple of minutes a salesman came out I told him I was just looking and we spoke for a bit just for the heck of it I asked him how about a test drive he replied sure just give me a minute he came back out with a plate explained the car to me where the power band was etc. we headed out as I was getting on the highway he encouraged me to push the car a bit which I did we then got off onto a back road where he told me to stop and after I did he said I want to see a 1st, 2nd and 3rd gear redline to which I complied. I got to drive the car like I would if I owned it and this salesman, who turned out to be the porsche salesmanager, didn't spend the entire test drive trying to qualify me he spent it explaining the car in detail and encouring me to get the total feel of the car which I did. For me as a customer this approach works now 4 or 5 years later I still remember this salesman's name and highly recommend him when people are looking for a car whereupon the dealer who wouldn't let me drive the car I let people know of my experience there and I'm sure that turns a lot of people off from doing business with them.

 

I can understand this sort of thing being a problem, especially if you live in an area with relatively few Ferraris. If you are serious, however, and call ahead, you should have no problem getting a test drive.

Since the first poster specifically mentioned Portland, I have to wonder if he ever talked to anyone at Ron Tonkin or is just assuming things. Personally, I've never had anything but great experiences with their sales staff. Even Ferrari of Seattle, where I'm just some guy who walked in off the street, has been very helpful and accomodating.

I think if the dealer won't give you a test drive, and I imagine we're talking independent dealers here and not places like Tonkin or Ferrari of Seattle, then I'd view that as a big red flag.

Now, granted, in Portland it might be difficult to find a 328 and say a carb 308 to drive back to back, just because there are not that many Ferraris for sale in the area at any one time. Also, don't expect to test drive an Enzo, or an F50, something like that, without proving you are a serious buyer. But a 308/328?

FYI, I just did a bit of web searching, and Tonkin has a 348tb, while NW Investment Cars has both a 328 and a couple of 308s. Both of their websites (http://www.rtgt.com and http://www.nwicars.com) suggest you "call and schedule a test drive." Give 'em a call and let us know what happened!

 

getting test drives is a problem up here as well;

one private lot requires a written offer to purchase subject to PPI and test-drive, before handing over the keys to a 328GTB. The Honda dealer here required a written offer to purchase with no subjects, before allowing an S2000 out for a "test" drive!

Also not many older Fcars around - I've been looking for a year for a BB512i (or any BB) in Western Canada with no luck. I did find one in mild-restoration and not fit to run (not for sale). One dealer advertised, but ended up the cars were in Montreal.

 

I don't mean to disagree with you but I don't think that this salesman was polite at all. No matter how nice he talked to let the customer walk out disapointing was just rude... I think the man was just lieing to you. I am sure they got the insurance and everything. May be he was bad at judging character and not took a chance on you. But to deal with a high end product saleman like this you really need to show them who you are. Golden Rolex watches, diamond rings they love to see you in them... believe me they help.