Extended Test Drives - What Options Are There?

Soldato
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Posts
6,571
Location
Sunny Sussex
Hi all,

In the next 6 months, I will be looking at a new car, one I aim to have for at least 3-4 years. As such, it’s really important I find the right car for me.

I’m fairly sure what I want, so I’ll probably end up in either:

  • 330/430d
  • A4
  • Golf R
  • Leon Cupra
However, I haven’t had the opportunity to drive any of these yet, so I haven’t a clue which I will prefer as my daily.

I would love to be able to test drive each of these over the course of 2-3 days, for example, to really get to know each one.


Do I have any options?
 
Caporegime
Joined
17 Jul 2010
Posts
25,659
Unless you go to a brand dealer and buy new your only real option is rental. No used dealer is going to loan you a car to put miles on for 2-3 days.
 
Soldato
Joined
5 Mar 2010
Posts
12,305
Audi weren't offering extended test drives when we purchased our recent car. As part of the vag group I'd imagine the same would apply to VW and Seat. I can't imagine BMW being much different tbh.

You could probably push for a couple of hours. It'll be pretty expensive to rent them all for a few days.
 
Soldato
OP
Joined
14 Apr 2014
Posts
6,571
Location
Sunny Sussex
Audi weren't offering extended test drives when we purchased our recent car. As part of the vag group I'd imagine the same would apply to VW and Seat. I can't imagine BMW being much different tbh.

You could probably push for a couple of hours. It'll be pretty expensive to rent them all for a few days.

Interesting - which dealership was that?
 
Man of Honour
Joined
17 Oct 2002
Posts
159,534
Hire one. I've learnt far more about cars from renting them than I ever did from any test drive.

What's a hundred quid or so to make sure you buy the right car?

Hiring an A4 or 3 series is easy and inexpensive, Golf R and Cupra less so.
 
Soldato
Joined
21 Jul 2008
Posts
4,912
As Fox mentions, hiring one may be the way to go. But you will need to find the right rental company. As they often just rent out in "class". I wanted to try a Mondeo, and went to rent one for a weekend away, but they didn't have one so gave me a Qashqai thing. I'm not sure on what planet they are considered the same class, but there it is, ha ha.

On the other hand, I once rented a "Focus" class car for a month, and they gave me an A4. So probably best to call a few to make sure you get what you want.

I did recently get a Caravelle on an extended test drive though (24 hours). Obviously that is from VW, but their commercial arm, so may be different. Or it could just be that different dealers are different. So always worth asking about a few, if there are a few local. Locally to me all the local dealers for all them brands come under the same "group", so it might be possible to arrange if its similar near you, as you are likely to be buying a car from the group anyway, even if not from the BMW or Audi building within the group.
 
Soldato
Joined
7 Dec 2011
Posts
10,401
Think it varies by dealer and (obviously I guess)what they actually have around. I got Ford to give me a Focus ST estate for half a day - just asked if they could find me one and they happened to have one locally
 
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