Our friend Cary Lockwood, the automotive guru and local radio show personality, was chatting over the phone the other day when I happened to mention that I might soon be in the market for a new (or less old) car. He made a startling—and IMHO startlingly brilliant—suggestion: once you’ve narrowed choices down to two or three cars that you could be serious about buying, don’t test-drive them. Instead, rent them.
He pointed out that, in the first place, a ten-minute spin around the block and up the freeway is no way to determine whether the car fits your needs or to become familiar with its handling characteristics. And second, it’s hard to evaluate a vehicle with a salesman hanging over your shoulder pitching the thing. The test drive is one of several tools car sellers use to pressure you into buying. Even when you know this, most people easily succumb to the emotional appeal of a shiny new vehicle.
Cary observes that today’s vehicles are built to run, relatively trouble-free, for ten years or more, if you take care of them. The smart frugalist figures that the longer you can drive a car, the less it costs over the long run. I, for one, plan to drive a car for ten years or until it falls apart, whichever comes last. Because it’s a big investment and you’ll have to live with it for a long time, doesn’t it make sense to invest a few extra dollars and some time to be sure you’re making the right decision?
Rental costs for a Prius run around $40 a day—maybe less with a coupon or corporate account. The New York Times calls hybrid rental prices “excessive,” but it’s hard to assess the truth of this. Car rental companies play coy about pricing; I haven’t found one that will quote a price unless you sign up to reserve a vehicle. A survey of various sites suggests rental rates in general run from around $38 to $150 a day. Forty or fifty bucks for an entire day of test-driving time looks reasonable when you intend to hang onto a vehicle for upwards of a decade.
Cary suggests that you take plenty of time to test the air-conditioning, the seating capacity and comfort, the gasoline mileage, and the car’s handling characteristics. You might even consider renting it for a three-day weekend, giving time to drive it under different conditions and maybe take it on the open road for a day trip. Here are a few things to check out:
• How quickly and effectively does the air-conditioning cool the car?
• If you have kids, does the interior accommodate your car seats? Don’t guess: install the car seats and observe how they fit and how difficult it is to get the car seat and the child in and out of the vehicle.
• Does the trunk or storage area hold a week’s worth of groceries? How about your golf clubs or skis?
• Can all the drivers in your family see the speedometer and other dials clearly when the driver’s seat is adjusted to fit them?
• Get in and out of the drivers’ and the passengers’ seats several times. How easy (or difficult) is it to get in and out of the vehicle?
• How responsive is the steering?
• How well does the vehicle take curves?
• Does the car accelerate fast enough to enter a freeway safely?
• With the car moving at the legal speed limit, brake hard. Observe the time it takes to bring the car to a halt and the car’s performance during braking.
• Make a U-turn. How large is the vehicle’s turning radius?
• Find a bumpy stretch of road. How’s the comfort factor on a rough surface?
• If you decide to drive the car out of town, how does the comfort in the driver’s and the passengers’ seats hold up over the long haul?
• What, really, is the gasoline mileage?
While many of these tests can be done during a standard car dealer’s test drive, several require time and the absence of a pesky salesman. Renting the model you’d like to buy is a smart way to go.
Excellent advice!!!!!…If only I had thought of this before I purchased not one, but two vehicles fail to satisfy due to the lack the features that make for a great car (good gas mileage, auto-lock, sitting up high, numerous cup holders that will accomodate any size, dashboard controls that MAKE SENSE!, etc.).
Great advice! I hope I remember this when it’s time to get another car. That is such an excellent idea!
Wonderful advice. Some years back I really liked the PT cruisers and wanted to buy one. Then I rented one on a trip and found it not that comfortable.
@ Kay Lynn: Suspicions confirmed. But, oh! They ARE so cute!!!!!
Renting a car is a great idea!
Or if you have an iron personality and think you can avoid succumbing to sales tactics, you could also ask the dealer if you can take the car home for an overnight test drive. Surprisingly, many dealers will let you do this.
Really good idea! But more for buying a new car or getting the general picture for a particular vehicle than a specific used one. A used car could have its own unique problems.
Any ideas on how you’d manage to get around finding out how a 5-7 year old car might run or how the heat works, etc.
OH, this is a great idea! You’re right, a ten minute spin around the block isn’t enough time to figure out if a car is going to work out. I have a friend who bought a PT Cruiser years ago and loves her little car.
I never even thought of renting a car before buying it, what a neat idea. I just bought a used car, I wish I had come across this post sooner!
That’s clever! I’ve been pretty lucky with the last couple of cars. I do keep mine for 10 years, so I’d better love it LOL.
@ all who commented on “Don’t Test-Drive,” thanks for stopping by. @ Car Negotiation Coach: in researching this post I did run across a few mentions of this idea. It’s certainly worth asking a dealer if you can rent or borrow the car overnight…the worst they can do is tell you “no.” If I were a dealer, I’d be concerned about theft, or about whether the person would commit a crime while using the car, but presumably people in the sales business are less paranoid.
@ Kasey: Of course, when you buy a used car (as when you adopt an adult dog from the pound), you’re inheriting someone else’s problems. Edmunds.com has information and general advice on buying used cars. Best thing to do, I think, is to work a deal with the seller that the vehicle has to be approved by your mechanic before you buy it. My mechanic has said he will come with me when I go to look for the next car, which under my present circumstances obviously will have to be second-hand. It’s always good to have a male voice in tow when negotiating with car dealers; if the voice is attached to an expert, so much the better!