Not allowed to test-drive?

pocketse

Went to look at a car today with my missus. Arranged an appointment to view with garage. Had a look at the car and liked it and was within budget (€11,500). Asked to take it for a test drive and salesman said no. Only way i could take it was if i was agreeing to buy it and put down a €500 deposit. Deposit was only refundable if there was something mechanically wrong with the car. Tried to tell me this was the government Covid regulations that had been given to the garage. This can't be for real ?

Not a main dealership but large enough garage, just outside Clondalkin on M7. Theres no way I'm buying a second hand car without test driving it first. Walked away and got a text from him on way home saying manager had agreed to let me test-drive. Had sour taste in my mouth after that and had lost trust.

newuser99999

pocketse wrote: »

Went to look at a car today with my missus. Arranged an appointment to view with garage. Had a look at the car and liked it and was within budget (€11,500). Asked to take it for a test drive and salesman said no. Only way i could take it was if i was agreeing to buy it and put down a €500 deposit. Deposit was only refundable if there was something mechanically wrong with the car. Tried to tell me this was the government Covid regulations that had been given to the garage. This can't be for real ?

Not a main dealership but large enough garage, just outside Clondalkin on M7. Theres no way I'm buying a second hand car without test driving it first. Walked away and got a text from him on way home saying manager had agreed to let me test-drive. Had sour taste in my mouth after that and had lost trust.

Absolutely bizarre. They should be able to sanitize the vehicle after you test drive it. I’d be taking my money elsewhere, that’s just cheeky.

mayota

pocketse wrote: »

Went to look at a car today with my missus. Arranged an appointment to view with garage. Had a look at the car and liked it and was within budget (€11,500). Asked to take it for a test drive and salesman said no. Only way i could take it was if i was agreeing to buy it and put down a €500 deposit. Deposit was only refundable if there was something mechanically wrong with the car. Tried to tell me this was the government Covid regulations that had been given to the garage. This can't be for real ?

Not a main dealership but large enough garage, just outside Clondalkin on M7. Theres no way I'm buying a second hand car without test driving it first. Walked away and got a text from him on way home saying manager had agreed to let me test-drive. Had sour taste in my mouth after that and had lost trust.

Tell him to shove it.

bazz26

Utter horse **** story from them, my dad visited a number of dealers today and any car he was interested in he was offered a test drive. The only thing I can think of was that they were trying to see if you were serious about buying or just kicking tyres to pass time. However there are more discreet ways of doing that.

colm_mcm

pocketse wrote: »

Went to look at a car today with my missus. Arranged an appointment to view with garage. Had a look at the car and liked it and was within budget (€11,500). Asked to take it for a test drive and salesman said no. Only way i could take it was if i was agreeing to buy it and put down a €500 deposit. Deposit was only refundable if there was something mechanically wrong with the car. Tried to tell me this was the government Covid regulations that had been given to the garage. This can't be for real ?

Not a main dealership but large enough garage, just outside Clondalkin on M7. Theres no way I'm buying a second hand car without test driving it first. Walked away and got a text from him on way home saying manager had agreed to let me test-drive. Had sour taste in my mouth after that and had lost trust.

Just don’t deal with them. This isn’t standard practice.

Mooooo

Brother bought a car, No problem going for a test drive. Prob better as you don't have them with you

Wailin

A dealer on the M7 near clondalkin? Enough said, keep away from those chancers. Corrupt is not the word.

blindside88

Imagine trying to deal with them over a warranty issue if that’s their attitude to a test drive. I’d tell them where to shove the car

biko

Some companies like Volkswagen regulate test drives now, but it's company policy and not government regulations.

It could be down to that they need to disinfect the car before and after.

650Ginge

pocketse wrote: »

Went to look at a car today with my missus. Arranged an appointment to view with garage. Had a look at the car and liked it and was within budget (€11,500). Asked to take it for a test drive and salesman said no. Only way i could take it was if i was agreeing to buy it and put down a €500 deposit. Deposit was only refundable if there was something mechanically wrong with the car. Tried to tell me this was the government Covid regulations that had been given to the garage. This can't be for real ?

Not a main dealership but large enough garage, just outside Clondalkin on M7. Theres no way I'm buying a second hand car without test driving it first. Walked away and got a text from him on way home saying manager had agreed to let me test-drive. Had sour taste in my mouth after that and had lost trust.

Walk away. Terrible attitude, how would ever deal with that if you had any problems?

Del2005

biko wrote: »

Some companies like Volkswagen regulate test drives now, but it's company policy and not government regulations.

It could be down to that they need to disinfect the car before and after.

It doesn't cost €500 to sanitize a car and you only get the deposit back if there's a mechanical issue! The only thing a company doing that should get is a bollocking as you walk out the door.

Atlantic Dawn

Where you allowed to sit inside the car? Surely if you were the car is then potentially contaminated and needs a sanitisation the very same as if you took it for a test drive?

Iodine1

It's the customers responsibility to disinfect their hands afterwards, same as any shop, bus etc.
No way would anyone buy 2nd hand without a drive. Cars feel differently and it sounds more like a cover up, hoping you don't notice something. I'd walk.

Absolute madness. Last car I bought the salesman threw me the keys and said to bring it back the following day. No deposit down or nothing. Wasn’t a cheap runabout either. I did buy it.

slave1

Typical lazy salesman not giving a crap, you'd think he'd be bending over backwards to get some cashflow