What was your first experience test driving?

ImportConvert

I agree. Felt like a chunk of billet on wheels. Solid car.

Do they stay like that, or is it just when new?

LunaZ

Pissing down rain, country roads around Lancaster County and a quick shot down the highway.
About half an hour of exhilaration and sheer terror as I tried to get the feel for what the car was all about without tossing it.

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Dembflyr

The first dealer I stopped in to refused to let me take a test drive because I was honest with the salesman and told him I wouldn't be purchasing for about six months. He even went inside like he was asking the manager if I could.

I went back about four months later and talked to him again. This time they let me go for a ride. It was a good ride actually. Some back roads and a little highway so that I could punch it while merging.

When I told him about my last visit he made like be didn't know what I was taking about.
I didn't buy from them mainly because they didn't have the combo I was looking for.
It wouldve been a hard decision if they did.

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OldGuy

Test drives, usually with a salesman at your side, in a car you don't want to abuse because someone else eventually will buy it, don't fully let you get to know any given car. I didn't detect the road noise I heard after purchase and I was too distracted with so many other observations in the car (and being careful to not damage a strange and very expensive car) to fully evaluate the quality of the ride (harshness). But I was smitten with the car and "felt good" behind the wheel and was sold. I'm glad I bought but a half hour sample drive preliminary to years of ownership is like one evening with a potential spouse compared to the decades of marriage that follow---neither reveal most of the bad or most of the good.

daisuke149

first test drive..

was simple cruising at first seeing shifting, features, ride etc.

then a spirited run from about 10-60 on a back road and then slamming brakes as hard as i could.

turn radius check.

then going around a very nice curved long on ramp, gunning it from 20 to about 80 (it curved left and then right so was really good)

But that was it. I had enough, had to buy the car.

b1adesofcha0s

First test drive: Pretty normal. When we got to the highway, I asked the salesguy if he minds me testing the power out a little bit and he said it was find. A few seconds later, I find myself going over 100 and not even realizing it. Luckily, the guy didn't say anything . I didn't buy it from there because the price was too high.

Second test drive: I really just went in for pricing this time. One of the salesman insisted on taking me for a test drive in a 6MT even though I told him I didn't know how to drive manual and was only gonna buy an automatic. He insisted on showing me the SRM feature and the capabilities of the LSD. I think he just used me as an excuse to drive it himself. He went into a nearby parking lot to do donuts. Didn't buy from here for pricing and other obvious reasons.

Third test drive: This is when I finally bought it. Drove it around the block during a snow storm just to make sure everything was working right.

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shadoquad

I first test drove a Z at Carmax. I did only a little spirited driving, but noticed that the turn radius was wider than I'd expected, the car didn't get loose easily in turns, I was unimpressed with SRM, and I noticed that the car didn't feel like it was going as fast as it actually was ("Holy sh*t I'm doing 80?")

But my favorite test drive was the Camaro. First, the dealership is located around some of the nicest driving roads in the state, so I was amped to go drive it there. But I didn't get the chance. There was a car flipped on the other side of the road, so my immature salesman begged me to slow down so he could snap a pic with his camera, and then told me that we needed to get back soon so he could show his buddies. To top it off, the plastic on the interior was peeling. This car was brand new.

TheGreatOne

Didn't test drive

Like someone else said, I've researched this car so much, wanted one for so long and actually I drove a members car from my350Z back when I was looking into importing an 04 or 05 350Z 2 yrs ago.

All I did for this one was go see it after it came out of storage and was sitting in the dealers garage. Sat in it and was like "yup, want it"

When I went to pick up the car, the wife was pissed I didn't test drive, I was like "don't worry about it. Test drove it in my head many times" She was not amused

Seeing as it had some clicks on it already I should have, but I was just so set and excited on getting it.

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kielbasa16

The thing that I remember the most from my test drive was poor visibility. Just so much less of it than anything else I had ever driven, though of course now Im used to it. My first test drive was actually the AT and I wasnt as impressed as I thought I would be, but I may have been biased already knowing I wanted MT. I didnt drive the sport package (SRM) until I purchased mine and was really happy I got it.

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Mag Black Kielbasa

Cunnos

Test driving the car for the first time is awesome, i went to two dealerships and the sales guys definitely encourage you to give it gas and have fun. I think they love the cars just as much as us. The first test drive was incredible, i was on a back road with my father in the passenger seat in a 2010 automatic with sport package. My father owned two datsuns back in the day, i think a 240 and 280, so he was pretty pumped. As we are driving down this back country road, we get out of a corner and I floor the thing and we were both speechless. My dad looks over to me and says "wow this thing certainly has a lot more power than the ones i used to own". I pulled over and made him drive it back to the dealership and we were both sold. The dealership did not have the color/combo i was looking for so i gave up searching, then two weeks later they called me up early in the morning and said "i know you were looking for a silver 370z, we just got a 40th edition coupe which is pretty similar, would you like to come in and check it out".......needless to say i went in at lunch and signed the papers.......I pulled into the dealership and they had just got the 40th that morning, so all the sales guys were around the car during their lunch break.........i still cant believe i own the car......

Jack370Z

I already knew I wanted a 370 and was going to buy one so I was recommended to the new car Sales Mgr at a local dealer...they were extremely cooperative. Set me up with a salesman that drives road Atlanta and is an enthusiast. We took out a base '09 MT. He didn't care how I drove it..."do what you want DRIVE IT" he said so I did. Main thing I noted was the clutch...it was hard to master. The salesman had me drive it directly into the service dept to have them check the adjustment but we know it is just the Z clutch...it's tough...it is still a challenge at times. I loved it, they found and went to get the set up I wanted and I bought it two days later.

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Jack 09 370Z

sucasa

I found my car at the dealership with 20 miles on it. I test drove it.. kept the revs below 3500 RPM.. I knew i was going to buy it, minute i looked at it..

few hours later.. it was in my garage.

Vegitto-kun

I never test drove it.

Oscar135

I was actually in the market for a used 350z when I test drove a 09 370z. The salesman let me take it down a nice windy road and I was able to play with the shift sync. He didn't mind how I test drove it. I ended up buying my Z from a different dealership off the showroom floor without a test drive. I'm so glad I bought new versus used!

Snakes709

I liked my first expeirence in some parts...

The day i first got to test drive it, i just finished dynoing my supercharged cobalt, got off the dyno, pissed off that i didnt hit what i wanted to after sinking alot of money and time. So i went home, jumped on my ZX6R and went for a ride to cool down. Went by a Nissan dealership and seen a few 370z. I pulled up and while i was still sitting on my bike, taking my helmet off. The salesmen comes up and says nice bike, so we talked about my bike for abit. Then he asked what can he help me with. I asked to test drive a 370z. No questions asked or anything, he said sure. I was shocked. Where im from, if a 23 year old guy, that at least isnt driving a nice car or nicely dressed, they dont get to test drive something like that.

So since i was only 23 years old he took it off the lot. He tried to show me some stuff, in the process he burned the hell out of the clutch. We switched spots, i took it, fell in love, got the dealership a photo radar ticket by doing 120kmh in a 60 zone (opps...lol) Went back and started the paper work.

Theres only been 2 times i been treated that good by a dealership, that time and the day i found my truck.

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