How are you suppose to know if you are going to like a car before you buy it?

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How are you suppose to know if you are going to like a car before you buy it?

Posted: 8/30/2015 10:58:42 PM EDT

I always wondered this. I have bought a few cars in my day and for the most part I was pretty satisfied with them. Except for an Impala I had. Everyone thought I was a detective. It was weird, to the point kids were asking me if I was one.

I guess you could rent one? But its not like you can rent every model out there. Just curious, because the thought of buying a car and then taking a huge loss because you hate it seems pretty crappy.

Posted: 8/30/2015 10:59:37 PM EDT

[#1]

Going to go out on a limb here and say test drive one?

Eta: I watched about one billion youtube reviews before I bought my 2014 Mazda 6. Decided it all had the features I wanted for a price less than the competition. Went to a dealer, test drove it, liked it, bought it.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:03:54 PM EDT

[#2]

Test drive everything, put more than 10 miles on it. If you find something that interests you still then rent one for a week.
A couple hundred spent could save thousands.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:11:27 PM EDT

[#3]

If you go to a dealership, ask for a BCA.

It stands for Borrowed Car Agreement.

Basically, you get a longer test drive.

Take it home, take it for an hour drive, etc.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:14:58 PM EDT

[#4]

Here I thought this thread was going to be one big metaphor.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:17:52 PM EDT

[#5]

New car smell spray.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:18:46 PM EDT

[#6]

I buy full size pickups. I have driven just about every model of pickup from the big 3 dating back at least 15 years. I know exactly what I want.

So I guess my answer is buy what you're familiar with.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:20:11 PM EDT

[#7]

My BMW dealer lets me keep it overnight and said have fun. Never even ask for DL or insurance.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:20:27 PM EDT

[#8]

test drive...

Have you seriously never heard of a test drive?

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:21:31 PM EDT

[#9]

Quoted:
I always wondered this. I have bought a few cars in my day and for the most part I was pretty satisfied with them. Except for an Impala I had. Everyone thought I was a detective. It was weird, to the point kids were asking me if I was one.

I guess you could rent one? But its not like you can rent every model out there. Just curious, because the thought of buying a car and then taking a huge loss because you hate it seems pretty crappy.

View Quote

what i typically do is take some vacation time at work, and then moonlight for that week at my friend's valet parking business. his company contracts with high end restaurants, mainly.
but for me it's a good way to spend a week taking about 30-40 different nice cars for a 30 minute drive -- it's a lot easier to be critical of a 75K BMW's seats when the vehicle is not yours.

ar-jedi

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:23:03 PM EDT

[#10]

Quote History

Quoted:
My BMW dealer lets me keep it overnight and said have fun. Never even ask for DL or insurance.

View Quote

^^^ that.

btw that lease proposal you posted last year on f30fanatics or bimmerforums or wherever S-U-C-K-E-D.

ar-jedi

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:24:25 PM EDT

[#11]

Read all the comments from reviews you can find,talk to owners,Drive it like you stole it during the test drive

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:29:00 PM EDT

[#12]

Most brands let you test drive it over the weekend. May not be the exact car you buy but you get the same experience.

Posted: 8/30/2015 11:30:52 PM EDT

[#13]

test drive it for an hour or two, take your own route, don't take the dealer route and see if you can keep it over night

Posted: 8/31/2015 12:07:18 AM EDT

[#14]

Quote History

Quoted:
test drive...

Have you seriously never heard of a test drive?

View Quote

Yeah, I'm talking about a weekly test drive.

Posted: 8/31/2015 12:08:31 AM EDT

[#15]

Quote History

Quoted:

what i typically do is take some vacation time at work, and then moonlight for that week at my friend's valet parking business. his company contracts with high end restaurants, mainly.
but for me it's a good way to spend a week taking about 30-40 different nice cars for a 30 minute drive -- it's a lot easier to be critical of a 75K BMW's seats when the vehicle is not yours.

ar-jedi

View Quote View All Quotes

View All Quotes

Quote History

Quoted:

Quoted:
I always wondered this. I have bought a few cars in my day and for the most part I was pretty satisfied with them. Except for an Impala I had. Everyone thought I was a detective. It was weird, to the point kids were asking me if I was one.

I guess you could rent one? But its not like you can rent every model out there. Just curious, because the thought of buying a car and then taking a huge loss because you hate it seems pretty crappy.

what i typically do is take some vacation time at work, and then moonlight for that week at my friend's valet parking business. his company contracts with high end restaurants, mainly.
but for me it's a good way to spend a week taking about 30-40 different nice cars for a 30 minute drive -- it's a lot easier to be critical of a 75K BMW's seats when the vehicle is not yours.

ar-jedi

Does he need some more part time help

Posted: 8/31/2015 12:09:54 AM EDT

[#16]

Quote History

Quoted:
Read all the comments from reviews you can find,talk to owners,Drive it like you stole it during the test drive

View Quote

Talking to owners probably makes the most sense.

Posted: 8/31/2015 1:14:56 AM EDT

[#17]

For my car I had some criteria I wanted...

four door

four wheel drive

reasonably sporty

double clutch paddle shifting

No spoiler or rather no large spoiler... the trunk lip kind is fine.

Then I saw a head to head review between the Subaru WRX and the Mitsu Evo... on top gear. The WRX won according to them but the two were pretty evenly matched.

I went and test drove the Evo as it had everything on my list and the WRX did not. Racing seats... that would have gotten old fast... but everything else is great so maybe I'll get used to it?

I learned there was another version called the Ralliart. with normal seats... only a little less powerful **cough 90hp less cough** and it's cheaper. That's what I got.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - How are you suppose to know if you are going to like a car before you buy it?

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