Dealer Test drive refusal?!?!

[Wiley Marmot]

Call and demand to talk to the General Manager. That's BS.

What @roadpilot said! And, if that doesn't work; call/contact Ford Corporate! Good luck!

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[steveo1960]

I live in NYS but in suburbia and I've had both experiences. Either the salesperson is sitting in the car during test drive or they just hand me the keys and ask me to put gas in it if it runs low. They pay for the gas, obviously. I've even had a dealer loan me a demo for a weekend. I ended up buying the car. It was a VW Jetta for my daughter. Dealer, a small town mom and pop operation, didn't have a Mustang when I ordered but before my car was delivered they received one in stock that was similar and the salesmen emailed me an asked if I would like to test drive, which I did. Again, took a copy of my license and handed me the keys.

 

[Radiant]

Good to know, thanks again. What would you consider the price point of a unicorn car then?

For a GT Fasback? Adding $12k+ in options puts it in the same price bracket as a Dark Horse or well-equipped GT Convertible.

 

[ZBOBMAN]

Anyone who thinks a potential customer should spend $40K to $80K (or more) without test driving is being nothing short of unreasonable.

And stereotyping people based on how they look - too young - why is that OK? Should we ban others from test driving, too, because of the color of their skin because we believe they have a higher propensity to steal? Come on ...

I see your point. But, if you go to sell your dark horse and a very young driver ask to test drive it, would you give them the keys. I had a similar experience when selling my 88 gt. I insisted on accompanying them to answer any questions. After 2 blocks they started hard shifting and riding the clutch. I told them to stop the car because the test drive is over. Didnt care if they were upset.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

For a GT Fasback? Adding $12k+ in options puts it in the same price bracket as a Dark Horse or well-equipped GT Convertible.

Sorry, I meant in general what price point does a car become a unicorn car? (I hope that clears up any confusion.)

 

[Radiant]

Sorry, I meant in general what price point does a car become a unicorn car? (I hope that clears up any confusion.)

I don't think it's a set price point alone. A Porsche dealer doesn't want a lime-green interior Cayman on their lot, even though you can order it through the configurator. A Mustang dealer doesn't want a GT with weird cosmetic options (red with black stripes, orange interior, bronze appearance package and blue brake calipers) or $15k+ in options, it's just too niche.

 

[roadpilot]

I see your point. But, if you go to sell your dark horse and a very young driver ask to test drive it, would you give them the keys. I had a similar experience when selling my 88 gt. I insisted on accompanying them to answer any questions. After 2 blocks they started hard shifting and riding the clutch. I told them to stop the car because the test drive is over. Didnt care if they were upset.

You, too, have completely missed my point.

I'm not a car salesman whose job it is to sell cars. If I don't give the kid my DH keys, I'm still going to eat and I won't get fired.

 

[BoostRabbitGT]

I don't think it's a set price point alone. A Porsche dealer doesn't want a lime-green interior Cayman on their lot, even though you can order it through the configurator. A Mustang dealer doesn't want a GT with weird cosmetic options (red with black stripes, orange interior, bronze appearance package and blue brake calipers) or $15k+ in options, it's just too niche.

So basically if I ever became a millionaire or more, I'd be a dealership's worst nightmare because I'd be the guy most likely to have the niche color combinations (albeit as tastefully as I'd like it to be) and niche option combinations. That is also genuinely good to know, thanks!

 

[ZBOBMAN]

You, too, have completely missed my point.

I'm not a car salesman whose job it is to sell cars. If I don't give the kid my DH keys, I'm still going to eat and I won't get fired.

I dont think I missed your point. I am only asking to put yourself in the dealers shoes. You said you gave your keys to your dark horse to your 20 year old daughter. Handing the keys to your dark horse to your daughter is different. You have a relationship of trust with her.

BTW if this happened to me, I would be p1ssed off and take my business some place else. i know I might be speaking out of both sides of my mouth when I say this, but I completely agree with you that there is no place in this world for stereo typing and I would not do business with someone who stereo typed a potential customer.

 

[roadpilot]

I dont think I missed your point. I am only asking to put yourself in the dealers shoes. You said you gave your keys to your dark horse to your 20 year old daughter. Handing the keys to your dark horse to your daughter is different. You have a relationship of trust with her.

BTW if this happened to me, I would be p1ssed off and take my business some place else. i know I might be speaking out of both sides of my mouth when I say this, but I completely agree with you that there is no place in this world for stereo typing and I would not do business with someone who stereo typed a potential customer.

Yes, you missed my point. Twice now.

A car salesman sells cars to earn a living and make money for the dealership owner. He gets paid to do this. He doesn't have the luxury to stereotype potential customers. Not only is he risking losing a sale, he's risking losing his job ... and even risking making his employer incur legal expenses for a lawsuit.

Selling an otherwise unnecessary vehicle via private sale carries absolutely none of those worries. I could have it crushed if I so chose to do so.

 

[Zig]

Sorry, I meant in general what price point does a car become a unicorn car? (I hope that clears up any confusion.)

Not necessarily a price point but more a unique combination that was undiscovered and or not publicly a popular option that turns out to be highly valued for both its uniqueness and its low production quantities, especially if its a unique combo that ends up with a tremec in a gt type of thing, although produced during normal production runs.

Yes, you missed my point. Twice now.

A car salesman sells cars to earn a living and make money for the dealership owner. He gets paid to do this. He doesn't have the luxury to stereotype potential customers. Not only is he risking losing a sale, he's risking losing his job ... and even risking making his employer incur legal expenses for a lawsuit.

Selling an otherwise unnecessary vehicle via private sale carries absolutely none of those worries. I could have it crushed if I so chose to do so.

although how many times have you indicated you are not a car salesman in this thread? A big difference between circumspect and stereotyping.

 

[roadpilot]

although how many times have you indicated you are not a car salesman in this thread? A big difference between circumspect and stereotyping.

As many times as it takes to get simple facts through thick skulls, apparently.

Trying to change what you said by using a five dollar word doesn't change the fact that you were CLEARLY stereotyping.

 

[Zig]

As many times as it takes to get simple facts through thick skulls, apparently.

Trying to change what you said by using a five dollar word doesn't change the fact that you were CLEARLY stereotyping.

Not even close please quote my stereotype statement.

 

[roadpilot]

Not even close please quote my stereotype statement.

Did your memory fail you already? I shouldn't need to do this.

Post #20. You stereotyped all the younger generations ("kids") as not being able to be trusted to test drive a (your) sports car.

 

[Zengineer]

You could just find another dealer to test drive one at. I am not sure what the point is whining on the internet.

That's true. Everyone knows the correct response would be to make a dramatic YouTube video with a sketchy clickbait title asking if it was some sort of discrimination.

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