Why You Should Test Drive
For some, having to test drive cars is somewhat of unenviable task, the rigmarole of having to visit different garages to take the latest Korean people carrier out for a spin isn’t exactly an exhilarating prospect. For me on the other hand, the task is an absolute pleasure. I am a self-confessed piston-head and not being able to indulge in my passion due to the economic limitations of University for the last four years left me feeling like I was missing out by only having a slow family car to play with. Don’t get me wrong I’ve been thankful to have a car which has been an absolute godsend for work and recreational use, but I somehow felt as i couldn’t express my true self, not being able to fully utilise my breeze block of a right-foot.
Imagine my happiness then when after beavering away for weeks putting in overtime shifts at the hospital I worked at, I had accumulated enough for a deposit on a hot hatch. Let the test drives commence! Having narrowed down my choices to three different cars I set about feverishly conducting research on the performance figures and spent my days off driving to various garages in Sussex to put these beauties through their paces using short term car insurance cover! The more tests I conducted, the more complex my choice became as I got caught up on the miniscule details of each vehicle’s specification .
Two months passed, I had narrowed my choice to two cars, both brilliant in their own right but they were practically inseparable in my mind. In the end I went with my insticts for the car which best suited my driving style and was more affordable. My enthusiasm was dimmed when I was informed I’d have to wait twelve weeks for it to be hand built in northern France! At least I had time on my side, I could sit tight, save some money and think about which one day car insurance to take out on the day of receipt.
For anyone looking to buy a brand new car, test drives should be an important element of your decision. Whether it’s a quick spin round the block or an extended test on country roads and motorways, a test drive will give you an idea not just of the ride, handling and performance of the car but of other crucial though not as sexy aspects such as driving position and visibility. You wouldn’t purchase a bed without laying on it or a pair of shoes without trying them on, so why pay out thousands more on something you will be living with for years to come without sizing it up first? Just remember to get temporary car insurance just incase you get a little over enthusiastic and scare the salesman half to death!