UKC

Today I dropped into a car dealer to collect some paperwork.

While he fished it out, the chap asked me to take a seat, so I naturally opened the door and sat down in the lovely Mazda MX5 cabrio to wait.

On the sign it said that a test drive only cost £12 for the insurance. Got me thinking.

How long could I go for a test drive?

Would I get away with testing it all day taking the missus out for a day in the Peak?

Anyone managed an ultra-test?

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

I believe quite a few garages allow a 24 hour test.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

Beware mileage limitations in the small print...

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

Someone very wealthy of my acquaintance had a new and very expensive Mercedes coupe on order. It missed its delivery date. As he was a very good customer, when he complained that he was due to take his girlfriend away for a long weekend, they lent him a similarly expensive model. He drove to Sweden and back. They weren't too pleased, but smiled through gritted teeth.

In reply to nniff: HAH,, excellent! but then your mate did have to buy a mercedes for this pleasure.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

As long as you want with their and the insurance company agreement. Usually not a problem for 24 hrs.
Possibly, but may have mileage and or other restrictions on insurance. Once I had arrange to get one, but could not take it on the day due to an insurance restriction problem. Ask and see what they say - the keener they are to sell ....!
Sufficient test for me - twice had cars for over five hours and once for 24 hrs with agreement. Latter was on my insurance though I think.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

When I was 16 my mate turned up at my house one day saying he had just test driven a car. He had just been idly looking at the cars on a forecourt and was asked by a salesman if he wanted to test drive the car he was looking at. Being 16 he didn't have a licence but the salesman let him off that. So you could possibly get away with a lot, but my friend was a renowned bullshitter so I doubt you'd actually get away with anything like that.

In reply to richyfenn:

Yup, I think your friend is definately a bullshitter...

In reply to nniff:

Thats 1190km each way by the fastest route not including ferries presuming your friend lives in Dover and was going to Malmo. He must like motorways your friend.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

Not sure if it was a special but I'm almost certain that Volvo were doing a weekend test drive when we last enquired. Never got far enough to find out about any restriction i.e. insurance, milage limits whatever.

Not sure I'd be too happy at paying for insurance on a test drive... what next petrol????

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

WTF???

In reply to Lurking Dave:
hey theres nothing wrong with be a male hair dresser

In reply to Indy: You are right, I should be more inclusive in my thinking, a mazda is just lovely. To be clear for someone else. but eugh.

LD

In reply to Saor Alba:

He must like motorways your friend.

Indeed - confirmed petrol head. They stopped in nice places along the way

In reply to Saor Alba:

There, fixed that for you

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

In the 1990s I had a Porsche 911 (which I had no intention of buying) from a main dealer for 24 hours. Took it down to the West Country and called in for tea with my ex wife, who then wanted to increase the maintenance I was paying......

I guess at some point I need to do a convincing impression of someone who might actually want to buy it.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

A good few years ago Saab did a 48hr test drive. Some friends did the cuillin ridge one weekend and the old man of hoy the following. They didn't dare walk past the garages for quite some time!

In reply to Parrys_apprentice:

old school friend of mine back in Denmark managed 3 days.
He returned it when police came and found him because the dealer reported it stolen.
He got away with it because they had not told him for how long he could test it.

In reply to Parrys_apprentice: my brother had a 48 hour test of a TT wife was about to get new company car. I'm sure they didn't tell outright fibs, they changed from an A3 to a mondeo and she may even have been obviously pregnant at the time!