Test driving a car is a great way to determine if the car is going to be a good fit for you.
Without a test drive, you could find that the car does not drive as nicely as you would expect it to, and the car may struggle with certain performance factors that matter to you as a buyer.
For young people looking to purchase a car, it can be hard to tell if the car is the right choice.
Knowing what to expect from a car test drive is a good thing to know before you get to the car dealership.
We have gathered everything that you need to know about test driving a car.
How Old Do You Have To Be To Test Drive A Car?
To test drive a car, you will have to have a license and be over 18 years of age.
The license is what allows you to legally get on the road.
However, each dealership has different rules about what is acceptable and what is not acceptable.
Some will require that an adult or guardian must also be present in addition to the younger person who is looking to test drive the car.
Other dealerships make it difficult for anyone less than 21 years of age to test drive a car.
You may be wondering what the reasoning behind this is, and it has everything to do with insurance and liability.
If a car dealership starts letting young people out to test drive a car, they are taking quite a bit of responsibility into their hands.
This is often not just about damage to the car and more about damage to a life or several lives.
Car dealerships have to carry quite a bit of coverage on their vehicles and their buildings.
If insurance companies want to put limits in place about the age of the individual allowed to test drive a car, they absolutely can.
This leaves the dealership with no choice but to follow the information and respect what their policy says.
Is It Necessary To Test Drive A Car?
For those who are a bit too young to test drive but are still interested in purchasing a car, there can be a bit of a dilemma.
There are a few benefits to test driving a car, especially one that is used.
With a used car, you will want to determine if the car runs properly, sounds fine, and if you see any warning lights come up on the dash.
If your used car test drives fine, you may have a better idea as to how the overall performance of this car will be.
Another reason to test drive a car, especially a new car, is to get a feel for what the car is like.
Some small cars will be very low to the ground and make people feel a little less safe.
Some other larger cars can be so large that they will be challenging to manage or potentially even handle like a truck.
Getting into the car and taking it for a test drive is a great option to consider.
For those who are too young to be allowed to test drive a car, there are some other ways around this.
One way is to bring a friend or family member along who can test drive the car for you.
They may be able to give you a good description of what the car feels like and how it will handle.
You may even be able to go along for the test drive just to see what the car feels like as a passenger as well.
The way that modern cars are made, it is very hard to find a car that does not feel or perform well.
Most cars will have plenty of great features and a comfortable ride, and the test drive is not going to be the most crucial part that is involved in the car buying process.
Another option for those who are too young to test drive a car is to find a friend or family member with a similar car and see if they are willing to let you drive it a bit.
The requirements for this are obviously that you have a valid driver’s license and are able to properly maneuver the car around.
Once you have that and the permission of a friend or family member, this is a great way to check out the latest car technology on the market.
We find that sometimes this situation is more comfortable and gives you a better overall feel for what you are dealing with than something like a test drive with a dealer.
Can I Test Drive A Car Alone?
Although car salespeople are just trying to be supportive and offer the most important information about a car that they can, it can sometimes be difficult to have them along for the test drive.
If you are a driver who gets distracted easily, or you simply want a bit of peace and quiet to decide if a car is the right choice for you, a test drive alone is smart.
Some dealerships have a zero-tolerance policy for this request, and they will never let you take the car out for a test drive on your own.
However, many places will gladly give you time on your own in the car to sort out your purchase decision.
Many car dealerships find that when they make the process less stressful and give people more control over the situation, the end results are much better.
Making customers sign their life away and keep a salesperson in the car to take the vehicle around the block does not have the best feel to it.
Instead, walking into a dealership where they say, “Here are the keys; go see if you like it,” will be more relaxed and appealing to most potential car buyers.
Taking a car out for a test drive on your own is an ideal way to purchase a car, but you will have to be careful as to where you are purchasing from.
Can I Test Drive A Tesla?
Some of the high-end car dealerships can be a bit more selective about their car test drive process.
If you are looking into purchasing a more expensive car, it may make sense to call ahead of time and see what the requirements are to test drive.
At some Tesla dealerships, you are going to be able to test drive a car for a few days at a time as opposed to taking it around the block.
Truly, this is a very smart option on the part of Tesla because people tend to fall in love with the car after a few days, and then they want to purchase one.
For Tesla, the sale almost closes itself because of the experience people have when driving this car.
For the most part, this process of taking a car for a few days will require a person to be over 21 years of age.
In addition, there could be certain income and credit requirements that Tesla will confirm before releasing the car into the hands of the test driver.
Of course, as a test driver who is taking a car for a few days, the damage that could potentially happen to that car will be your responsibility and covered under your insurance policy.
The Tesla dealership will ensure that you have the proper insurance before letting you take the vehicle.
The insurance on your current car can typically be sued to cover you should something happen to the Tesla when you are test driving the car.
The Tesla car is an excellent option for those who are impressed by the environmentally friendly aspects of car ownership, but it is a rather expensive choice that doesn’t work for everyone.
Those who are wanting to consider a Tesla should be a bit older, seriously.
How Long Is A Test Drive?
Most people who have bought various cars can tell you that you will quickly know whether a car is a good fit for you.
Simply taking it around the parking lot can be all that is necessary to determine if the car works for your style.
However, getting the car on the road and seeing how it accelerates and moves is an intelligent decision for potential car buyers.
A test drive tends to be about 15 to 30 minutes long.
Depending on the salesperson you have and their interest in the sale, the ride could be a little longer.
Car salespeople tend to have an excellent idea of whether you are a serious buyer.
If they think you are serious, the test drive could get a little longer simply to allow you more time to take in the great benefits of the car.
If you are just shopping and you are honest about that, the car salesperson will probably not spend as much time with you.
Indeed, 30 minutes of driving the car around will provide you with plenty of information about whether or not this is the car for your needs.
What Do I Need To Test Drive A Car?
Test driving a car is not difficult at most car dealerships.
Typically, the requirements are going to include having a valid driver’s license.
Some test drive locations are also going to want to make sure that you have a current insurance policy on your car.
This policy can often be used if there is an issue with the car when you take it out for a drive.
Test driving a car is not difficult, and most dealerships will not make a big deal out of it.
However, it is good to understand all the requirements before you head out to test drive your potential new car.
The last thing you want to do is show up and not have the prior information to get this completed.
You may want to give a call to the dealership prior to going there to see if there are any additional requirements for your test drive.
Conclusion
Hopefully, you can now see that there are some requirements and limits to test driving a car.
For most people over 21 years of age with a valid license, test driving is simple.
However, those who are younger than 21, and especially those who are younger than 18, may find that test driving is going to be hard to arrange.
Try our other solution of having family and friends help you with this process to make sure you are purchasing a car you can hold on to and enjoy for years to come.
Buying a car is a big decision, and it’s good to get the right one.
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