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Test Drive Your New Car
With all the warranties and guarantees now offered by new car dealers, you might be tempted to just assume any new car is free from defects or problems. Most new car sales reps love to take potential customers for a ride so they can talk endlessly about the positive features of a new car. You might begin to see the test drive as simply a formality before you negotiate a fair price. But, test drives can give you critical information especially when you are comparing new cars.
Ideally, you should take someone else with you to the dealer even if all you want to do is test drive new cars. This buddy can keep the dealer occupied with conversation so you can pay attention to how the car is handling.
You should plan to spend a great deal of time on the road, even up to a half hour. Don't go back to the dealership until you are ready. Also, pick your own route; don't let the dealer do it for you.
Here are some items you should pay close attention to when test driving a new car: Comfort, braking, steering and how easily and smoothly the car accelerates. Does the vehicle respond in a way that seems easy for you to manage? Are the controls easy to find and use? Do the brakes and steering respond quickly, but without jerking you around?
If possible, test drive all the new cars you are considering on the same day. This will give you a better feel for how they compare to each other. If need be, test drive a new car over again. If the sales rep tries to rush you through the test drive to a sale, leave the dealership and find a better one.
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