Test drive duration

[hab]

Hello all,
We are contemplating a Gx4h to complement our soon to arrive Leaf. This will allow us to go further afield than the Leaf range allows without the need to find charging point(s). The Leaf will be the wife's runabout.

Is it the norm to only get 30 mins test drive in the car? We had 7 days Leaf test drive without restrictions.

Has anybody managed to get a longer test drive and were there any mileage restrictions applied? Ideally I'd like it for a weekend with the view to doing at least one long range and a couple of short trips, to get a feel for the vehicle and its economy.

Thanks

 

[jaapv]

When I ordered mine the first one had still to arrive outside Japan......

 

[Cymro]

My test drive yesterday was about 90mins.

 

[jaapv]

Over the years I have bought more than two dozen cars, of which half new, I cannot recall any testdrive lasting over an hour, nor would I expect anybody but a desperate seller accepting a significantly longer one. It is a testdrive, not a rental....

 

[maby]

They seem to be in quite short supply in many places - you may have to twist arms heavily to get more than half an hour.

The only thing you'll gain from a longer test drive is a view of real-world fuel economy - and that is quite easy to model in a spreadsheet with the information readily available. Assume an EV range of 20 miles, 12KWh to charge and a petrol fuel economy of 40mpg. Plug in your pattern of usage and electricity tariff and you'll get a figure out. Those numbers probably err on the pessimistic side (unless you are a boy racer), so you should not be disappointed in real life.

 

[KentishSteve]

7 day test drive surly this is going to be a post to remember I come back after I stop laughing FWIW I'm glad I'm not a car dealer because seeing me on the floor rolling around in bundles of laughter after that question being said, may offend I'm sure he!he! :lol: I dread to think how long you want to test "looking" buying a home on that note

 

[maby]

7 day test drive surly this is going to be a post to remember I come back after I stop laughing FWIW I'm glad I'm not a car dealer because seeing me on the floor rolling around in bundles of laughter after that question being said, may offend I'm sure he!he! :lol: I dread to think how long you want to test "looking" buying a home on that note

It was a 7 day test drive for a Leaf - and I get the impression that they are a lot harder to sell than Outlanders!

 

[KentishSteve]

7 day test drive surly this is going to be a post to remember I come back after I stop laughing FWIW I'm glad I'm not a car dealer because seeing me on the floor rolling around in bundles of laughter after that question being said, may offend I'm sure he!he! :lol: I dread to think how long you want to test "looking" buying a home on that note

It was a 7 day test drive for a Leaf - and I get the impression that they are a lot harder to sell than Outlanders!

I been short changed with my test drive it was done & dusted in 30mins out on my own, I prefer knowing a vehicle without a sales person, I wanted the PHEV in that test drive frame, mind you I have had various vehicles over the years & my mind is usually made up pretty quickly, end of the day we all different obviously hence 7 day test drives.

 

[Loada]

I asked a similar question after my short "introductory" (10 min!) test drive of a GX3h (they didn't have a 4h) and was left with blank looks from the Mitsu salesman. He mumbled something about "insurance not really geared up for that" but did seem genuinely surprised that I might want to take a £30k+ car for a slightly longer "solo" test drive.

I don't think it's a daft question considering the vastly different nature of the PHEV's driving - I was quite keen to see how it handled my usual commute route (including the vast collection of speed bumps I have to negotiate), visibility reversing up my sloped driveway, comfort and driveability when the entire family was loaded etc.

7 days might be a bit much (that's a lease deal by itself! ) but a 1 or 2 hour test drive (which would allow some charging try outs etc) would be useful. Of course, the dealers need to have the relevant insurance and anti-scam measures in place but these types of test drives are commonplace in other makes and models. I remember a salesman chucking my wife the keys to a Hyundai i10 demonstrator back in the day and telling her to "go and have a play and bring it back when you get bored" by herself (much to her horror - she's not a particularly confident driver). Yes, it's a cheaper car but that simple technique worked brilliantly and she felt much more comfortable testing it at her own pace - she bought one!

 

[hab]

7 day test drive surly this is going to be a post to remember I come back after I stop laughing FWIW I'm glad I'm not a car dealer because seeing me on the floor rolling around in bundles of laughter after that question being said, may offend I'm sure he!he! :lol: I dread to think how long you want to test "looking" buying a home on that note

Wow, you're a bit of a special one aren't you.

I'll put it simply so you can understand.

The 7 day test drive was for a Nissan Leaf.

Now to the Outlander. I was looking for a test drive over a weekend NOT 7 days. Not uncommon with some marques.

What has buying a house got to do with buying a car, or are you showing just how special you are?

Friendly place this.

 

[jaapv]

This forum is not meant to trade personal insults. Further fighting posts will be deleted.

 

[KentishSteve]

7 day test drive surly this is going to be a post to remember I come back after I stop laughing FWIW I'm glad I'm not a car dealer because seeing me on the floor rolling around in bundles of laughter after that question being said, may offend I'm sure he!he! :lol: I dread to think how long you want to test "looking" buying a home on that note

Wow, you're a bit of a special one aren't you.

I'll put it simply so you can understand.

The 7 day test drive was for a Nissan Leaf.

Now to the Outlander. I was looking for a test drive over a weekend NOT 7 days. Not uncommon with some marques.

What has buying a house got to do with buying a car, or are you showing just how special you are?

Friendly place this.

Hopefully the PHEV fits all your ticks & crosses on your longer test drive GL

 

[RazMan]

I had my first test drive (with a salesman sitting in the passenger seat) which was about 40 minutes. In this time I got to know the basics but as it was radically different to anything else I had owned, I asked for a weekend loan, collecting the PHEV on a Friday evening and returning it on the Monday morning. During this time I visited some family (about 200 mile round trip) and took it to work (to see how the battery lasts between charges) as well as a couple of shopping trips.

If it was a mainstream petrol or diesel car I would not have asked for anything more than a trip round the block as a test drive. It was the weekend test that sold it to me - I was confident that this new technology would fit my lifestyle.

 

[Loada]

@RazMan, that's what I was after but it wasn't possible. Presumably yours was with a large main dealer? My dealer (Jennings Middlesbrough) has just opened its relatively small Mitsubishi showroom (on site of the larger Jennings Ford dealership) and cited that as one of the reasons that they were not able to offer an extended "loan" test drive at that time.

 

[todgefast]

My dealer offered a 24hr test drive, which I think was great as I hadn't driven an electric car before. The PHEV is not a cheap car, and I would not have been able to make the decision on the back of a 10 minute test drive!!

 

[RazMan]

@RazMan, that's what I was after but it wasn't possible. Presumably yours was with a large main dealer? My dealer (Jennings Middlesbrough) has just opened its relatively small Mitsubishi showroom (on site of the larger Jennings Ford dealership) and cited that as one of the reasons that they were not able to offer an extended "loan" test drive at that time.

As we are looking at a considerable investment in a radically new kind of vehicle (at least new to Mitsubishi anyway) I think you are justified in being a little cautious - I would suggest going to a larger dealership and insist on a weekend drive before placing an order.

 

[KentishSteve]

Hi Hab

I've looked back at your original post & I'm sorry to say I got it totally wrong! I honestly did mis read it! Also being me I want to apologies to you & more importantly please don't think we are all unfriendly bunch, end of the day there is a wealth of information to be gained by this forum & members & I'm hoping to wipe the slate clean and move on

Kind Regards Steve

 

[sawman82]

Picked up Saturday and returned Monday morning for my test drive. But dealers are desperate to sell them over here.

 

[Ozukus]

The reason why they are becoming very popular in the UK is due to the tax breaks for company car drivers.

Just say your a company car driver with a budget of £33K and have the option to select between an Outlander GX4h, a Range Rover Evoque 2.2D Auto, and a Audi Q5 Tiptronic (both the 160 gram co2 versions). Basically you want an auto 4wd and these fit your budget.

In the UK we receive a tax free allowance of £10K, so no tax on the first £10K earned, then its banded with a higher rate for most people of 40%, however all benefits in kind reduce the tax free allowance meaning the more benefits you get then more of your money is taxed at the 40% rate.

The way it works for cars is based on a % of the cars value so if you get the benefit of a company car then your tax free allowance will be reduced. The % applied is based on the CO2 Emissions, lower emissions, lower percent, higher emissions, higher percent.

The average rate over the next 5 years for the Outlander will be 8% of list value, whereas for the other 2 it will be 29% and the worst offenders are rated at 37%.

So if you are earning well into the 40% tax bracket then the difference between the Outlander and the other two is that you save on average over £2,600 per year in tax over a 5 year period. For the worst co2 vehicles, over 200 grams, that cost around £33K then the saving is over £3,600 per year in tax.

If you then add reduced fuel costs along with no road tax, and if you do go into London, even occasionally, with no congestion charge compared to the £11.50, then it's a no brainer.

 

[NeilP]

That's a good post on the UK company car tax rules... I'm moving from a BMW 520 ED this Friday to the PHEV 4H and save roughly £135 per month net income.

Don't also forget those earning £50k - £60k also have to pay back childcare benefit at a sliding scale - so moving from the BMW @ 19% to the 4H @ 5% saves further on this specific tax