How to Test Drive a Vehicle

Testing driving a new vehicle, when done correctly, is a lot of fun.

You’re experiencing a completely new car that could possibly be yours, if you fancy it enough. There’s a bit of an art to test driving a car, especially if it’s a used one. You can’t just rock up, take it for a lap around the block and then buy it. There’s a certain process you should stick to, and certain things you should tick off your list.

Let’s take a look at how to test drive a vehicle and who to call when you think you might be ready to purchase one:

1 Homework

Homework in high school sucked, but homework when buying a car is actually fun. Do your research on the make and model of the car, read reviews of the dealership and get a gist of things to keep your eye on. It’s best to know all that’s humanly possible about the model you’re looking at before stepping into the car yard.

2 Phone a friend

If you have a friend or family member who’s handy with cars, bring them! They’ll be able to guide you through the test drive and maybe even take a look under the bonnet, which is less of a safety protocol than it is an Aussie tradition. Buy them a coffee after the drive.

3 Before the drive

It’d be quite remiss of you not to check the car out before sitting behind the wheel. Take a long look at the paint job and body and suss out the condition. Then, open all the doors and test the windows to make sure everything works. Check if it has a spare tyre. Check the tyres themselves to see how much tread they have. Turn on the car and make sure the radio and air-con works.

4 Take a seat

Take a seat behind the wheel. Is it comfy? Or does it feel like you’re sitting on Lego? Comfort is a massive part of driving a car, especially if you’re going to drive it every day.

5 The drive

Here are some key things to keep in mind when you take it for a spin:

Visibility – Vision is an important thing to consider now: you don’t want to buy the car and realise later that the vision is poor.

Gear shift - Is it a nice, tight shift from gear to gear or does the gearbox lag? A clunky gearbox is something you want to avoid.

Acceleration – Is the accelerator lagging at all? Is there any delay when getting up to speed?

Brakes – Test the brakes to see if they do what they’re supposed to.

If you keep these tips in mind, you’ll be A-OK when test driving a vehicle. If you’re thinking about buying it, call us first! Our team are expert car brokers who can help you make the right decision when buying a new or used car. We’ll use our database of over 2,000 car dealerships to get you a better price on the vehicle you’re looking at. Contact us today!

see our available used car stock

$19,880.00 Cab Chassis

How to Test Drive a Vehicle

Testing driving a new vehicle, when done correctly, is a lot of fun.

1 Homework

2 Phone a friend

3 Before the drive

4 Take a seat

5 The drive

see our available used car stock

2009 Isuzu D-MAX

2018 Mazda 3

2017 Suzuki Swift

2016 MINI Hatch

2018 Subaru Forester