3 Tips For Test Driving Your Next Vehicle
Only Test The Best
People don’t take their choice of cars lightly, and for good reason – you’re going to be seeing a lot of your car over the next few years, so you want to make sure that it’s the perfect fit. And “fit” is the way to look at it. Sure, there are fantastic cars out there that have racked up a whole trophy case full of awards, but that doesn’t always mean that they’re the correct car for you. You, like everyone else (including reviewers), have a specific set of needs and tastes, and the only way to make sure those are met is by taking the car for a test drive.
We’re not saying you shouldn’t do your homework beforehand – you absolutely should – but the test drive should be where you make your final decision. Think of it like getting a pet: you can have a breed in mind, even a colour, but until you meet the little ball of fur, and interact with it, you won’t know if you’ve clicked. With that in mind, here are three tips for test-driving your next vehicle.
Inspect The Outside
At our exotic car dealership we see a lot of pre-owned cars, and we make sure that every single one is in great condition, with a transparent record and third party safety inspection. Even still, you’re absolutely encouraged to have a walk around the vehicle, being as thorough as you need to be with your own personal inspection. What you’re also looking at is whether this car looks good to you. Now, that may seem trivial, but it’s really not – people take in a car first with their eyes, and in order to fully enjoy a vehicle, you have to like the way it looks. Not many people would buy an ugly sweat just because it’s warm (except for around the holidays, maybe), so why would you buy a car for purely functional reasons?
Is The Inside Working For You
By all means, ogle the beautiful leather interior in our luxury cars. But the other thing you’re looking for, as you step into your test-drive, is whether the interior features work for your lifestyle. Do you like the fact that it has two doors, or would you be better suited by a four-door vehicle. Is there enough storage in the trunk for your lifestyle, or do you need more room? Even something as small as the number, and placement, of cup holders can come under scrutiny. Not everything has to be perfect, but you should be able to make a compelling case to yourself that this is the right car for you.
How Does It Drive?
When you lease a car in Toronto or another big city, chances are you’re going to be doing a lot of tight manoeuvring, and so you want to test how it handles. Test how it brakes, how it takes corners, and how it reverses (is there a backup cam? That’s definitely a bonus for city driving!). Most importantly, test how comfortable it drives. There’s not really a hard-and-fast metric for testing comfort other than your own gut feeling, so you’ll have to listen to your instincts on this one.
Once you’ve tested your car and given it your personal seal of approval, the best way to lease a luxury car is to talk to one of our representatives about tailoring a lease agreement that works for you. Just like finding the right vehicle, getting the right lease is of key importance, which is why at AUTO ONE Group we don’t believe in a “one lease fits all” approach. As mentioned, this decision will be a big part of your life, so make sure you get the car, and the deal, that works best for you.