Car salesmen and sales managers who control the keys for test rides are very good judges of people. The dealer's continued success depends upon it.

Chances are they spot you are not a serious shopper and do not wish to waste their time with you. Also, as others have touched upon the cars in these price ranges are harder to move if they have miles on them. A buyer will come in and test drive a car then buy one with no added miles leaving the dealer with a car it might have to discount to move due to the accumulated miles. This is not helped by those who brag about thrashing demos which kills the market for any car with anything but factory delivery miles. These are seen as demo cars and are a hard sale.

The Corvette keys were thrown at you because of the oversupply of cars. Had you bought the car the salesman would have kissed you on the lips.

When I have been serious about buying a car I've never had any trouble getting test drive. Also, I've even been offered test drives in some cars -- most recently a GT2 -- which since at the time I had no interest in the car I declined.

 

I have had no issue with this with anything but the GT-R.. I strolled down to the Porsche dealer today and test drove this 2012 NEW Turbo S. This without even asking, he offered to take it for a spin. They also understand I am very interested and at a very good price, but do want explore the other options in similar price range. I mentioned my two other options are a R8 and used Gallardo. He told me that he could easily arrange a test drive in a Gallardo, by having one transported from their lambo dealership about 4 hours away. He of course also talked up how the P Car is a better choice and much better ride.

 

Yeah coming from two gallardos to the 997turbo,
There might not be a cool bling factor like Gallardo has, but definitely more fun and day-to-day driving ability with the 997turbo.

5.2 r8 is great, but its still a Audi, it will break. Haha

This is my second 997turbo, and never had problems with them with putting big numbers in the tires. Good luck!

 

Well guys, I talked with a dealership about three hours from me. I will be going down this weekend and looking at a 2011 Gallardo with 3,500 miles and a 2008 F430 Scuderia. I wasn't originally looking into the Ferrari much. BUT, I am willing to look.

Both are near the top range of my new budget, and about $20k more than the Turbo S.

 

Clearly. No such car exists.

I do have a hard time processing the cross-shopping of a daily drivable Turbo S and a relatively track ready 430 Scuderia. Seems like opposite ends of the spectrum. Good luck!

 

That they may be, unlike many here I am new to the exotics and $100,000 (+) cars. I don't know exactly what I am looking for I don't need a daily driver as stated we have a 535xi and a Range Rover Sport. We have no children yet and looking to enjoy the time until then with something for myself. Maybe I should have explained my back story further in the beginning.

The topic of this entire thread was the issues I had test driving a GT-R, and listed many other cars I wanted to explore, stating I don't know exactly what I am looking for. The car has no essential purpose but for pleasure.The two cars not being compared to each other directly, more as to how they drive and perform, cosmetics, and what kind of deal I can get.

Thanks for replying, but I think you got the wrong impression from it all. I even said I had no intentions of a F430 but I am willing to look at it as I feel for the price, options, and mileage its not a bad deal. I am making the trip for the Gallardo.

 

You've got an awesome disposition. I definitely wish you well on your quest.

Yeah, that's one of the rules of the GT-R (as a rule of percentages, it keeps fewer potential buyers away as it does people who just want to drive one for a bit, with no intention of buying one).

Have you driven one, yet? It may seem weird, but you may prefer living with it, over other vehicles.

 

I am in your position and price bracket. The LP Gallardos are really great, but will depreciate heavily. The Scud will flat blow your *** away, but its really hardcore.....its not for everybody.

My frontrunners are the Murcielago roadster and Ford GT. Don't purchase until you drive both.

 

I'll only add my 2 cents. I would NOT recommend buying a GTR without driving it. And not without an extended test drive. The GTR SEEMED nice enough to me. The reality of ownership has been miserable. The car is way stiffer than a TT with coilovers. The Recaro seats are even narrower than Sport Adaptives. Add to that, a stock exhaust drone at about 2k RPM, constant transmission whirring and howl from the 20" runflat tires. The car is great for the awesome rush of power and incredible launches, but after you are done with those, the car is not terribly livable. Perhaps only if you take it out on the weekends and take people for rides. To each his own; I only recommend to make sure you know what you're getting in to.

 

Haven't read all the posts other than the first page on this thread and I have to agree with Divexxtreme. Personally when I'm looking at a 180k or even a 100k+ car, I would be deterred from buying one that has been subject to test pilots.

My advise is try to find the next best thing in a used car or build a relationship with your dealer. The guys I deal with, I have bought two Porsche's through them to date - and have no problem driving anything off their lot - that said, they know I'm serious when I do take something for a drive.

Slightly off topic, the relationship I have developed with my dealer had at one time involved a quid pro quo, which landed me (meeting the... if I recall correctly, was the head of Bugatti Engineering and) test driving a Bugattii Veyron Super Sport. 2 hrs in that car will change any mans "religion"!

 

guys im a gm of a nissan dealership and i tried my best to keep test drives on gtr's to a bare minimum, the same people in here that say to insist for a test drive, are the same ones that would be upset past 20 miles or so on a new car, if you came to pick up a gtr and it had 130 miles on it and i said"dont worry it was only test drive miles" and you asked "how many people" and i said "10-12". im telling you right now being that i have been thru this many times after 13 years, customers dont like it! even on a sentra they dont like it. What i trained my staff to do as others have posted was to do our best to evaluate each potential buyer and only drive what we deemed to be those very close to buying. I know thats not perfect and that it upsets some people but we have to do the best we can to protect these cars and future customers

 

Also keep in mind that most people who test drive want to go wot and get a feel for what the car can do, and also heavy braking, lets face it, you dont take a super car out for a sunday drive to test it. And if I may even if any of you have owned 30 cars and been un 100 or so different test drives, im basing my opinion on thousands at this point

 

Exactly! +1

 

... And I'm out...

 

What a great plan. I am adding that to my bucket list. What does that cost roughly?