A test drive should give you’re a real feel for how the vehicle handles, and if your comfortable driving it. Some times a car may look great, but you don’t like driving it.
Most of the time a salesperson will drive the car off the lot, then stop and turn the wheel over to you. Before you get behind the wheel and while the automobile is moving, you should evaluate the car from the passenger’s point of view. How’s the ride, and visibility. Once behind the wheel, put the car though your normal driving conditions. If you spend time on the freeways, take it on one. See how well it handles the road. Take the car up to normal highway driving speed, 60 or 70-mph. Change lanes, make sure you can see out the windows for safety. One of the great things about buying a automobile at the Valencia Auto Center is our wide open areas in Santa Clarita. You can test drive a car is just about any condition. We have freeways, mountains, and city streets.
On the test-drive, evaluate these key points:
- Acceleration
- Engine noise
- Passing acceleration (does it downshift quickly?)
- Hill-climbing power
- Braking (do the brakes “grab” suddenly?)
- Steering (does it have any play in the wheel? is it easy to place the car?)
- Cornering (does it “hug the road”?)
- Suspension (how does it ride?)
- Seat comfort and ergonomics
Keeping these points in mind, drive the vehicle. Really drive it. Tell the salesperson you want to put it through its paces. Step on the gas (don’t floor it since the engine isn’t broken in yet) and hit the brakes (when nobody is behind you). Turn into a corner. The point is not to exceed your driving limits, but to explore the limits of the automobile.
We hope these tips help you in choosing your next automobile. Remember the friendly people of the Valencia Auto Center are here to make your next car buying experience, great!
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