Buying without test driving

[timgarrett]

Just drove a local dealer mannequin today. That was first time. As good as expected based on reviews. Hoping my Bronco arrives within 2 weeks (that is the estimated per shipped e-mail and tracker).

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[stuckinohio]

I was dumb and didn't reserve one originally due to sticker shock. And because I loved my JL Wrangler with the exception of seating/passenger compartment lack of roominess.

So I kind of wrote off a Bronco till this July when a local dealer had a 2 Door Badlands mannequin available only to sit in. Once I sat in it, I was pretty sure I wanted one. the next day or so, another Dealer got in a 4 door mannequin Badlands. I drove it and knew I didn't want the 2.3l engine and didn't wan't the 4 door because it wasn't as roomy.

So I sold my Jeep to capitalize on the crazy market right now and finally reserved a 2 Door badlands July 7th.

No matter what the cost, I had to have the Bronco. I wish I would have just reserved and ordered originally!!!

 

[indio22]

Curious how many of you folks in this long haul waiting game have still never even test driven a Bronco? And have no urgent desire to do so before getting yours?

I was reading another thread where a member was taking a little heat for buying without driving first, and it made me curious. Of the few vehicles I have bought brand new, I've never bothered test driving any of them. Not for comparison's sake with other models anyway. Just a quick spin around the block before I bought it to make sure nothing crazy stood out. Anybody else? Where's my weirdo's at?

I've never bought a vehicle without first seeing and test driving. I want to see, touch, drive (taste, smell, lol), and get a clear feel for a vehicle before buying. I typically don't buy a vehicle for the image, so test driving matters more for me than some folks. Meaning ownership is not the thing for me, it's the actual usage.

For your hammer analogy, I don't buy a hammer to look at and admire, or an expensive hammer to hang some pictures. Unfortunately Ford kind of f*^%$#@!ed over customers like me with their early reservation scheme. I'm not Ford's preferred customer at this point, and because of that maybe I will never be their customer, will see ...

 

[Happytown]

.... I drove it and knew I didn't want the 2.3l engine and didn't wan't the 4 door because it wasn't as roomy.

That seems counterintuitive, but I've never seen a 2D in person and I have seen others make the same remark. Does it seem roomier to you because of a larger cargo area?

 

[stuckinohio]

That seems counterintuitive, but I've never seen a 2D in person and I have seen others make the same remark. Does it seem roomier to you because of a larger cargo area?

I'm pretty sure the doors on the 2 door are longer than the front doors of the 4 door, so the B Pillar is moved forward a little bit on the 4 door. I am tall and large with wide shoulders, so the B pillar hits my shoulder and arm in the 4 door. It doesn't touch either in the 2 door.

 

[lasttj]

How many new cars have you test driven?

I was a lot guy for ford, a mechanic at toyota, and sold at dealers for 4 different manufacturers and as a result am also my family's designated car shopper person. I've driven probably a few hundred new cars (guessing maybe 70-80 different models), and I can't even guess how many used cars.

Test driving used cars i get. But I've never once been surprised by the feel of a new car. Trucks feel like trucks, small cars feel like small cars, big cars feel like big cars, minivans feel like minivans. Luxury models feel like luxury models, cheapies feel cheap. Only reason I test drove the Bronco was because my wife was curious. Guess how it felt? Half way between a truck and a wrangler. How was the wind noise? as expected. How was the tire noise? as expected.

I'm not saying everyone should have all the same knowledge I do, but the idea of finding it "crazy" to buy without a test drive? Not crazy at all. If you are a car person, you can pretty much guess what a car is going to feel like before you drive it. Perfect example: guy traded in a 2 year old 135i that was manual. I like manuals, so i took it for a spin. Want to know what it felt like? Well, it's a small BMW coupe built on a budget. It felt like a small car with plenty of power, good steering response and road feel, and as good a fit and finish with discount-luxury materials.

If you've driven a lot of cars, there aren't too many surprises left.

Read my post again.....I said it's crazy not to test drive the FIRST YEAR of a new model. And on top of that, pay some ridiculous amount of ADM for it. These Bronco's have been introduced with so much hype, I am certain that some buyers don't realize it is a truck and are disappointed when it doesn't handle like a Volvo SUV or something similar. They just gotta have one because it's new and nobody else on their block has one.

 

[mrjerry469]

Just test drove a badlands today at my dealer , 2.3 it was pretty quick.

 

[Rahkmalla]

Read my post again.....I said it's crazy not to test drive the FIRST YEAR of a new model. And on top of that, pay some ridiculous amount of ADM for it. These Bronco's have been introduced with so much hype, I am certain that some buyers don't realize it is a truck and are disappointed when it doesn't handle like a Volvo SUV or something similar. They just gotta have one because it's new and nobody else on their block has one.

First year or not, it felt exactly how many of us were expecting it to feel. As for people surprised that a hardcore 4x4 doesn't feel like an XC90 and buying anyway... well there's no helping some types of people.

Calling the first group crazy because the second group exists seems like painting with a very wide brush.

 

[AZ_Liberty]

Some things I would want to test drive, others not so much.

Last Mustang I bought my wife insisted I take it on a test drive. Why? I've owned 6 of them. I know how a Mustang drives, and can find the controls blindfolded.

We did have her test drive her new F-150. Mostly to make sure that the 2.7 engine had enough oomph for her. The plan was basically, we can buy you a new F-150, drive the 2.7, 3.5, and 5.0 and decide which is minimally acceptable.

I'd test drive a Tacoma before I bought one, because I've never owned one before. Bronco... eh.. not a lot of choices out there if you want a stick shift, so it's either the Bronco or another Mustang.

I am glad that I sat in a 4-door though. Unless you do so, you don't realize how tight and cramped it feels.

 

[Daktari]

test drove my dealer's Wildtrack mannequin for 30 min a couple weeks ago, 2.7 auto 4 door soft top in cyber orange, so pretty close to my Badsquatch. Made sure to stay out of sport mode so I don't know what I won't have in my BL. Zippy, super fun to drive, trail turn assist is a lot of fun on a gravel lot. Mine should show up any day now, so that's when the real test driving begins. Can't really tell much from a short spin around the block anyways.

 

[zdurban]

I drove a Badlands at the rodeo in New Hampshire and that convinved me to keep my order rather than go get a Jeep (BTW I've owned 2 Jeeps)

 

[RBF 1401]

I've owned around 20 vehicles and never test drove a single one... But that's because they were all gifts or hand-me-downs.

 

[Jjt24]

My sales guy asked me if I wanted to test drive their demo when I put my order in. I declined, I drive new F-150's at work all day and had a 1st gen raptor that I sold earlier this year. I can wait for mine to come in.

 

[Happytown]

So, one takeaway from this post, I see several folks have mentioned they thought the 4D felt cramped in the front seats, I assume because of the B-pillar position. On paper though the dimensions are almost identical. Is it really that noticeable of a difference? We sat in some 4 door models, have never even seen a 2 door. I can imagine if that pillar was inched back just out of peripheral view it would "feel" more spacious, but is it really?

 

[redone17]

Personally, I’m psyched that I had a chance to do a test drive. Otherwise I would have been stuck with an automatic are regretted it forever. I went to a local dealer (not the one my reservation is with) that had an OBX 2.7 auto with lux. Not at all what I had on order - but, I just needed to get behind the wheel of one so I could justify the hours spent researching and obsessing over this next venture in our lives.

When I arrived at the dealer the salesman that I booked my appointment with had the OBX out with another customer. A little annoyed since I had scheduled a specific time and I was full of excitement - when another salesman who greeted me said “don’t worry, he’ll be back in a couple minutes. In the meantime do you want to check out the Black Diamond we have available?”

I said “wait…available as in - for sale?” (I have a BD on order)

“Yup, and you can test drive that one too…as long as you know how to drive stick”

Done and done. I’ll never look back. Manual is how this machine is supposed to be driven. After some deliberation with the other half (she hasn’t driven stick in 25 years) I put a deposit on the BD the next morning. Within an hour they had an offer for $10k over and it was all mine! Very thankful.

It sealed the deal even more after using the OBX as a loaner for over a week (while mine was in body shop for minor fixes). I could go on and on about why I didn’t like auto/lux - but, it’s just not what I’m looking for in this particular vehicle. I want compete control over a rugged off-road vehicle. Not a robot driving me. I’ll have that when we get an EV in a few years.

I’ve been pining for another manual after getting rid of my old VWs. I wanted to convert my TDI Wagon for years - but it never made sense. Sold it for good cash for part of the down payment within days of committing. Funny, because I wasn’t considering silver after driving one for the past 10 years…but, now I love the contrast with the black and grey accents.

Just wish it was a 2DR - but, that would have pushed practicality out the window and wouldn’t have gotten the wife’s thumbs up. Perhaps 7G.

My order is now Priority Code 99 until I see what they come up with for 2023.

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