Test Drive
I don't buy new cars. I buy used cars at substantial savings. I have discussed this before.
But some people like to buy new cars. For them, a mistake can be very expensive: $20,000 or higher.
One of the most useful things ever invented is the test drive -- useful for car salesmen. You agree to test drive a car. This tells the salesman, "This guy is a hot prospect." He drives around with you. He chats, always moving you toward a sale. You talk. You reveal what he is looking for: your hot buttons.
The test drive is well named: It's a test for the salesman to hook you.
What can you learn from a 10-minute test drive? Hardly anything. What can he learn? Plenty.
When you take the test drive, don't let the salesman in the car with you. If he insists, get in your car and drive away. Come back later. Talk with a different guy.
Let's assume he lets you test drive it alone, leaving your car behind. If you really like the car, take it back. Tell the guy you'll get back to him.
Then call a car rental agency and rent the same model, if it's available. Call several until you find it. You probably will. Rent it for a day. Drive it for several hours. You'll have a much better idea of how well it handles, what mileage it gets, and how your lower back feels after three hours driving.
Drive to someplace you would like to visit anyway. Get your money's worth from the rental.
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