I called in advance and spoke with my salesman on the phone. I asked if my wife and I (and my 2-year-old with her car seat) would be able to test drive the TSX alone, and he hummed and hawed for just a second and then said that their policy is usually to go along, but that it would be alright this time. He kept a photocopy of my licence, but otherwise there was no trouble. I even explained that I was not ready to make a decision yet; I was planning on doing it in the fall and I was just narrowing my choices down, and he still agreed. (Then I went back and bought it a week later. Just too great a car.)

But then I've always had the opposite attribute: I look older than I am. It's definitely nice to drive the car without a salesman, so that you and your significant other can feel free to speak your mind about the car. Not that you can't with a salesperson around, but it just doesn't feel the same.

 

Stevens Creek Acura (San Jose, CA) let me test drive a 6MT TSX with only 7 miles on it with no hastle and the guy who went with me suggested that we take it on the highway. After that, I test drove a 6MT TL with less than 25 miles on the same route. Neither was a demo.

I ended up purchasing from Sunnyvale Acura because the other guys couldn't get the color I wanted for a while. The one I ended up getting had 236 miles on it!!!! So, that is what happens when many people test drive a car that is kind of hard to find. Though I wasn't too happy with the miles on the car, I went ahead with the purchase as I had called many dealers and was told that the color combination I wanted (black/black) was very difficult to get in a 6sp with Navi - and these guys had gotten it in for me.

 

Do NOT goto Acura of Boston for your Test Drive... they blow! I got a < 2 mile test drive on Soldier's field road... and they insisted on asking if I could buy that night 10 times.... no joke. I kept saying, not till this weekend (it was a Thursday night). after my 2 mile test drive at a top speed of 50 for 4 seconds... (I never cleared 4th gear) they wanted to know if I loved the car and wanted to buy... ridiculous.

Herb Connolly in Framingham offered to take me out on highways and backroads if I came back (I showed up 5 minutes before closing, which I totally understand)....

Acura of Auburn kicks ass... They took their only MT TSX out for test drives, they get that it's important to really drive a car before buying it... I got to drive down the highway, tool around some backroads and fly back up the highway.. I think it was a 30 minute test drive. They offered to give me the keys and let me take it out all by myself but I asked the guy to come to show me the nav system and stuff.... If you goto AoAuburn ask for Mark Rosa... great guy!

 

Another option is to sit down and agree to pay MSRP or something slightly below. Add on a couple options for good measure.... Test drive the car and then when you're done just say you didn't like it and walk out :-)..... if you decide to buy a car goto another dealership or roll back into the same one a day or two later..

 

Dealer attitudes vary on test drives. I tried three different Acura dealers and got three different responses when I didn't want to give out my unlisted number. One dealer, Tischer Acura of Laurel Maryland, just flat out said no phone number, no test drive. We walked out. The second, Rosenthal Acura of Gaithersburg Maryland, carefully explained to us why they needed the number and assured us that it would only be used as a follow up. We gave it to them. The third dealer, Chevy Chase Acura of Bethesda Maryland, asked if we could give them an email address then, if we had an unlisted number. No problem.

Chevy Chase Acura was great. I test drove both a manual and a auto with the salesman. After thinking it over for a few days, I called the salesman and explained that the Acura didn't seem as fun to drive as my Jetta because of the steering. I asked if I could borrow a loaner/demo for two nights. She said they would be happy to give me one overnight but they had never had anyone ask for two nights. I explained that I would pick it up after work, drive it mainly the next night then drop it off the morning after that. I wouldn't have enough time to properly test drive it otherwise because of my schedule. She checked with her manager and told me to come on in.

Needless to say, I bought a car from her a few days later.....