What to Do When Test Driving a Vehicle?

Test driving is just getting in your prospective vehicle, doing a couple spins around the block and that’s it, right? While test driving a vehicle should accomplish whatever it is you’d like to experience out of being behind the wheel of it, and thus can vary from person to person. There’s a lot you can get out of a test drive if you formulate a plan, and know exactly what you should be looking for, and what exactly to do when you’re out on the road. We’ve compiled a couple tips and quick steps for you to follow on your next test drive here at Davey Auto Sales, ensuring you can make the most informed decisions possible before you drive home in your next dream car.

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Top 5 Things to Look Out for When Buying a Used Vehicle

1. Plan & Research Beforehand

We hope that you did some research before you came in to do shopping in the first place, but you should also plan ahead for the test drive, in specific, and know what you want to get out of it. Ask yourself questions like what’s most important in the vehicle to you? What features will you be using the most? What will you be primarily using the vehicle for? What has bothered you about vehicle’s you’ve had in the past? Know what to look for and what you should be paying attention to on your test drive, so you can have a focused intent. As well, don’t be afraid to take notes for future references.

2. Inspect the Exterior & Interior

Before you get in the car and head out on the open road, do a thorough inspection of the exterior and interior of the vehicle. This is not only to confirm its condition, but to truly get to know the ins and outs of the vehicle, especially the rear passenger space, and most notably if you have kids that will be sitting back there, while you’ll mostly be relegated to the front driver seat. Don’t just focus on what directly concerns your immediate driving demands, but the vehicle as a whole.

3. Sit Inside, & Gauge Your Comfort

This next step is all about you, though, sit in the driver seat and make yourself comfortable, and gauge how truly comfortable you are. This includes not only the literal seat (be sure to adjust it, and personalize its ergonomics to find the perfect fit), but also every interior feature around you, from your pedals to the passenger seat to the centre console to the ease you can look toward the back. The driver seat will be where you spend the grand majority of time in your vehicle, so make sure it meets your standards before you even head out on the road.

4. Interact & Familiarize Yourself with the Dashboard & Controls

Of course, driving a vehicle means it’ll be more than just the steering wheel that you’ll be interacting with. Make sure to go through all of the centre console and dashboard controls, not only to confirm they all work, but to also see how comfortable and easy it is or isn’t to interact with all of the onboard features. Do you just need to make a few adjustments to interact better? Or, maybe the buttons and functionality just isn’t something that works for you. This is important to recognize, and is just as important as the actual feel on the road.

5. Test Drive, In All Driving Situations

Now it’s time for the fun stuff, and to hit the road with your prospective vehicle. Not just a road, though, make sure to purposefully engage in as many different types of roads and driving situations as possible. Take the vehicle on city streets, the highway and the country, if possible, and, of course, make sure to drive the vehicle through your usual day-to-day areas, such as your typical commute, or trip to the grocery store. Get to know the vehicle on roads known to you, and ones that may be a little less familiar.
Experience a test drive like few you’ve ever enjoyed before thanks to the high quality, clean used vehicles offered in our inventory, and the driving pleasure of the Oshawa streets that surround our dealership. Contact us to start the process of finding a new-to-you vehicle, including a memorable test drive here at Davey Auto Sales.