5 Things to Look for in a Test Drive

The time has come to find a new car and the search you have gone on has paid off at last. You have found a vehicle that might be “the one” so you decide to take it for a test drive. When test driving a car, you will likely already know at least the basics such as its miles per gallon, engine type, whether it is two or four wheel drive and other things of that nature that were important in your initial search. Now it is time to get down to the nitty gritty and see if this is going to be your next car. Here are a few things to keep in mind during your test drive before purchasing a new vehicle.

5) Comfort

When you sit down in the car are the seats comfortable? It can provide a vital first impression when getting into a car. Another thought has to be about the car’s leg room. Do you have enough and how easy it is to adjust the seats so you have enough room? Are the seats in the back adjustable as well? Everyone in the car needs to feel comfortable or why bother buying it? Despite the fact that the salesman will be constantly talking up the car, keep an eye on how comfortable the car is during your test drive. When you are driving the car or sitting in the back seat make sure you are comfortable throughout the ride.

4) Storage

Does the car have enough seats for everyone in your family? Is there enough trunk space? These are also very important questions to ask yourself while test driving any car. If you decide to bring a family member along with you, have them keep an eye on it while they are in the back. As far as vans and SUVs are concerned, do some of the seats in the car collapse so that you can bring enough gear to a particular event or activity? Does the car have a compartment in the back that leads directly to the trunk without opening it so you can store longer objects or put something in the back during a drive? If you were told that a car has a feature that you need, make sure they have it and that you approve of the way it operates.

3) Features and extras

Cars these days have so many cool features like satellite radio, sunroofs and other great amenities. Does your car have the ones that you are looking for? As far as safety features go, do you have roadside assistance if you get into an accident? Does the car have a camera in the back to help you see what is behind you when you are backing out? Is the car equipped with collision warning, lane watch and automatic brakes that will stop the car if it thinks that you might hit something? These are all important extras and features that you might want to have in a car- so see if they work during the test drive.

2) Power

How quickly does the car go from 0 to 60 miles per hour? Can it pass other cars on the highway without any trouble? How quickly can you stop your car when you are driving on the highway? Focusing on the car’s road performance is obviously the point of the test drive so make sure it passes your test. Cars can go faster now without putting as much power on the pedals so get a feel for how fast you can go and what it takes to slow down your car.

1) Handling

This is very important when test driving a vehicle. How smooth does the car make turns? Does it corner well? That means you need to find out how much it takes for the wheels of the car to turn as you turn the steering wheel. Do you need to turn the wheel a lot to make a wide turn or do you only need to move the wheel a little bit? Efficiency can be important to a driver and differs depending on your preferences. During the test drive, it is important to get a grasp of all these things when it comes to handling.

A test drive can sell you on a car or make you realize it is not the one- so make sure to keep track of these factors. Most importantly, make sure that you like the car and it suits your needs. If so, it may be the car for you. Contact Flemington BMW today to schedule a test drive in one of our incredible vehicles.

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