You can get almost all the information about new (or used) cars you want to buy over the web, and you can even negotiate and arrange purchase and delivery. The one thing you CAN'T get on the web is the real feel: do you personally like the feel and comfort of a car and how it drives. To try out different makes of car, you need to visit lots of different dealerships, work through each of their hassles, just to get behind the wheel.

How about setting up a real auto test-drive center. For, say, $20, you could get to test-drive up to say 10 different model cars. The fee might be refundable by coupon when actually buying a car from an affiliated dealer.

The center could also provide all the current info on the cars you drove, etc., including referrals.
-- lee, Jan 24 2001

Student Advocate http://www.studentadvocate.org
The Higher Education Consumer Advocate [pdawg, Mar 31 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Could be expanded to other mail-order goods (though it works best for expensive items for which you don't mind paying a reasonable fee to "try before you buy"). Gateway is already opening "stores" where you can try out their systems before making a mail-order purchase...
-- egnor, Jan 25 2001


I feel it's easier to get a quick test drive by telling the salesperson that you have a ten thousand dollar down paymnt and are looking to keep your monthly payments below seven hundred. the trick is to look like you don't know if they'll be able to do it. You'll find that your behind the wheel of a brand new mustang rather quickly.
-- buckrogers, Jan 25 2001


of course the business model would incorporate the "sloppy seconds" philosophy: top dollar for being the first waterbag ever to test that car, and the 100+ (or 1000+?) vehicles would be the cheap seats. "Actual Newness" is an accessory commodity here.
-- absterge, Jan 26 2001


I think this is exactly where the car manufacturers want to go and I think it's a great idea. Some folks derive considerable pleasure from playing games with car sales people but I regard them as obstacles in the search for useful information. I think we are going to see manufacturers slowly buying up franchises and then creating regional sales centers where you can go test drive to your heart's content without any pressure to purchase.
-- coaster, Feb 10 2001


Solution: Get a job at a car rental company washing cars. You get to drive lots of brand new cars and see how good or bad they are. Oh, and you get paid for it, too.
-- AfroAssault, Apr 07 2001


Or a job as a shuttle-driver. <That's what Avis called them, I don't know what other companies do...> Then you get to drive them on the road, instead of 100 feet to a parking space.

Avis has mostly Chrysler and GM cars, Hertz has mostly Ford types, and Jaguars. Other companies I don't know...

StarChaser the Ustabea Shuttler Tyger
-- StarChaser, Apr 08 2001


About 2 yrs. ago, I saw a car company that would make available two of the competitor's cars for comparison test drives. I think it was Honda.
-- wireless, May 13 2001


There was a commercial a little while ago <few months, I think. Don't watch a lot of commercials> for Saturn that said the guy brought a Saturn, a Camry and the equivalent Honda to the customer's house so he could test all three at once.
-- StarChaser, May 14 2001


//. I think we are going to see manufacturers slowly buying up franchises and then creating regional sales centers where you can go test drive to your heart's content without any pressure to purchase.//
Hahahahahahaha
-- thumbwax, May 15 2001


Next: place that does test drives and publishes (i.e. makes public) measured specs. A lot more measured specs than, say, "Consumer Reports". And publishes them as an SQLable way. People say I'm a dreamer.
-- LoriZ, Mar 31 2002



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