Selling your pride and joy and Test Drives

neilmcl

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I was wondering what most people's thoughts were regarding allowing your car to be test driven by complete strangers interested in buying privately. In particular, do you make sure that the potential buyer has comprehensive insurance to drive your vehicle? Do you insist on seeing their driving license for example or do you simply take the chance that nothing bad will happen.
 
I wouldnt do it, take them for a demonstration drive.

No one in their right mind would buy a car, privately or otherwise, without taking it out for a drive. Apart from my grandad that is who bought a brand new Nissan Bluebird only to realise once he picked the car up that the basic model he purchased didn't even have power steering! It was the size of a tank and almost impossible for him to park! :rolleyes:

Anyway, when I have sold a car before, I have just taken the chance almost like its one of those risks you have to take, but I've never really thought too much about it to be honest. Could you upgrade your insurance to cover any driver until it's sold?
 
Most comprehensive car insurance only covers you for third party risks when driving other cars so if someone test driving your car had an accident their insurance wouldn't cover the repairs.

I certainly wouldn't buy a car privately without driving it first as being taken for a drive could cover up a multitude of sins as the owner would be driving in such a style that it covers up the faults.
 
I was thinking more of insisting that they had taken out temporary comprehensive cover to drive the vehicle rather using their standard comp. cover which, as you rightly say, covers you to drive other vehicles at third-party only. Is this asking too much, what would your reaction have been to something like this?
 
When I've sold before, I've insisted on seeing suitable insurance details, or failing that, only allowed a test with me driving. If they did drive, I'll only allow one person in, the driver, with me in passenger seat (don't forget to remove all the other keys!) And only then with a suitable cash deposit.
 
Interesting question, here's my experience.

I once sold a car, a chap came to look at it, a pleasant enough asian gentleman who arrived driving a car (a Vauxhall Calibra, and he was coming to look at a 1.4 Escort, I can only assume it was for his wife)

He asked for a test drive so I handed him the keys and got in the passenger seat.

He nearly hit another vehicle approx 2-3 times whilst driving around the block and succeeded in thoroughly scaring even me (I don't exactly drive like a granny myself TBH)

He then offered me far less than the car was actually worth and consequently got told where to go.

Now, the flipside.

I just went and bought a new car myself.

I test drove the car without any insurance, just out of the little village, and back in again. I gave it a thorough beasting, caned it out of the village and back in, and tested the brakes rather vigorously - I wanted to make sure that the discs weren't warped on the front (common fault) and that the abs worked. The seller didn't even want to sit with me and certainly didn't ask me for any documents (I didn't have any either!) - suffice to say I bought the car, and would not have bought it without a test drive.

So, to summarise, I'm not sure - you could end up with someone with insurance who then kills you or damages the car whilst you are in the passenger seat, or someone without who just wants to test it out, returns it in one piece and then buys it having thoroughly abused it on the test drive to test for faults.

I think it's gonna depend largely on how much the car is worth, the age of the buyer (and therefore how feasible temporary insurance is), your judgement and whether you want to get shot of the car or not (and maybe whether or not there is actually anything wrong with it.....) I reckon I'd let most people have a spin with me in the passenger seat if I thought they were actually serious about buying it, despite what happened last time I did!!!

I also took my disabled brother in law to a popular used car hypermarket who wouldn't let me test drive a car for him until he had basically signed an agreement to buy it - they got told where to go too (he can't test drive it himself as second hand cars don't exactly come with hand controls ready fitted!)
 
Yep, as long as the person is insured (albeit 3rd party) you're not going to sell a car if you're asking people to take out temporary insurance unless it's something that is worth a LOT (i.e. £50k+). I'm currently looking at Audi S4's (around £10k) and if someone asked me to take out temporary insurance just for going for a test drive I'd walk away (I'm insured 3rd party for others car on my FC policy).

I'm just about to sell my Golf GTI and will be telling anyone who's coming to look at the car, they need to bring proof of insurance with them or they're not getting a test drive. I'll be quite happy to take them on a test drive with me at the wheel but I'm not letting anyone near the wheel unless they're covered. No arguments.
 
The fly in the ointment is that one cannot drive an unfamiliar car with the same same skill and gusto as one can with one's own. Better surely to have the owner drive the car well for a while to get some real idea of the obvious faults while you try to relax beside a homicidal maniac bent on attacking the scenery. Once you have satisfied yourself that bits aren't gong to fall off the car immediately then you can have a go yourself. If you are buying an identical car to your own then the above obviously does not apply. :)
 
Also need to point out somehting here:
It is against the law to allow someone to drive your vehicle knowing, or at least, not checking whether they are insured or notIE, if someone turns up to test your vehicle, and you let them out, and they get a pull, and they are not insured, you TOO will get prosecuted.

I know this cos my brother in law suffered exactly this. Was just like having a no insurance on his license.

Bear it in mind!
 
Interesting one this.I've never insisted on seeing a licence,or insured anyone to test drive my cars when selling,and I've sold at least 11 privately.When I sold my evo the old guy who bought it drove like a madman and scared me with his lack of skill and anticipation,but he bought the car and I'm sure he wouldn't have if I'd not let him test drive it.

Dayinsure will insure a driver cheaply for 24 hours,I may consider insuring anyone interested next time.£10 seems reasonable if only because you can ask for details from the prospective purchaser which could weed out the rogues.
 
That site looks really useful! I can think of lots of group 20 cars belonging to friends that I would like to be covered on after February (when I'm 25) ;)
 
Dayinsure will insure a driver cheaply for 24 hours,I may consider insuring anyone interested next time.£10 seems reasonable if only because you can ask for details from the prospective purchaser which could weed out the rogues.
It doesn't seem unreasonable to me. If you're seriously considering spending thousands on buying a car, then £10 for a test drive is fine. Possibly a good way of discouraging tyre-kickers, too.
 
I've recently sold my Impreza and previously an Elise without anyone test driving them. Certainly wouldn't let anyone drive them without insurance. Just told them prior to them coming over to bring proof of fully comp with them if they wanted to drive it. Had 3 people look at the Impreza and not one had a problem not driving it. Not worth the risk, unfamiliar car etc.
 
The applicable policy really is "you crash it, you buy it"!
 
Easy, have you not used the small claims court procedure before?
 
Small Claims Court? That's fine if the costs come within the limits of the Court, but even then you have the problem of actually enforcing the decision of the Court. The theory of Small Claims is great, but I'd certainly not call the reality "easy" unless you're lucky and the other party cooperates.

Al
 
I bought a car (Clio Sport) and was only taken for a test drive, and bouugt a GSXR 600 FROM A DEALER who did not allow test drives...

So, guess it just depends... I would not let someone drive without say a deposit or insurance....
 
Easy, have you not used the small claims court procedure before?

You can't pluck feathers of a bold chicken! That's my experience with the small claims court....Got a great win, but when somebody does not have the money it does not mean anything....As already said the enforcement is a joke and would you be happy with a £5 repayment plan for the next 60 years?

Nope my cheap cars I've just taken a calculated risk, but then again I sell them on the basis whatever I get back for them is great....Don't care to much about them....

However for the more expensive models I've insisted on dayinsure if they want to drive themselves, plus a copy of driving license/passport and utility bills when they want to take it out by themselves....I normally say that I take the dayinsure fee of the car if they buy it....Only had one person ever walk away which was probably a good thing....And no different than many main dealers these days when you want to take a car for the day by yourself....
 
Knowing about the dayinsure site now, if I ever had to sell an expensive car, I would go that route too.
 
I refused to sell one of my 200SX's after the guy caned it on the test drive...I said I couldn't let him take it after I had looked after it so well (it was my pride and joy, I love 200SX's). He looked shocked, even offered me more money but I sent him on his way a very angry man...mind you he had spent 2 days getting to my house from Aberdeen using public transport and holding a brown envelope full of cash.
 
I refused to sell one of my 200SX's after the guy caned it on the test drive...I said I couldn't let him take it after I had looked after it so well (it was my pride and joy, I love 200SX's). He looked shocked, even offered me more money but I sent him on his way a very angry man...mind you he had spent 2 days getting to my house from Aberdeen using public transport and holding a brown envelope full of cash.

I'd be shocked to and probably would try and drag you through the courts for it. So you are willing to sell it, but concerned that the buyer would look after it when you don't own it any more and then decide not to sell it....Madness :eek:, timewasting and basically your loss for that reason....

I was annoyed once that I washed my 750 to make it look nice and the buyer announced he is not interested in the car at all...He'll be taking the engine out and rehaul it for his kit-kar....Annoyed but then I saw the cash, didn't have any questions or last-minute haggle over non-essential things...So who cares...

Maybe you should go in a rental business :D
 
I'd be shocked to and probably would try and drag you through the courts for it. So you are willing to sell it, but concerned that the buyer would look after it when you don't own it any more and then decide not to sell it....Madness :eek:, timewasting and basically your loss for that reason....

Well I guess the moral of the story is don't drift one of MY 200's around roundabouts when I'm in the car with you because it will **** me off and you'll be taking the bus home, wherever you live.

Not sure how far the threat of court action would have got him either...probably as far as Hull Royal Infirmary.
 

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