Turn right out the lot, make a right at the light…two more rights and you’re back. Surely that’s enough to tell if you like a car? Not a chance.
Most dealerships have a planned test drive route. This route normally only has right turns in it with very few lefthand turns. It’s proven while test-driving an unfamiliar vehicle. More accidents happen while turning left. Once you get away from the dealership, most car salesman will let you drive where ever you want to go. Just explain to them you would like to drive the car for more than just a few minutes to see if you really could own it.
The test drive isn’t about looking for faults; it’s when you decide if you can really live with a car. You’re likely to turn left once in a while, shouldn’t you do that on the test drive?
Once you’re about to go on the test drive, familiarize yourself with all the buttons, knobs, and controls. Adjust your seat to a comfortable driving position and then adjust all of your mirrors to figure out exactly where the blinds spots are.
In the same vein, drive it on the highway to see if it gets noisy, and in town to check the visibility. Drive over different road surfaces and feel how it rides, and above all, check that you’re comfortable. Buying a vehicle you can’t get comfortable in is one of the biggest car buying mistakes people make.