1 December 2016 · Buyer Advice
Why it’s Best to Test Drive in Your Own Neighbourhood | Phil Gilbert Toyota
Buying a car may be a big investment, but it’s also a serious decision. While flashy features or a great look might draw you in, your ultimate decision should be based on how the car fits your everyday needs like getting the kids to school, doing shopping, or commuting to work.
A basic test drive may give you too little time to really assess a car and it also restricts you to an area that may not be relevant to your everyday life. It’s like testing a tractor on bitumen.
Phil Gilbert Toyota's 'Test on Your Turf' Service
When you test drive a new Toyota from Phil Gilbert, we can deliver the vehicle to your home or workplace for a full half hour of driving. This gives you time to assess the vehicle properly and ask our Toyota dealer any questions you have. It also means you can set your own route, on your own turf, testing the car in the circumstances that matter most to you.
Getting the Most out of Your Test Drive
Being in your neighbourhood isn’t the only thing that makes your test drive worthwhile. You also need to do some forward planning to make sure you test for the right things and really get a feel for the car.
Plan Your Route Carefully
If you will be using the car on specific routes, choose the most varied of these for the test. Drive to your kids’ school and back or take a test drive to the office. You might want to modify the route a little to make sure it includes features like roundabouts and hills to test the car’s visibility and performance on a gradient.
Make It Realistic
Pack the boot with what you’d usually be carrying. If you have kids, get them to hop in the back with their schoolbags. This will help you assess whether the car runs well with the extra weight and your kids can see whether the back seats are roomy and comfortable.
Mix up Your Driving
Try different things while driving to make sure you’re happy with the car’s performance. Practice long and short turns, changing lanes and merging, accelerating quickly and slowly, braking over long and short distances, and parking. Be aware of how the steering feels, how confident you feel with the car’s handling overall, and your visibility in different situations.
Book a Test Drive Today
If you live in Sydney and are looking to buy a new Toyota for yourself or your family, talk to Phil Gilbert Toyota about a test drive on your turf. We offer this service within a 10-kilometre radius of our Lidcombe location or 5-kilometre radius of our Croydon showroom. Contact us today or enquire to take a test drive on your turf.