TommyV44

You always have to keep in mind that 95% of the people are F**king crazy! Conservatively!

MexicoBlueTurboS

I always drive first and explain - this is the way I drive and these are the limits I expect you to maintain during your test drive.

Lastly - when trading seats - take the key out of the ignition and take it with you. Do not hand it over until you're both buckled in and the driver has adjusted mirrors and seats to his liking and safety.

Hella-Buggin'

I personally have never expected to test drive a car unless I'm ready to buy. I know what I'm looking for and what I'm willing to pay. If those things align, then a PPI. Then a test drive, or as started above, a ride with the owner to show the ins & outs. I'd accept an offer to test drive before then but I wouldn't expect it.

Vincent713

As a buyer I find and look for flaws and use it as a leverage when it's time to negotiate.
As a seller I set a price I must sell at, nothing less. Cash is king.
I've been buying and selling cars since I was 16 (not a car salesman).
Through my experience I've always had much better luck selling my cars to individuals. Dealerships will always give you an absurd price, especially when you want to trade for their cars.
Regarding tire kickers, I need to see cash or letter of bank approval before you drive my car while I'm in the passenger's seat. This is the best way to weed them out.

Zettinger

Hmm.. I understand that they did not treat your car with the respect they should have but I have NEVER bought used a car without a test drive.

Even my Aston was dealer certified with warranty, just received a service the day I bought it and had under 6k miles on the clock, deposited 10% and flew a few k miles for the deal.
No way i would have signed and shelved out a pile of money without a drive.

linderpat

That's a key differential. Doesn't sound like tire kicker dad put anything down, and just wanted to take the wife and kids for a ride in a "porsh"

Zettinger

fair enough,

My 997 was test driven without deposit.
I had my Dad visiting that time and he joined me checking out the 997 along with my 6 year old boy. (he is 8 now)

I test drove three different 997 over a few weeks and my son was with me every time.
Me and my son are very respectful with others property. Fingerprints are big nono, I never rev cold engines.

One 997 had a failing water pump and noisy rollers, the seller (dentist) had no idea about. I would have had a nice bill to start ownership.
The second one had lose driver seat (something was broken inside the seat), terrible rattling and the cheesy kenwood double DIN radio worked like crap with blown speakers.

I love to spend money on cars and If I go to check a car out, I'm serious to buy a car like this.
If I buy that certain car tells me the test drive.

If someone refuses to go for a test ride, I run - fast!

KLS

I agree with the reluctance to give a test drive but many on the forum contribute to that issue. How many times has a newbie asked for advice on different models and been told to drive as many samples as possible before making the decision? I get both sides, but sometimes they conflict.

DesmoSD

Until I have proof of a serious transaction, I wouldn't even let them touch the car and huge HELL NO to let their damn kids in the back seat.

Iceter

As **** as I am about my own vehicles, I treat other people's cars like my own. That being said, if I can't drive or at least ride in a car, I'm not buying it. And I may just ride the first time, but at some point before the title is signed over, I'm going to drive the car. If anyone told me I couldn't drive the car until I bought it, I'd politely excuse myself and I'd be gone.

When selling a car, even the most inconsiderate buyer's money is green. I wouldn't run someone off, but they're not taking my car out on a test drive without me. That's silly. In addition to the damage they could cause without me there, sitting in the car with them is a sales opportunity and gives you a great deal of information about the buyer.

I don't care if I'm selling a Porsche or an old pickup truck. I'm going with the buyer on the test drive. If he brings the whole family and we don't all fit, then somebody is staying in the driveway, and it ain't me.

GTS Sully

Humans, in many instances, are a virus. As stated on this forum before, I highly doubt my GTS ever leaves my ownership. Only 2 instances will change this: I die and my son inherits the car, or for some unforeseen reason I elect to sell it for another 911 in which it will be a trade-in at a dealer.

Skyhawk172

Wow, when I sold my Boxster the lady drove up in a Lexus 350 SUV with a girl friend and her mechanic came in another. she looked it over I had already pointed out the few flaws it had tossed her the keys said don't get lost and be back in a 1/2 an hour. Her friend stayed in the house with my wife and me drinking iced water. When they got back she handed me the cash and started to cry at the dining room table telling how happy she was with the car. I handed her the pink slip and away she went. easy peasy

Edited I did price it to sell quickly

140.6er

I agree that a buyer has to be serious but I would never buy a car without first driving same. If a seller told me that I could not drive the car I would probably walk away. It would be an indication something might be amiss. I would respect the seller and his car and drive it with care but I would have to feel it move.

Kg11

there is something to this! I have easily bought and sold 15 cars over the years: I have traded in 2 to dealers. Most everything has sold within 2 weeks, and with minimal tire kicking

The key to selling a car private party in a reasonable time frame is to price it to market, or in other words, "price it to sell". You won't get the tire kickers because you will have a legit buyer step up with cash, ready to go, relatively quickly. It isn't "giving the car away" but it does give the buyer an incentive to buy yours vs. go to a dealer.

A car like yours won't be a tough sell: there aren't many C4S 6MT running around, but it isn't priced reasonably at $62k. It has nearly 50,000 miles and is priced like a 20k mile car; it is a price I would expect to see at a Porsche dealer, but you won't get within $5k of that private party. If you want to get it moved, put it at $57k (or throw it on BAT) and it will sell in a week or 2. The private party buyer is savvier than the dealer buyer: they won't be suckered into an impulse buy simply because they walked into a showroom and saw a car, and you can't offer financing, so you need to price the car accordingly. At $57k, it won't appeal to everyone, as I bet trade-in is under $50,000, but someone out there is looking for a mid-mile C4S 6MT, and that buyer will step up with minimal hassle and fuss and take your car.

If you overprice the car, you get to waste a lot of time with tire kickers, dreaming or hoping the price will drop. You might get lucky, but more often, just waste a lot of time. I recently sold my truck, and Carmax offered me $10,500, with retail at $17,000. I priced it at $13,500 private party and had a buyer at asking within a few days. The buyer got a deal and I pocketed $3k over selling outright: win-win for everyone.

A guy on here had a similar car to yours last year (I was considering it, but wanted the sport PASM); it was a 2009, same color, just under 50,000 miles. I think he got $53k for it after dropping the price repeatedly, just so you know where the market is at.

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