“It’s automatically a no.”
After a woman expressed her strong aversion to having dealership employees accompany her on a test drive, a salesperson put the question to the internet. Some of their responses may prompt people to insist on dealership employees accompanying them next time they’re car shopping.
After a commenter named Dina said that if a salesperson wants to ride along, “at that point you can keep the car,” implying that means the sale is off, Alex Schadel (@alexthecargirl) put the question to TikTok.
“This one’s definitely a hot take. When you go for your test drive, does the salesperson usually go with you? Or, do you go by yourself and they just tell you come back when you feel like it?” Schadel asks her viewers.
People were torn.
“It depends on the dealership policies due to their insurance coverage. Not all insurance coverage is the same,” one wrote.
Self-described dealership employees explained why they always ensure that a dealership employee accompanies customers during test drives. “My store doesn’t allow test drives without a salesperson. That car costs 40k. You’re not taking it without an employee,” one said. Another corroborated this line of thought, writing, “I’m not letting a customer drive a $200k 911 GT3 by themselves.”
One person wrote that, as a customer, they don’t want a sales associate riding shotgun when they’re scoping out a vehicle. “If a salesperson comes with me, it’s automatically a no,” they remarked. A second agreed, “I wouldn’t test drive with a salesperson. I’d just say never mind.”
But one person had a decidedly different take. “I make the salesperson drive while I sit in the passenger seat and listen, observe,” they said. “I make them pop the hood so I can listen to the engine’s cold start and when we return from the drive we pop the hood again so I can listen to it running while it’s warm.”
Just like commenters who replied to Schadel’s video, people in a Reddit r/askcarsales comment thread had varying opinions on whether dealership employees should ride with potential buyers. The original poster said that they prefer riding alone. “I feel like the experience is 10x better if I’m by myself,” they wrote.
One person who says they sell cars for a living replied that the practice was “a little bit of both.” They highlighted a story about a customer who test drove a Kia Sorento and said they didn’t like the drive. However, upon examining the vehicle, they noticed that the person had shifted it into manual driving mode. The seller said that if they had been in the car with the customer, they might’ve been able to better explain its features.
What Drivers Are Saying
Another said it depends on the dealership’s insurance policies. “Store policy and insurance requirements play a large part,” they wrote.
Someone else who said they’re in car sales noted that test drives offer them an opportunity to educate prospective buyers on the vehicle’s features.
J.D. Power writes that in many cases, salespeople accompany shoppers “due to risk of vehicle theft and joyriding.” However, some dealerships will allow drivers to take the car for a longer drive on their own or even take it home overnight. This way, potential buyers can spend more time with the vehicle without the pressure of having a dealership employee with them. And for many people looking for a new car, that can make a big difference in whether or not they commit to buying a vehicle.
Overall, some people prefer driving with a dealership sales team member so they can learn more about the vehicle during their test drive. Some people even view it as part of their negotiation strategy, as they can comment on the vehicle’s condition in real-time. For others, riding alone is the preferred way to decide what they like and dislike about a vehicle.
The decision of whether to bring a salesperson along for the test drive depends on the individual and the dealership’s policies.
Motor1 has reached out to Schadel via TikTok direct message for further comment. We’ll update this if she responds.
More From Motor1
We want your opinion!
What would you like to see on Motor1.com?
– The Motor1.com Team