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Dealer doesn't allow test drive of an AMG!?!

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Old 10-02-2016, 03:41 PM
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Dealer doesn't allow test drive of an AMG!?!

ok,

Ready to place my 63s sedan order by the 15th of this month...have most things speced out and now ready to test drive.

Im in Southern Calif and went to two dealers yesterday and today. One (Calabasas) didn't have the car...they found one in their database at the Encino, Ca dealership so I go there this morning and the manager says "we don't allow buyers of AMG cars to test drive as buyers of these cars are sensitive to any miles on it and it affects the learning curve of the car in the first thousand miles". "We and Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach also doesn't allow".

Personally when I spend 90k on something I will test it or Ill find something else.

Is this an aberration to most folks here? Or they just don't don't need to and can spew this elitist crap?

Why would an AMG be different from any expensive car? Porsche, Range Rovers, etc , etc. Or its the dealer not wanted to sell a low mileage test drive car later because they can get away with this.
Old 10-02-2016, 03:46 PM
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Originally Posted by Onebuyer
ok,

Ready to place my 63s sedan order by the 15th of this month...have most things speced out and now ready to test drive.

Im in Southern Calif and went to two dealers yesterday and today. One (Calabasas) didn't have the car...they found one in their database at the Encino, Ca dealership so I go there this morning and the manager says "we don't allow buyers of AMG cars to test drive as buyers of these cars are sensitive to any miles on it and it affects the learning curve of the car in the first thousand miles". "We and Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach also doesn't allow".

Personally when I spend 90k on something I will test it or Ill find something else.

Is this an aberration to most folks here? Or they just don't don't need to and can spew this elitist crap?

Why would an AMG be different from any expensive car? Porsche, Range Rovers, etc , etc. Or its the dealer not wanted to sell a low mileage test drive car later because they can get away with this.
i would assume they have a random c63 for you to test drive,not the one you are potentially buying.
Old 10-02-2016, 04:57 PM
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The allotment of AMG cars is small relative to other C Class so dealers get protective. It's not the price...any 222 on the lot has a higher MSRP than a C63 and you can drive those all day long...just that a dealer may only get one or two C63 a year and the typical C63 buyer expects a near virginal car. I'm sure if you were a serious buyer for a car they have in stock they'd allow a test drive.

Best bet is to find a CPO W205 C63 to take out.
Old 10-03-2016, 01:46 PM
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I just turned 17 and i was stuck between a Audi S7 and a C63S .. i Went and test drove both, they were also brand new with less than 200 miles on them. They Should let you test drive.
Old 10-03-2016, 01:55 PM
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It's elitist crap

time for new dealership
Old 10-03-2016, 02:44 PM
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Originally Posted by milan25
I just turned 17 and i was stuck between a Audi S7 and a C63S .. i Went and test drove both, they were also brand new with less than 200 miles on them. They Should let you test drive.
What a good life you have
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Old 10-03-2016, 03:31 PM
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Bring his dad along and they'll let you drive whatever you want too!
Old 10-04-2016, 12:05 AM
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They only worry about the silver spoon scratching the leather / alcantara...
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Old 10-04-2016, 04:13 AM
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Originally Posted by tmoneyC450amg
What a good life you have
Old 10-04-2016, 05:57 AM
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When buying my C450 I asked to see the E63 Wagon since that's my dream car. The salesman all but twisted my arm into driving the car when really I just wanted to sit in it and admire it. I never drove the car in the end. It was my decision.
Old 10-04-2016, 12:53 PM
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I had no problem securing a test drive when I was shopping for a C450, but I can remember back in day when I was driving STIs and EVOs, those dealerships did not like giving test drives in those cars...and I can see why...because if I ever ordered a 63s and found out it was test driven by other potential shoppers...I'd be PISSED!
Old 10-04-2016, 04:42 PM
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I've test driven AMG's at Fletcher-Jones
Old 10-04-2016, 06:05 PM
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Total BS.....any decent dealership would let you drive a Ferrari or a Lamborghini. I've done that already.
Old 10-05-2016, 04:30 PM
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When I turned 16, I had the huge problem of choosing between a $500k trust or a $200k cash gift from my dad. I chose waking up from my middle-class dream. It was a sad day.

No but really, I've test driven an AMG at a dealership before (2013 E63). It was new at the time, cant remember the miles on it. I wasn't even the one buying a car, my friend was getting a W204 coupe, and I was just along for the "ride" and I expressed interest in the vehicle and the salesman working with my friend told me I could go test drive it while I waited for him to finish the paperwork.

Unless the car is already sold, they should let you test drive, otherwise it's a problem with the dealership/salespeople
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Old 10-06-2016, 02:39 PM
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The only reason a dealer should keep you from test-driving a car is if the car was special ordered for a customer. I would be pissed if someone drove my ordered car without permission before I took delivery. Cars with a 100 miles or so don't really lose their value until they are titled and driven off the lot, so that really isn't a valid excuse.
Old 10-06-2016, 06:41 PM
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Go to Silver Star Thousand Oaks, I bet they'll let you. My uncle just bought an S63 Coupe from them.
Old 10-07-2016, 10:27 PM
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My dealer let me take out the C63s on the freeway and give it some stick. I was on the fence between C63 and M3. That test drive sold me, and he got a sale.
Old 10-08-2016, 05:49 PM
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I recently test drove the GTC/4 Lusso with no intention on buying one... Yet. That was actually a Euro spec car that had obviously been a press vehicle. I saw the same car (Same tags) in several reviews including Chris's Harris. I asked them to give me a call when it was fully depreciated.
Old 10-13-2016, 01:57 AM
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Originally Posted by Onebuyer
ok,

Ready to place my 63s sedan order by the 15th of this month...have most things speced out and now ready to test drive.

Im in Southern Calif and went to two dealers yesterday and today. One (Calabasas) didn't have the car...they found one in their database at the Encino, Ca dealership so I go there this morning and the manager says "we don't allow buyers of AMG cars to test drive as buyers of these cars are sensitive to any miles on it and it affects the learning curve of the car in the first thousand miles". "We and Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach also doesn't allow".

Personally when I spend 90k on something I will test it or Ill find something else.

Is this an aberration to most folks here? Or they just don't don't need to and can spew this elitist crap?

Why would an AMG be different from any expensive car? Porsche, Range Rovers, etc , etc. Or its the dealer not wanted to sell a low mileage test drive car later because they can get away with this.
You know the answer already, they scumbagged you. Go elsewhere. Life's a blink, I don't spend time or money w people who don't have integrity or treat me disrespectful, nor should you. Time's the only thing we can't get more of...
Old 01-31-2017, 10:03 AM
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Originally Posted by Onebuyer
ok,

Ready to place my 63s sedan order by the 15th of this month...have most things speced out and now ready to test drive.

Im in Southern Calif and went to two dealers yesterday and today. One (Calabasas) didn't have the car...they found one in their database at the Encino, Ca dealership so I go there this morning and the manager says "we don't allow buyers of AMG cars to test drive as buyers of these cars are sensitive to any miles on it and it affects the learning curve of the car in the first thousand miles". "We and Fletcher Jones in Newport Beach also doesn't allow".

Personally when I spend 90k on something I will test it or Ill find something else.

Is this an aberration to most folks here? Or they just don't don't need to and can spew this elitist crap?

Why would an AMG be different from any expensive car? Porsche, Range Rovers, etc , etc. Or its the dealer not wanted to sell a low mileage test drive car later because they can get away with this.
I test drove and purchased my C43 from a Fletcher Jones dealership in southern california. I test drove it on a day but wasn't ready to buy on that day. Came back another day with my wife and brother and the dealer let all of us test drive it again. By the time I purchased it the car still had only 20 miles on it so I think we drove all those miles. But again, C63s might get a different treatment as they are "full" AMGs.
Old 01-31-2017, 04:26 PM
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I test drove a new 63s and did a couple power drifts .
purchased the car.
dealer is being a dick to you go somewhere else.
Old 10-18-2017, 10:39 AM
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Old 10-18-2017, 11:13 AM
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When I went to test drive a C300, the salesman actually brought me to their massive storage garage to point out C300s with different packages and then pointed out C43s and C63s and asked if I wanted to drive them. The C63 was out of my price range but I was like 'ok sure' with the C43. He said the dealership in Dallas has some of the largest inventory in the US so maybe that is why they were all for test drives.
Old 10-18-2017, 04:02 PM
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I've got a friend who is a chronic tire kicker. He goes to dealerships a few times a month just to ask to test drive cars. I get the douche-chills just thinking about testing a car you have no intention on buying. I can't possibly imagine wasting someone's time like that.
When this thread was first started, the cars were new and dealers probably didn't keep much inventory on AMG let alone allow joy rides. Over the years, I've purchased almost all my cars without ever driving them. I would do my homework on the cars I'm looking at, and then end up deciding on the car just by looking at it in person. I couldn't imagine reading up on every spec and option, configuring the car the way I want, and then driving it and being disappointed. We aren't talking about buying a Nissan Versa here. It's not like you are going to discover something you hate by taking a demo car out on a 10 minute test drive. You aren't going to poo poo the car because it is underpowered or the steering is too slow on a $50k+ model.
The crux of what I'm saying is, be a good consumer before you get to the dealership. Find out everything you can about the vehicle because the salesmen get it wrong all the time. Know what the car should be sold for because the finance guys are always wrong. Once you know what you like about the car, and you know what you should be paying, you can sit in the car right in the showroom and look it over under the lights. That (IMHO) should be enough to get the job done.
Usually, it takes me about a year and a half to know what I don't like about a car. That is when I start doing the homework for my next vehicle. Which reminds me, I got my car in April of 16...
Old 10-19-2017, 02:00 PM
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Originally Posted by cenzo86
I've got a friend who is a chronic tire kicker. He goes to dealerships a few times a month just to ask to test drive cars. I get the douche-chills just thinking about testing a car you have no intention on buying. I can't possibly imagine wasting someone's time like that.
When this thread was first started, the cars were new and dealers probably didn't keep much inventory on AMG let alone allow joy rides. Over the years, I've purchased almost all my cars without ever driving them. I would do my homework on the cars I'm looking at, and then end up deciding on the car just by looking at it in person. I couldn't imagine reading up on every spec and option, configuring the car the way I want, and then driving it and being disappointed. We aren't talking about buying a Nissan Versa here. It's not like you are going to discover something you hate by taking a demo car out on a 10 minute test drive. You aren't going to poo poo the car because it is underpowered or the steering is too slow on a $50k+ model.
The crux of what I'm saying is, be a good consumer before you get to the dealership. Find out everything you can about the vehicle because the salesmen get it wrong all the time. Know what the car should be sold for because the finance guys are always wrong. Once you know what you like about the car, and you know what you should be paying, you can sit in the car right in the showroom and look it over under the lights. That (IMHO) should be enough to get the job done.
Usually, it takes me about a year and a half to know what I don't like about a car. That is when I start doing the homework for my next vehicle. Which reminds me, I got my car in April of 16...
This! You know how many 16yr old dreamers they get in everyday wanting to test drive cars? Plus if I was a dealer owner, I wouldnt let everyone test drive rare AMG's let alone a 17yr old kid that has no experience driving a powerful car. Some suggested finding a used one to test drive, or you can rent one out and test drive it as you like for a full day. Thats what I do with any big car purchase I have.


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