You mean, "I buy what others like"

like come on man. There is a big difference between buying a car for looks/status and buying one for how you like driving it. Guess you're the former...

I always test drive a demo car of the car model I am considering to buy (and not just a 15 minute predetermined route). Then, when the ACTUAL car comes in I test drive that for about 45 minutes.

You never know if your particular car isn't a lemon or even has a "small" issue. 30-60 minutes of test driving with a checklist of tests in hand can save potential weeks or months of headache.

But test drives are so laborious. You have to open the door, sit in the seat, adjust the mirrors, start the engine. THEN you have to drive around for a few minutes. No thanks! In fact, I select my cars by standing in the middle of the dealership, closing my eyes and throwing a tennis ball. I buy whatever it lands nearest. It works most of the time, although from 2010 to 2012 my DD was a golf cart.

NO really I do research on a vehicle then walk into the showroom and order it with the options I want. Once in a while they have what I want in stock but it is rare. A 30 minute or hour test drive will not tell me anything. So far my Mercedes has had more problems than any other car I have ever owned and in 3 years with 9,000 miles on it I am glad I took out the extended warranty. Do not get me wrong this is probably the finest luxury car I have ever owned but when you put crap in you get crap out. MB switched to cheaper parts when the 2014 came out and it shows. Best example is the Garmen navigation head unit. Total piece of S--t. Excellent head units prior to 2014

My apologies. I was mistaken. I thought coming back to forums (haven't been active in forums for about 5 years now) I would find car guys. But obviously, I was way off base as I haven't seen many here in my month of tenure. Should have figured since I'm in a brand new model forum for MB.

If driving a car for 30 minutes doesn't tell you anything, then you're not a car guy. You are a car consumer. All you care about is the status, price, and how many stars it gets on Edmunds. You don't enjoy driving your cars, you enjoy owning a car. Although, there is nothing wrong with that. Without consumers paying the bills, us enthusiasts wouldn't have cars to love.

Guess we cannot all be like you. It is amazing that some people can get everything they need with a 30 minute test drive It is incredible that you can become a Car Guy from a 30 minute test drive and if you do not have that 30 minute test drive you are just a consumer. Let me tell you that you live in a fantasy if you think that because you do not take a 30 minute test drive all they care about is the status, price, and how many stars it gets on Edmunds.( I did not know Edmunds gave out stars,) You don't enjoy driving your cars, you enjoy owning a car. Grow up and think before you print crap. I have rebuilt and driven more cars than you will ever in your lifetime. But then I am only a consumer since I do not take the 30 minute test drive. You are so naive to think someone is not a car guy because of a 30 minute test drive. You need to grow up.

I didn't test drive mine, or any W205, before buying it. I did sit in one though and knew the seat and driving position were extremely comfortable for me. After having spine surgery and living a majority of my life with a back problem rather than without I can tell pretty quickly what works for me.

I did drive W204s and knew I liked them and I drove a W212 for a weekend and knew I didn't like that so I took the chance on my C300. It has now been at the dealer longer than I've had it in my posession but I'm not sour on it. It is the exact reason I bought a car under warranty.

The biggest surprise the day I took my C300 home was how stiff and how much of a handler it is. After owning more than ten BMWs I wasn't expecting that sort of athleticism out of a MB. Also wasn't expecting the exhaust farts while shifting under load in Sport+. Very surprised indeed. Let's just hope it all breaks and gets fixed while under warranty as I'm planning 100-150k miles in the next 2-3 years of ownership.

Bought mine without testing it too.
Spent months of research on the car and when I saw it in the config I wanted (obisidian black / black ash wood) I knew she was the one.

Let my girl drive it home and only took her for a ride the next day