First car? Better give it a test....A Quality Test

Is there an impact of a test drive on the purchase decision, during a car purchase? If so, how much?

When my friend wanted to buy a car, a hatchback, he first test drove the Figo. Then on my insistence he tried the Indica Vista. He fell in love with the car in just 10 mins of drive and finally booked one. (Sorry Ford, nothing personal)

In this case, it was just the feel of the car for that crucial 10 minutes, that changed his purchase decision.

But honestly, is that 10 minutes really enough for somebody, who is buying their first car? May be an Alto or a WagonR which normally people would have driven through their friends or relatives, may say, the test drive is nothing critical. But in general, it is that factor which decides the purchase or may be a step further by forming an opinion on the brand too.

Especially with such a huge competition in the small car segment, one can make a difference only by making the customer feel the product. The manufacturers like GM clearly understand this and they go above the line and say 'Test drive like you own it'. But, in reality, how much of this actually happen?

I would say it is at the dealers end, where most of the time, test drive is seen as a liability. I would like to stress on MOST and NOT ALL. May be a dealer is selling more and beating competition, which can be attributed to many other factors that are considered during a purchase. Like in the previous example, for a customer who has come for an Alto or a WagonR, a test drive will really not matter much. Otherwise, very few dealers actually insist on a 'Quality test drive'.

A quality test drive basically means letting the customer feel the car like he owns it. There are a few steps which i think, dealers should help a first car buyer during a test drive.

1. Let the test drive car be in the best of its condition. Both exteriors and interiors along with the engine and service really matters as first impression is always crucial.

2. A first time car buyer will obviously panic during the test drive as he/she may not be a skilled driver. So be kind enough to encourage him/her and not to worry about anything going wrong on the road.

3. Educate the customer on how to adjust the seat, steering (if there is an option), rear view mirrors, dashboard controls, stalk controls etc, as they vary from one car to another. If the customer panics in the middle of the road, then the purchase will definitely not happen. At times even the clutch settings and the break settings may not suit a particular customer and the test drive may go haywire.

4. Give a product feature explanation in the test drive car also, preferably a live demo. This may enable the driver to actually use that option during the test drive.

5. And above all, the distance of the test drive. Please do not insist on any specific route for your convenience. Let the customer choose where he/she wants to test drive the car and the time he/she wants to drive it. The more they drive it, they more they feel it and the more chances of buying it.

So dear dealers, along with manufacturers, its just not enough if a test drive is given. A quality test drive is more important.

Dear customers, Happy testing and Happy driving.