Would you let someone test drive your car?

[HardDrive]

A guy wants to drive my 911. REALLY not to comfortable with the idea. There are some large parking lots nearby that I could go, but on the road, in a big city like Seattle? Do I want my car to be this guys '915 for beginers' classroom? I'm thinking I should say no, but let him drive it in a large empty parking lot with me in the car. Perhaps I will have my Ruger Blackhawk on my lap during the drive.

Why do you think?

[djmcmath]

If you're not comfortable, he doesn't get the drive. That was easy.

If he's serious, he may want to learn how to shift on an old VW. The shifting experience is very similar, oddly enough. If he's not serious, he'll find someone else's 915 to dink around on, or he'll give it up and drive something else.

[Dueller]

Is it for sale? If see no way around him considering purchasing it without driving it.

That being said, If he just wants to drive it for *****s and giggles you have every right to say no. But c'mon....although a 915 has its quirks, with the right coaching and direction beforehand it ain't rocket surgery. I taught my step son to drive a standard in my 911 and he did just fine (and he was only 14).

I've let a number of people drive mine...to a man they've all been extremely careful with the car with one exception. This guy collected and raced muscle cars and he wanted to bang shifyt it like a Muncie rock crusher. Partly my fault because I erroneously assumed he knew about finesse and how delicate you shift most import car transmissions. Once I explained he was not shifting it properly he apologized profusely.

Tell the truth my biggest pet peeve are passengers who normally drive heavy american iron rearing back and slamming the chit out of the door.

[livi]

Sure. Along the premises of 'If you grind it you rebuild it'.

[tabs]

Would U let someone else fk your wife.

[MMARSH]

Originally posted by tabs
Would U let someone else fk your wife.

If your getting rid of her u would.

The cars for sale. Who here would buy a car where the owner wouldn't let you drive it first?

[stomachmonkey]

Originally posted by MMARSH
If your getting rid of her u would.

The cars for sale. Who here would buy a car where the owner wouldn't let you drive it first?

Not me.

[WolfeMacleod]

Take him to Park Place and go for a test drive in one of thier similar cars, first.

[jorian]

If you want to sell you've got to let them drive.

[azasadny]

I test drove my 911 before i bought it and the owner accompanied me. I would not buy a car, any car, without a test drive...

[deathpunk dan]

I did not find the 915 all that difficult to get used to...the shift action itself sloppy and vague, but the clutch release and feel was not hard.

[GO DAWG GO]

Tabs,

On the flip side...

You guys are funny....Bottom line..Would you marry the girl without a test drive and some grinding.....

I tore up my wifes transmission and I still married her...

Dont worry the car will be OK and sell...Take your 1911A1 anyway..

[Jay H]

I used to let a few people "test drive" my cars. I let my best friend's brother (muscle car guy) test drive my then brand new 1996 Eagle Talon AWD. It had about 200 miles on it and I told him to shift it early since it was still a fresh motor. After he banged it over redline twice, I learned a bit.

I let a fellow car guy co-worker test drive a different car I owned a short time later (he's really into racing and cars as well). While we were flying through an intersection in a 4 wheel drift pattern with me holding on for dear life in the passenger seat, I made a mental note that no one will "test drive" my cars anymore. It's been that way for years now...

All the car guys at work here want to "drive my car". Unless they put down the money required to rebuild my transmission and freshen up the bottom end of my motor when they miss some gears and over rev the motor, I continue to decline every request. Most people won't respect your stuff and will just pound on it.

Let 'em get his own 911 to pound on.

[The Gaijin]

A friend? A mature driver? A sports car guy? Someone you know and trust is no big deal.

Friend's brother or some Yutz in the next office? No thanks.

[the]

Originally posted by Jay H


Let 'em get his own 911 to pound on.

I believe that is what the buyer is in the process of trying to do.

[widebody911]

I let another Pelicanite drive my car once...

[Jay H]

Originally posted by The Gaijin
A friend? A mature driver? A sports car guy? Someone you know and trust is no big deal.

Friend's brother or some Yutz in the next office? No thanks.

The best friend's brother was someone I knew well enough and though he had the maturity to respect someone else's equipment. That didn't turn out to be the case.

The guy in the office is someone I knew well enough and wanted to trust. I've know him for 9 years now and he still routinely (for 9 years now) let's me drive his brand new cars (he's had a ton of new BMW's (M3's) and Audi's (S4's)). I detail his cars for him yet. So, while I've cut off his driving of my cars due to that last episode of him 4 wheel drifting my car years ago, he still trusts me with his cars (I pick up and drop off his cars for detailing at my house). I refuse to beat his cars and treat them with respect.

So, in my case, I let two relatively trusted people drive my cars with not so good results.

Just wanted to clarify...

[Jay H]

Originally posted by the
I believe that is what the buyer is in the process of trying to do.

I'm a bit confused as to whether this car in question is for sale or not. Harddrive's tag shows it's for sale, but the original post is not clear. Please pardon my ignorance.

Anyway, I agree that I would not buy an older 911 without an extensive test drive. I would expect the owner to drive first and / or accompany me on any driving that I would do.

If I was selling a 911, I would let the potential buyer drive it as long as they wanted, but I'd probably be in the passenger seat unless I really felt I could trust them.

Free Joy Riding is not something I'm letting anyone do in my 911's anymore...

[Chocaholic]

You should get a sense of the guy's character as you walk around the car with him and ask him a few questions. You will also get a feel for him by the kinds of questions he asks you.

If he's 19 years old and shows up with a buddy driving fart-can slammed Honda Civic, and doesn't ask for anything but the keys, I'd say...pass. Otherwise, if you feel good about him, you should definately ride along in the passenger seat.

[coldstart]

I have let a half dozen people drive my 911 with no problems. It's only a car-- even though it's a special car.

A local Pelicanite let me drive his 72 911 before I bought mine long distance. Great guy and sealed my deal to buy my current 911.....