Well I drove 70 miles today to Lance cunningham Ford in Knoxville, TN to look at the new cobra. Well they had two, a convertible and hardtop. The Black hardtop was outside and it was trashed, deep scratches on the trunk lid. I asked to drive it because I wanted to see what they drove like because I have never drove one. Well their response was that I had to work the deal and sign to buy it first. I was not willing to commit without a drive and therefore I did not get to drive it. As a fellow Lightning/SVT owner, you would think I could get to test drive one before buying. Their excuse was "you know what you are getting" and therefore you do not need to drive it. Hell, When I bought a 40K BMW they let me take it home for the weekend to see if I liked it. Does anyone have a name and number for someone in Ford to complain to. They wasted my day and Mike the sales manager could have cared less.. That experience turned my stomach.

Thanks
Rob

 

When I worked at a Ch@#y dealer years ago they did this on vettes all the time. Sign to buy it and well let you test drive it. This was very funny to me because every salesman there was taking them out for cruises and the owners son would take them out and home on weekends. Amazing that these new cars that no one could drive wracked up hundreds of miles on them before they were bought.

If they are going to treat you like that find another dealer that will treat you better. Mine here has never refused a drive and even let me take a few home on dealer tags to see if I liked the way that vehicle drove. Sure I may know what they "ARE" but would like to know the one I`m buying has no issues before signing the final line and owning the issues.

 

No offense, get over it.

An SVT vehicle is different then a 40k BMW. The dealership I bought my L from wouldn't let me test drive it, even though they knew I was buying it. Their reasoning:

"It's a specialty vehicle, you're buying it for a reason, do you really want someone else to test drive what your getting? Or do you want the least possible miles on it."

I agreed with them fully, hell I was upset that it had 14 miles on it, 14 miles that I didn't know what was happening to it.

Besides if you don't like the salesmen, don't go back.

 

I got to drive two Lightnings at the dealer where I bought mine . The silver one i bought and a black one that I wanted to beat on. When I asked to drive the black one after the silver one they looked at me kinda strange and I just said I was still undecided on the color, after a big smokey burn out and a 120mph blast with the dealer yelling and holding on for dear life I went back and bought the silver one. All and all it was a good dealer experance.

 

I do think that Jeff needs to see a psychiatrist.

 

Pete
I couldnt have said it better. Same with my dealer wouldnt even let me test drive a used one they were selling. They said they get people who know they arent gonna buy it and just wanna see what it can do. I got mine with 10 miles on her off the show room floor. With me it didnt matter though i had already driven my friends 99 so i knew that i wanted it hehe.

 

same here,
when i first looked at a 2000,no test drives.
when i ordered mine dealer didnt even have
any in stock.so i never drove one until i drove
mine outta the dealers lot.

 

I'm with Jeff,

I got to take one out BY MYSELF for the ultimate death ride.

collins8, you must contact the Ford Rep for that area and set up a meeting with him. I could probaly help you Monday night with a NY rep # because my assistant at work just made Ford give her a new Ford Explorer under the Lemon Law and had many meetings with the Ford rep before that could happen. The good part is the Dealer that sold, or in your case didn't sell, the vehicle ends up getting fuked money wise if the rep ends up making good on the complaint.

 

I got a test drive, then a take it home for a few days while we get the deal worked. The dealerships (one of them is huge) have lines of saleen, cobra r, all types of svt's, you name it they got it .The whole concept of a test drive is to test it out and see if you like it. I mean lots of cars get great reviews but after driving them who knows how somebody is going to feel. It's not like buying socks at Wall Mart, they dont have a return counter at most Dealerships so i somewhat disagree . The people are smart enough to sport a joyrider , a serious buyer is a world apart.

 

they didnt let me test drive mine unless i signed all these waivers so i said F#CK it and test drove it home!!! haha

 

The ones of you that do not want to test drive one before you buy that is your business, but if I am buying a vehicle to drive I am going to test drive before I buy!! I had no problem running a credit check and verifying my income before driving, but I am not working the deal and signing before I drive. The last Mustang I drove was a 1976 Mustang II 4 cylinder. No, I do not know what I am getting for my tastes, that is why I want to drive it first. Ironically, do you think they would have given me a firm value on my trade in, 2000L, before driving it?? NO, they would have said we need to drive it first. I understand weeding out the Joy riders but that is far enough.

 

Rob,
Go to another dealer because you really need to drive this car to see if you feel comfortable with it,i just drove my friends modded 03 Cobra yesterday which ran 12.0 @121 on street tires today in terrible air! I have decided after driving that car that i am going to buy one hopefully next week!

Matt

 

If YOU wanted a test drive before YOU signed any papers, then thats YOUR business. If YOU felt uncomfortable buying a vehicle before YOU bought it......find another dealer.

BTW...I bought my 99, sight unseen, when the 99 first came out. I wanted one after reading the reviews and didn't give a chit about no test drive. All I wanted was a black Lightning. After two years of cleaning a black truck, I knew I wanted a different color. Went to my dealer in 01 and said, (Hope Vinnie doesn't read this) I want a red Lightning. They told me that they had one coming in, in three days. The next night, the dealer called and said the truck coming in wasn't red, but silver. I said no thanks. He said come down and look at it..........Well, I went to All American and looked at a dirty silver Lightning that just came off the truck, with the blue transport paper on the fenders and front end......and signed the papers on the spot....But thats me

 

SVT # is 866-377-8862
SVT info center is 800-ford-svt

 

they do this because alot of people that can't afford to actually purchase the vehicle have nothing better to do on a Saturday afternoon like to cruise around to dealerships JOYRIDING in all of the latest fun cars.

I understand the dealerships position to an extent, but at the same time, I would never buy a vehicle that I couldn't drive first.

It seems that the dealership might alienate a bunch of potential buyers with this policy.

I mean, most people don't trust car salesmen anyway, so to go in and be jerked around when you are trying to give them your $30,000 bucks, alot of people will just get offended and walk away.

By the way, I also understand not wanting any miles on the vehicle that you buy. I went and got the keys out of the 18wheeler drivers hand when my truck was delivered onto the dealerships's lot. I specifically ordered another red truck even though there was one already in stock because I had seen the "lot attendants" (guys who park cars and rotate the inventory around) using the in stock Red L to scoot around the dealership and run keys and errands and stuff! I didn't even let my truck go through the cleanup department. I took it home and peeled the plastic off and washed it myself.

later,
chris

P.S. I'd call the OWNER of the dealership in question and explain to him that you were about to purchase a new $30K vehicle from him, but his sales staff told you that you weren't allowed to test drive it, so now you are taking your business elsewhere. Then call Ford motor company customer service and talk to them so they will call the dealership as well. good luck.