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I start by sitting in the driver's seat and adjust for my driver position. I then reach for all the controls like AC, lights, wipers, shifter, and radio. If this feels fine, I leave the seat in my position and get in the back seat. I then check the trunk. I look at storage space and if it has a Jack and spare tire. If it doesn't, dealers will install a Jack & spare if requested. I then check the engine for ease of checking fluids and changing air filter. If all check out OK then comes the test drive. If allowed, I'll drive home and from there drive to work before returning to the dealership. The road from home to work is the most familiar. A short trip around the block isn't a good test. I'd also like to take it on an interstate highway on ramp to test acceleration up to interstate speed. Once at 65 to 70 mph, hit the gas as if trying to pass another vehicle.
All good stuff. I also ask for the complete service history on the car. For some cars, not having it isn't that big of a deal, but on others, it's a complete deal breaker.
I start by sitting in the driver's seat and adjust for my driver position. I then reach for all the controls like AC, lights, wipers, shifter, and radio. If this feels fine, I leave the seat in my position and get in the back seat. I then check the trunk. I look at storage space and if it has a Jack and spare tire. If it doesn't, dealers will install a Jack & spare if requested. I then check the engine for ease of checking fluids and changing air filter. If all check out OK then comes the test drive. If allowed, I'll drive home and from there drive to work before returning to the dealership. The road from home to work is the most familiar. A short trip around the block isn't a good test. I'd also like to take it on an interstate highway on ramp to test acceleration up to interstate speed. Once at 65 to 70 mph, hit the gas as if trying to pass another vehicle.
I adjust the driver's seat for postion then make sure all controls work. The test drive makes sure everything else works. I've never bought a car close enough to home to be able to drive it on the roads I'm familiar with (often buying cars multiple states away). And I'm really just concerned with making sure stuff works like it's supposed to, not whether or not I'll like it on my own roads, since I never buy cars I don't already like and know quite a bit about. If buying used, I'll have already studied about ease of working on the car, if buying new, I don't really care, as I won't be working on it.
For example, when I bought my BMW 740iL, I had wanted them since they were new. I had studied them, their problem areas and their features. I bought on condition and price from a wholesaler on ebay up in CT (I live in MD). I put my deposit down after having them send me extensive, specific photos of the car when running. First time I drove it was the trip from CT back to Baltimore. Owned the car for 5 years and loved it.
When I bought my Volt, I had already studied them since the concept came out, knew more about the car than the salesman, and only test drove it to get a feel for what I was already going to be in for. Since the car was new, I fully expected everything to work properly, so I was really only seeing if it was what I already knew it was going to be like. It exceeded expectations.
The one thing I'd really love to do that I haven't ever done yet, is custom order a new car to my specifications. The Volt was close, as they had to do a dealer trade to get the color combo I wanted from another dealer, but it's not quite the same thing. I'd love to do something like BMW's European delivery program.
Although I am sure I review and analyze all those things, I cannot say I do it in any particular order or in a checklist fashion. I check the car over to be sure it meets my needs for people, storage, comfort, ergonomics, driving dynamics, etc etc.
I tend to look at and drive a ton of cars on the road to buying one too, so I can properly cross shop. I find sampling everything which basically fits what I am looking for is the best way to pick out what is best for me overall, so long as no one item is a deal breaker.
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