What do you guys think about letting an interested buyer drive your car. No just a tire kicked, but a person who flew into your city from out of town where the price was agreed upon prior. Not just a party from the street?
Letting an interested buyer drive your car
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hou99gts
Enthusiast
I would advise against it, but offer to take them for a ride before completing the transaction.
eucharistos
Enthusiast
i was a buyer like yours, traveled from houston to florida to buy
the way we did it was to complete the sale, and then after driving it (without damage implied) if i found a problem he would refund money
there was a level of trust for sure
the way we did it was to complete the sale, and then after driving it (without damage implied) if i found a problem he would refund money
there was a level of trust for sure
CitySnake
Enthusiast
When you are talking about someone driving your car, are you thinking by him/her self or with you along as a passenger?
I'd consider it ONLY with the owner along, but likely not at all. Better to drive them around. Also depends on the potential buyer...but that decision can get you into trouble.
A lot of trust, keep watching the thread i have more to add but want to go step by step? See what you guys think.
SoCal Rebell
Enthusiast
When I sold my Viper to an interested out of state buyer I let him drive the car with me in it and only after I found out he owned a different high HP vehicle. He did not get on it at all, so after a while I asked him if he wanted me to take him for a "spirited" drive and he agreed. After I took a 55 mph curve at 110mph he said "OK that's enough". I took him back, I went down from $52K to $50K, he had a cashiers check already and he drove the car home
TowDawg
Enthusiast
I flew out of town to buy mine. We talked for a while and he let me drive it with him in it. We came back, I gave him a check, and we were done.
I would advise against it. There are plenty of threads/posts where someone lent their Viper to a friend/family member and the car got wrecked because they didn't know how to handle it.
For me, it makes little difference that you are sitting in the passenger seat as you cannot do anything from there to stop an accident...worse, who wants to be in the car when it gets wrecked!
I owned Corvettes for years, much tamer than the Viper, and I never let any potential buyers drive it...I would always offer to take them on a good ride - side roads, highway and the like - until they were satisfied (or not) with the car.
At the end of the day, it is your car and your insurance if the car is damaged or wrecked. The potential buyer now decides not interested and you are left with a damaged/wrecked Viper.
That's my 2 cents, you decide!
For me, it makes little difference that you are sitting in the passenger seat as you cannot do anything from there to stop an accident...worse, who wants to be in the car when it gets wrecked!
I owned Corvettes for years, much tamer than the Viper, and I never let any potential buyers drive it...I would always offer to take them on a good ride - side roads, highway and the like - until they were satisfied (or not) with the car.
At the end of the day, it is your car and your insurance if the car is damaged or wrecked. The potential buyer now decides not interested and you are left with a damaged/wrecked Viper.
That's my 2 cents, you decide!
And, just as I was writing the note above, a member just posted how his dealer just wrecked his car!
http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-srt10-coupe-discussions/637967-they-totaled-my-viper-today.html
http://forums.viperclub.org/srt10-srt10-coupe-discussions/637967-they-totaled-my-viper-today.html
"NO" is my own answer.
As I have posted before: 50% cash deposit to see the car, another 50% cash in advance if the party wants to drive the car.
After that, it's theirs either way.
As I have posted before: 50% cash deposit to see the car, another 50% cash in advance if the party wants to drive the car.
After that, it's theirs either way.
BlackSnake99
Enthusiast
I didn't drive my GTS until the title was signed over to me, and I bought it from my neighbor I have known for years. I rode in it while he drove. I completely understood. I wouldn't let a buyer drive it until the deal is done.
V10SpeedLuvr
Enthusiast
When I bought my car in NC, I met the owner at his office building. We talked in the parking lot, he showed me the car and handed me the keys and said he'd see me when I got back FWIW, I didn't drive the car hard at all...wrecking the car I knew I was buying was not on my "to do" list that day.
For me, the only way I would do it is if I went as a passenger, and this is assuming I trusted the person buying it (knowing he had other high HP cars, etc).
FWIW, I didn't drive the car hard at all...wrecking the car I knew I was buying was not on my "to do" list that day.For me, the only way I would do it is if I went as a passenger, and this is assuming I trusted the person buying it (knowing he had other high HP cars, etc).
I'll throw an alternative opinion into the mix just for fun. When I went to look at mine before I bought it I didn't ask to drive it for 2 reasons. One is that I was 25 at the time, and even though I was serious about buying it I felt uncomfortable asking. The second was that I didn't want to be worried about other traffic around me being in a car like that where I had limited experience driving it. I preferred the owner to take me for a ride so I could concentrate more on how the car felt & acted on the road.
AbsolutHank
Enthusiast
I'm on the verge on selling my Paxton car, and I've been thinking about the same thing. Until there is definite proof of a pending sale, and at the very least a deposit, then I might...I would advise not to get into boost, I'll be the one who does that..yanno?
If the potential buyer is coming from another Viper, I think that's a different scenario too
If the potential buyer is coming from another Viper, I think that's a different scenario too
v10enomous
Enthusiast
Nobody denied me a test drive when I was shopping. Some came with me and a few just let me take it to my surprise but I drove everyone even if I really wasn't interested. I wasn't looking at cars anywhere near $80k though. I do recall hearing of at least two instances where cars were crashed during test drives but they were at car dealers.
Cop Magnet
Enthusiast
I think the best compromise is to let the guy drive it with an understanding it is just to see how the basics of the car are for him (seat, visibility, and to get the feel for it). He did fly in from out of town, after all. Then you take him for a more spirited drive. Plus no one knows what your car is capable of except you. So you are the one who should show him what it can do.
JohnnyBravo
Enthusiast
I have sold two other high horsepower cars and neither purchaser drove the car first. One didn't even come to get the car himself. He just sent a transport. The other guy drove up from New Orleans. I took him for a very spirited drive to show him that the car did, indeed, perform as I promised. I asked him if he'd like to drive it. He said, "hell no. I'll wait until I get home. But here is my check." I did at least make him the offer, though.
That said, I wouldn't buy a car without test driving it first. No way. Someone else can drive around issues that I would be able to feel if I was behind the wheel. If I was selling a stock Viper to a guy that just sold a blown Viper, I wouldn't have a problem letting him drive it while I rode shotgun. But I would not be inclined to let an 18 year old kid drive it at all.
I guess I figure if I'm a Viper owner, flying 1000 miles to see another Viper, with cash in hand, the seller should let me drive it. I would wonder what they were hiding if they didn't at least let me take it for a short spin. I'd let a mature Viper owner drive my Viper if they flew in from out of town to buy it.
That said, I wouldn't buy a car without test driving it first. No way. Someone else can drive around issues that I would be able to feel if I was behind the wheel. If I was selling a stock Viper to a guy that just sold a blown Viper, I wouldn't have a problem letting him drive it while I rode shotgun. But I would not be inclined to let an 18 year old kid drive it at all.
I guess I figure if I'm a Viper owner, flying 1000 miles to see another Viper, with cash in hand, the seller should let me drive it. I would wonder what they were hiding if they didn't at least let me take it for a short spin. I'd let a mature Viper owner drive my Viper if they flew in from out of town to buy it.
How many have purchased, and not even seen the car in person, let alone drive it. This could be new or ??
Internet sale, dealer sale and delivery or other ??
dans69ss
Enthusiast
Money in hand = drive in car
FrankBarba
Enthusiast
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Haven't most of us that purchased, bought our cars without driving them first......
2snakes4us
Enthusiast
I purchased both of my Vipers without driving them.
SkyBob
Enthusiast
On a related note, it is a rare motorcycle dealership that will allow you to test drive one of their bikes before the title is signed. Generally it's a three day return policy, you get to test drive after you bought it, and return it without damage, of course.
Jon
Viper Owner
At the time I purchased my (used) Viper, I had never even sat in one, let alone driven the car. However, I purchased it through Bill P. at Woodhouse, so the trust level was pretty high. If it were an unknown, private seller I would have insisted on a ride-along at the very least.
PatentLaw
Enthusiast
This is the first that I have seen this on the website where somebody says: "Haven't most of us bought without driving it first?"
My answer to that is, yes. I bought without driving. Took a trip IN the car, put it up on a lift, the whole deal. Never drove it, though.
I remember the "leap of faith" that I took. Most likely it is the most unfun thing I ever did with the car.
My answer to that is, yes. I bought without driving. Took a trip IN the car, put it up on a lift, the whole deal. Never drove it, though.
I remember the "leap of faith" that I took. Most likely it is the most unfun thing I ever did with the car.
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