How To Make The Most Of Your Test Drive?

Are you looking to buy a new car? Whatever the reason, when you decide to buy a car, most people tend to ignore the test drive. Sadly, this is where you make a mistake. Every car dealer offers a test drive to ensure that you buy the best vehicle, the one that suits your needs. 

When you buy anything, you tend to try it out to check its performance and whether you are comfortable using it. Similarly, when you purchase a car, you need to check out the performance, efficiency, and comfortability that it offers. This is the primary reason behind asking customers to opt for test driving. 

If you are not aware of how to check the efficiency of a test drive, don’t worry. Here, we have come up with some practical tips to make the most of your test drive: 

1. Call ahead of your test drive 

Generally, the test drive is scheduled beforehand when you are buying a car. Give a call before the day of your test drive to the dealer. This call is not just a reminder, but we suggest you ask the seller to keep the engine cold before driving. If any seller has to hide any fault, he will surely warm the engine. This will hide the startup issues and unusual noise. On the contrary, if the engine is cold, you can see the smoke and hear the rattling noise. 

2. Bring some equipment 

Although many may not find this tip suitable, if you want to check the inner parts of a car, it is suggested that you bring some accessories. This will help you assess the potential of the car. One of the more valuable pieces of equipment could be the tire tread depth gauge. Since this is a small tool, carrying it will not be a problem. The tire tread depth gauge allows checking the depth. If there are issues with the depth, it can lead to deadly accidents. 

3. Check under the hood 

When you are out for a test drive, be confident and drive the car as if it is your own. So, before you start driving it, check under the hood. One essential part of this process is to check the fluids. Paying a closer look under the hood will tell you if there are any leakages or damages. 

4. Test the brakes 

The brakes constitute an important organ of the car. When you press the brakes, you will feel a healthy response from it. If there are issues in the brake, you should be able to easily notice. When applying brakes, listen for any squeaking or creaking noise. 

5. Test the steering 

Checking the steering of the car is vital. Try steering the car all the way from the left to right and see whether it produces any popping sounds. If you hear any, know that it is a clear indication of damage to the car’s front.