How to get a decent test drive in UK?!!

[dcp10]

I am a new forum member, looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm an EV veteran - three Teslas since 2014 - and looking for a more engaging driver's car, albeit with decent range. But I'm frustrated by my local dealers!

- I nearly bought a brand-new GTS last year, but the dealer only gave me a brief - 20 mins - test ride (then spent the next two hours trying to pressure me into ordering a car there and then).

- I tried my other local dealer this year, but they didn't have the model I wanted and again, only offered short rides "around the block".

If I'm to spend between £110-£130K on a very-high spec brand-new 4S or GTS I'd really like to take the car home, try it in my car port, see how it rides (and handles) on the roads that I know, and so come to a definitive judgement.

Is this unreasonable?

- I get the impression that UK Porsche dealers have got too used to short-term (18 months!) leasing deals and aren't used to cash buyers wanting to get the best car for an extended (8 year?) ownership period.

By contrast, out of curiosity I went to my local Mercedes dealer - and they gave me the keys to their new CLA 250+ for an extended, two-hour (solo) test drive (and very impressive it was too - at less than half the price of my intended Porsche).

So my question for British buyers is whether any of you have managed to get a decent test drive (and if so, where?), or is this just not done in the Porsche world?

Many thanks!

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[prj]

You will have to find a dealer that wants your money.
20 min test ride is unreasonable for any car and 2 hours is the norm.

 

[69Mach390]

You will have to find a dealer that wants your money.
20 min test ride is unreasonable for any car and 2 hours is the norm.

Must be different over there than in the US.

Test drives here seem to be pretty short, closer to 5-10 minutes.

2 hours? If they let everyone kicking tires test drive for 2 hours, you’d have a couple thousand miles on every new car on the lot.

Does it really take that long to tell how a car rides and handles?

I get wanting to see if it fits in your car port, but you could just get out a measuring tape for that.

I also wonder if it’s a difference in insurance/liability here now too. Years ago a dealer would toss me the keys. Now any time I’ve test driven anything, a salesperson rides along. And they’re not in for a 2 hour test drive either.

 

[prj]

2 hours? If they let everyone kicking tires test drive for 2 hours, you’d have a couple thousand miles on every new car on the lot.

There is a bunch of paperwork and liability shit signed over here before every test drive. All your documents get photocopied, they do a background check, and it also depends on your age.
Never had a test drive shorter than 1 hour over here and if I asked I always got 2 hours.

Nobody gets to test drive new cars here. Every dealership has dedicated demo cars, which are used for test drives, and the dealers use them themselves as well.

What you are describing seems more similar to a used car lot, not for brand new cars at the official dealer.

Does it really take that long to tell how a car rides and handles?

Yes, I think so. Especially the seat comfort, I always like to take 1 hour drive without a break to see if the seat is going to do my back in.

 

[gnr3312]

There is a bunch of paperwork and liability shit signed over here before every test drive. All your documents get photocopied, they do a background check, and it also depends on your age.
Never had a test drive shorter than 1 hour over here and if I asked I always got 2 hours.

Nobody gets to test drive new cars here. Every dealership has dedicated demo cars, which are used for test drives, and the dealers use them themselves as well.

What you are describing seems more similar to a used car lot, not for brand new cars at the official dealer.


Yes, I think so. Especially the seat comfort, I always like to take 1 hour drive without a break to see if the seat is going to do my back in.

In the States, you rarely get to go alone for a test drive, especially for high value vehicles. I would need to be with a significant other test driving a 2-seater but even then it is limited in time. Only brands I’ve encountered handing over the keys for longer than 15 mins are domestic.

 

[prj]

In the States, you rarely get to go alone for a test drive, especially for high value vehicles. I would need to be with a significant other test driving a 2-seater but even then it is limited in time. Only brands I’ve encountered handing over the keys for longer than 15 mins are domestic.

That's wild, I'm happy it's not like that in Europe.

 

[gnr3312]

Of course if you’re known to be rich or famous, I’m sure the car gets delivered to your home to try it out but that’s pretty much it.

Unfortunately we live in an age where people do stupid stuff “for the likes”, and that has ruined it for the rest of us.

 

[RodeoDrive]

You should absolutely be able to get an extended drive - 10 minutes won't tell you much.

Dealerships in Europe get cars with big discounts precisely for that purpose - allowing them to be driven by the customers while still selling them with a profit after 6 months.

My 2 cents - fiind a dealer that will oblige - and do a citybreak wherever he is located. It will be fun and it will be worth it in terms of making an informed decision.

Hint: check out the Germans - granted the steering wheel will be on the wrong side

 

[anonymouse]

I went to my local Mercedes dealer - and they gave me the keys to their new CLA 250+ for an extended, two-hour (solo) test drive

haha .. my local Mercedes dealer first greeted me by saying that if I didn’t know the name of the salesperson with whom my appointment had been booked, it was going to be hard for reception to help me. Then after we punched our way through that nonesense we were given 24 minutes test drive. When we returned the salesperson had “gone to unload a transporter but if you leave your questions someone will get back to you in due course“. and that was for a £160k car. I was clearly an inconvenience to them so we went to Porsche instead.

The general UK principle is that the further away from London you get, the better service you receive. Porsche in Tewkesbury were excellent. Unhurried test drive, and when we were clearly a likely purchaser we came back for an hour or so further test. Obviously this isn’t possible with a used vehicle because it would add too much to the mileage, so tailor your expectations appropriately.

Also in a Porsche sale there is a lot to discuss to work through the options you want, and again Tewkesbury had a lot of experience to impart. So expect an extended desk-based conversation too.

 

[W1NGE]

I am a new forum member, looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm an EV veteran - three Teslas since 2014 - and looking for a more engaging driver's car, albeit with decent range. But I'm frustrated by my local dealers!

- I nearly bought a brand-new GTS last year, but the dealer only gave me a brief - 20 mins - test ride (then spent the next two hours trying to pressure me into ordering a car there and then).

- I tried my other local dealer this year, but they didn't have the model I wanted and again, only offered short rides "around the block".

If I'm to spend between £110-£130K on a very-high spec brand-new 4S or GTS I'd really like to take the car home, try it in my car port, see how it rides (and handles) on the roads that I know, and so come to a definitive judgement.

Is this unreasonable?

- I get the impression that UK Porsche dealers have got too used to short-term (18 months!) leasing deals and aren't used to cash buyers wanting to get the best car for an extended (8 year?) ownership period.

By contrast, out of curiosity I went to my local Mercedes dealer - and they gave me the keys to their new CLA 250+ for an extended, two-hour (solo) test drive (and very impressive it was too - at less than half the price of my intended Porsche).

So my question for British buyers is whether any of you have managed to get a decent test drive (and if so, where?), or is this just not done in the Porsche world?

Many thanks!

I've had test drives lasting a weekend multiple times as long as there is another demonstrator available (doesn't have to be the same variant).

Recently 2 Macan EVs - 4S and Turbo - spending the weekend in Edinburgh with one.

Your request is entirely reasonable.

Porsche Centre Aberdeen.

I have been a customer for many years but that ought not matter and if not a weekend then a half / full day with advanced booking should be possible (anywhere).

 

[dcp10]

Thanks for all the helpful feedback. I shall have to try another dealer and be prepared for making a day or weekend out if it. I guess it all adds to the fun - though I really want to use my local roads as reference (*)

And yes, it does take a while to assess a car - particularly when there are so many variants and options: wheel sizes, suspension options, seat comfort… Maybe if I were leasing the car for only 18 months and spending someone else’s money I could throw caution to the wind. But it’s my money (my company’s money) and we have to be prudent.

(*) probably the worst roads in Europe - local government spends our money on congestion charging and lowering speed limits, rather than fixing the roads -but I digress

 

[SoccerMan94043]

I am a new forum member, looking to buy my first Porsche. I'm an EV veteran - three Teslas since 2014 - and looking for a more engaging driver's car, albeit with decent range. But I'm frustrated by my local dealers!

- I nearly bought a brand-new GTS last year, but the dealer only gave me a brief - 20 mins - test ride (then spent the next two hours trying to pressure me into ordering a car there and then).

- I tried my other local dealer this year, but they didn't have the model I wanted and again, only offered short rides "around the block".

If I'm to spend between £110-£130K on a very-high spec brand-new 4S or GTS I'd really like to take the car home, try it in my car port, see how it rides (and handles) on the roads that I know, and so come to a definitive judgement.

Is this unreasonable?

- I get the impression that UK Porsche dealers have got too used to short-term (18 months!) leasing deals and aren't used to cash buyers wanting to get the best car for an extended (8 year?) ownership period.

By contrast, out of curiosity I went to my local Mercedes dealer - and they gave me the keys to their new CLA 250+ for an extended, two-hour (solo) test drive (and very impressive it was too - at less than half the price of my intended Porsche).

So my question for British buyers is whether any of you have managed to get a decent test drive (and if so, where?), or is this just not done in the Porsche world?

Many thanks!

I had similar problems here in the S.F. Bay Area. At one dealer, I was limited to two different cars in about 10 minute loops. And when negotiating and mentioning that the car in question was about 5K too high (after researching numbers across the US) he told me that maybe these aren't the cars for me and I should look at other cars on the lot (typical, naive sales tactic and this was by the FI Leader).

I think Porsche dealers have had it too easy for too long and haven't adjusted well to the new norm created in 2025. I suspect, if you show real interest in a car that's been sitting on their lot for a while, they'll bend over backwards soon so don't be afraid to ask specifically for what it will take for you to sign.

On a side note, the FI guy at a different dealer, in a different state was flabbergasted that I would pay cash. I'm sure that's just a sales tactic as well, I'm just surprised he pushed at all when I was ready to hand over a bag of money (bird in hand and all).

 

[Murph7355]

Spend some time talking through options with a dealer and showing absolute intent to buy.

Be prepared to compromise on the spec of the car you test drive as they don't have every permutation and combination available.

I spent time with my dealer talking through it all. I had a 20min "round the block" initially...went back with other questions...I noted that I needed to try the car on the roads I use, to get it up and down my drive etc....so booked a full day test in with them.

As PRJ notes, the really key thing is to find a dealer that wants your money

Oh, and dealers prefer finance these days. So don't close that option down. It's not unheard of to be offered better deals if using finance, and I believe you can pay it off in full shortly after taking delivery.

 

[AceArora]

why not rent one for a week? will cost a few quid but lets you use it on your daily basis. You can rent lambos and ferraris im sure theres a company where u can get a taycan on short term rental.

 

[dcp10]

why not rent one for a week? will cost a few quid but lets you use it on your daily basis

Good suggestion, thanks - maybe the dealer can reimburse me if I decide to buy from them? ;-)

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