I've been in contact with the 4 closest Pontiac dealers. It seems that standards in these cars are very rare? Most dealers have no interest in letting me test drive one. And no sales person is even remotely interested in GETTING me one to test drive. WTF is going on? My RX-8 lease is almost up, and I'd like to consider some other cars. But I can't even get my ass into one of these!!
Do they WANT to sell these cars?
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about a year ago I was out in Northern VA visiting my wife, went to a dealership that had 4 GTO's, they wouldn't even let people sit in them. The sales guy said "These are exclusive vehicles from Australia, we don't do test drives"
I was amazed, they also had a premium on all the cars, including an 04 they had left over. I left that place laughing so hard
I was amazed, they also had a premium on all the cars, including an 04 they had left over. I left that place laughing so hard
Boston. I've been to or talked to the one in Woburn, Arlington, Malden and Lynn. All the same story. Its all 'Dont' have it, can't help ya'
This one sales lady at a chevy/pontiac place... I said I want to drive a GTO and a trailblazer ss. she said if I want an SS she has an impala SS....
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
This one sales lady at a chevy/pontiac place... I said I want to drive a GTO and a trailblazer ss. she said if I want an SS she has an impala SS....
!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Unfortunately you will have problems like that. Some dealerships only get 12 to 15 of them all year long. Many of them sell quickly, depending on the region.
Remember this car is the Corvette of Pontiac. So most Pontiac dealerships will be hesitant if they only get a couple of the. We get over 50 and trade for even more here. If ya don't mind a drive then come on down
Just kiddin!!!
Talk to a manager. Tell them you are a serious customer that is interested. You will get a test drive then.
Remember this car is the Corvette of Pontiac. So most Pontiac dealerships will be hesitant if they only get a couple of the. We get over 50 and trade for even more here. If ya don't mind a drive then come on down
Just kiddin!!!
Talk to a manager. Tell them you are a serious customer that is interested. You will get a test drive then.
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Life is simple here.. I call the local dealer (who I have previously only purchased one user 00 grand am from, ask if he had a gto with a manual, said yes..said I'd be by after work... drove up, parked my 02 camaro,, walked in.. salesman came over... told him i had talked to manager.. grabbed the keys and we went for a test drive.. after we hit the interstate i looked at him and said,, you know i am going to see a little of what this thing will do and i did (not abusive or anything)... manager was gone by that time.. worked a little deal but about a grand apart on trade.. next morning. walked in and went to manager's office.. some asked me if i needed help.. manager just said, he's here to beat me up on price... asked what i wanted .. said split the difference. said ok.. told him i want to take care for drive some more and if the engine didn't blow up or tranmission fall out, i'd write the check when they had their paper work ready... 2 hours later i wrote them a check and drove my goat home... life is good here
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Age has a lot to do with it too. It shouldn't, but it does. Although my dealer experience was good, the saleman did say that they get about 10 customers a week wanting to joyride the GTO's. They are very specific, you sign the intent to buy, then you drive.
The dealership I bought mine from initially told me they don't do test drives. However, after they could see I was serious about purchasing and could indeed afford it, all of a sudden the sales manager came out with the keys.
You have to understand that they just can't let everybody and their dog drive them, or they'd all have hundreds of miles on them before someone actually buys.
You have to understand that they just can't let everybody and their dog drive them, or they'd all have hundreds of miles on them before someone actually buys.
Similar situations have been discussed here.
Facts are, some dealers do more stereotyping of individuals than others.
That said, if I owned a dealership, I probably wouldn't let everybody that walked in take any car out. That's crazy.
I probably would let most people test drive a car WITH a saleman in the car, especially if it was high powered rear wheel drive.
When I was testing cars, the local Ford dealer let me take a couple of the Mustang V6 models out for as long as I wanted. When I asked to take the GT, he came along with my wife and me. Funny watching this guy wedge himself in that back seat! Now I'm 52, and not so much of a crazy threat anymore, but he told me they someone pull out from the dealership in a GT, got sideways, and broadsided another car. That was end (for them) of unspupervised test drives in a GT.
Facts are, some dealers do more stereotyping of individuals than others.
That said, if I owned a dealership, I probably wouldn't let everybody that walked in take any car out. That's crazy.
I probably would let most people test drive a car WITH a saleman in the car, especially if it was high powered rear wheel drive.
When I was testing cars, the local Ford dealer let me take a couple of the Mustang V6 models out for as long as I wanted. When I asked to take the GT, he came along with my wife and me. Funny watching this guy wedge himself in that back seat! Now I'm 52, and not so much of a crazy threat anymore, but he told me they someone pull out from the dealership in a GT, got sideways, and broadsided another car. That was end (for them) of unspupervised test drives in a GT.
How do they expect to sell these cars if you have to go to the manager just to get a test drive?! Think about it. I just don't think I should have to jump through so many hoops just to get a drive in a car that is suppsably all about the driving. I've got one last person to go see, and after that I'll just give up. Someone suggested I contact my regional GM sales rep, which I thought about doing. But I'm not going through all that crap.
I don't know anything about you, but I'm not sure you're seeing this from all sides. I can appreciate you already have a fast car (RX8), and therefore you feel you should be able to drive a GTO.l008com said:
If you're a dealer, with only a couple GTO's, he may see a young guy that hasn't approached them seriously except for wanting to drive the car. In your position, I would probably let them know I've researched the car, sit down for a few minutes and go over the kind of deal you could expect to receive, whether you're going to trade, and then ask to drive the car. I would be suprised at that point if they refuse, but you'll still be escorted.
I think I read on here one guy that bought one without even driving it, only being driven around by the salesman. Now that's crazy.
I've had 2 different places now tell me they have no sticks, when they did, when I called and said I'm interested and want to drive it.mumrah said:
If dealers don't like this, thats ok. On the RX-8 forum I'm being told I should bolt on a supercharger for the 4 years of my lease. I doubt I will but still. I'm very angry.
The dealer I had to purchase my second GTO knew I was serious when i said some ass had totalled my first GTO, im 22 years old and Im not coming down to **** around. I told him if I am treated right I will drive out of the dealership today in a new goat. I showed up to the dealership the next day (70 miles from my house) he my GTO sitting by itself on the service drive, freshly detailed, spotless, locked and warmed up ready for a test drive. I drove home in the car a few hours later.
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I was worried about age stereotyping when I went on my car hunt. I'm 23 but probably look 19. Both Chevy dealerhips I went to let me test drive used C5 vettes (one '03, one '04) and one offered to let me drive the C6 but I declined (was running low on time, had to get back to campus for a lab). I was very shocked at how willing these dealerships were to let me test drive two $25k - $30k cars (and offered to let me drive a $45k car) even when I told them I was still a student and would probably only be spending $22k at the most (at the time I was looking hard at a couple of '01 Vettes). I ended up going with the GTO as it was much more practical (back seat, lower insurance, newer & lower miles for same money) and the pontiac delaers were just as willing to let me testdrive. I drove an '04 Torrid Red A4 and an '05 Yellow Jacket M6. I went with the '04 based on price, color, and the fact that my fiance can only drive an automatic (important to please her since we were trading her toy, an '04 Eclipse Spyder GT, and she'd be making the payments until i graduate in May).
Seems like dealers are looking at these cars as much more of a collectors item than they really are at the moment (maybe they will be more so in the future but they really aren't right now). If they won't let you test drive then move along to somewhere that will. Luckily I didn't have to look to hard... seems like in your area it might take a little more effort.
Seems like dealers are looking at these cars as much more of a collectors item than they really are at the moment (maybe they will be more so in the future but they really aren't right now). If they won't let you test drive then move along to somewhere that will. Luckily I didn't have to look to hard... seems like in your area it might take a little more effort.
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How do you know they had sticks? Did you visually confirm that -- or are you basing this on the inventory displayed online? Some dealers are really, really sloppy about updating their inventory sheets -- so their inventory status looks like they have cars when they do not. FYI.l008com said:
As for your situation, you've just run into a bunch of stupid "old school" dealers. Just keep checking -- because there are good ones out there. If you go back to a Mazda -- you'll only be cheating yourself.
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