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Useful tips about test driving
Pop the boot
Make sure you can fit your stuff! Do you regularly carry golf bag(s) and/or buggies? What about a pram or a stroller? It's not good having a boot that is too small!
Is safety important?
Possibly the most important advance in safety since the introduction of seatbelts is ESC. ESC is short for Electronic Stability Control, a new safety technology that helps drivers to avoid crashes by reducing the danger of skidding. ESC reduces the risk of a single vehicle crash by more than 40%. Not all new cars are fitted with ESC. FCAI provides a list of those that do and those that don't. Make an informed choice!
Driving and handling
Does the vehicle give you a comfortable ride? Will you be happy with the feel? Make sure you test the vehicle over small bumps to feel how soft or firm it feels through the seat and the wheels. Very stiff suspension can result in significant body fatigue when you have to travel longer distances.
Automatic transmissions should be tested up hills to assess the response to kick down. Try pushing the throttle and check for passing power at low speed and well as highway speed. How does it respond at 60klms when compared to 90klms?
Noise / Sound
Road and wind noise can seriously impair your ability to hear others in the car during conversations. Turn the radio off when you get into the vehicle. Around suburban streets, most cars will sound quiet but what is the engine and wind noise like on the highway or freeway? The best way for most people to check this is by way of comparing. Have a conversation at freeway speed and compare it to your existing car, or a competitor to the car you are testing.
Remember to switch the radio on again at some point before end of the drive to check the quality of the sound. Many people like to bring their favourite CD and hear how it sounds in different cars.
