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Useful tips about test driving
Boot space considerations
It is important you remember to check the luggage space. It may sound unbelievable, but people do buy cars and completely forget to check that their baby’s pram fits. In some cases, they have to sell the car just for that reason!
Safety
Your car's safety performance in a crash could mean the difference between life and death for you, your passengers and other roads users. How Safe Is Your Car is a website where you can find information of how most cars rate in crash tests. It also explains ESC. ESC is short for Electronic Stability Control, a new safety technology that helps drivers to avoid crashes by reducing the danger of skidding.
Handling
See how the car handles if you push it a bit in corners. Oversteer or understeer is usually the result (unless it comes with Electronic Stability Control). It’s better to know how it handles before you buy. It is also useful to compare it against different makes and models. It is hard to get an idea of how a car responds to quick manoeuvres in a short drive but you can hurry the car around a couple of corners to check body roll. Test the responsiveness with an abrupt lane change. When avoiding an accident, a vehicle that is slow to respond may not be your best option. Does the front end dip excessively under a hard stop? Try a couple of times. If the vehicle has ABS you will feel some pulsing, try braking hard while turning this will tell you that the system is working. If the pulsing is pronounced the ABS system may not be quite as good as some others.
Sound and noise
Road and wind noise can affect your ability to hear others in the car when you have 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 turn the radio on again at some point before end of the drive to check the quality of the sound. A lot of people like to bring their favourite CD and hear how it sounds in different cars
