SPINOFF: Did you test drive a Tesla before buying yours?

[HX_Guy]

Was reading the thread about how Tesla may fail as a company by going online sales only and got to thinking about my personal situation.

I did go to the Tesla store and I did set up a test drive, but thinking back that was more for just the experience and not having the patience to to wait until I could drive my own car. I had already done the research and was already very excited to be buying a Tesla that doing the test drive really had no impact on my decision to buy one.

Makes me wonder if a test drive has ever turned someone AWAY from wanting a Tesla - as in, they wanted one but after test driving one they changed their mind and didn't move forward.

 

[RH7288]

I did not test drive one before buying mine, however, a few friend have bought or are planning on buying after driving mine..

 

[OrbiterTI4]

Yes - for the S, to verify back seat fit of car seats (bucket and booster); for the X, to check out third row spacing.

 

[SSonnentag]

No for my S, yes for my wife's X. We likely would not have purchased the X without a test drive to see if the seat and controls were within reach for my wife.

 

[SaveOurPlanet]

I’ve owned a few Mercedes and never test drove any as my mind was already made up. Same for the Model S even though I was offered a test drive, all I wanted was to see in person the interior white, went for the black after one look.

 

[NoirMS]

having never driven an EV... I test drove the S & 3... didn't have any impact on my wanting a Tesla (for like 5 years)... I ended up buying a CPO online...no regrets.

 

[Flyguy]

Yes. Test drove with/without SAS back to back. Went with SAS. AUG 2017 build

 

[TES-E]

Yes. At the time, Tesla was still pretty unknown, and I was not about to shell out that kind of money without driving one first.

 

[GeoX750]

I had already driven friends cars before, but I did test drive before buying my car.

I have a buddy who took an S for the weekend, yet decided not to buy it. He has no home charging and felt the efficiency was not good in the winter.

 

[Tam]

...test drive...

Tesla has organized test drive parties where there've been no Tesla Stores.

Thus, eliminating Tesla Stores is not synonymous with no test drive parties.

 

[BluestarE3]

Yes, but I had already decided to buy my Model 3, even if a test drive had not been offered. The test drive was just icing on the cake.

 

[Kuhz]

Yes

 

[jerry33]

I did test drive, but that was only because there was a dog and pony show in the area.

 

[Tic-tac-toe]

Yes... test drove and bought the car I test drove. Love at first drive! Nothing else I test drove compared to my S P100D! I test drove the X P100D too. Wow! Only reason I chose the S over the X was size... and the S accelerated faster. Amazing cars

 

[Flyguy]

Yes. Test drove with/without SAS back to back. Went with SAS. AUG 2017 build

Similar to others, even though I test drove, I was ready to buy no matter what.

 

[ArbitrageMan]

No. I ordered without test driving. The night I placed the order I got a call from the local service center who invited me to come and test drive a few days later. It reinforced my decision.

 

[dblankenbaker]

I went to the Tesla Store and test drove a Model S (because that's what I wanted) and a Model 3 (because the sales staff thought I might like it better). An hour behind the wheel of each car confirmed the Model S was the right car for me.

 

[Vic_F]

If I had not been able to test drive I would not have purchased my Model S last year.

 

[brucet999]

I am buying a $650 sliding compound miter saw from a brick-and-mortar store because I can get my hands on a demo machine to be sure that I like the feel of the slides and the controls.

No way would I buy a car for many tens of thousands of dollars without first test driving to be sure of how it handles, the look and feel of its build quality, and the comfort of the seats.

 

[jbcarioca]

I had driven a Tesla before buying, but never had even seen the model I bought, a P85D.