Does it Pass the Test (Drive)?

Thinking of buying a new vehicle at the Lake of the Ozarks? Taking your prospective vehicles for a test drive is one of the most crucial parts of buying a car at the Lake. The test drive is your opportunity to familiarize yourself with the way the vehicle moves, to see if you can truly envision yourself in the vehicle every day, to make sure the vehicle lives up to all your expectations. 

Sounds pretty self-explanatory, right? Well, there is actually a great deal more to an effective test drive than meets the eye. In order to find the vehicle that is perfect for you, the knowledgeable sales staff at Hulett Chevrolet-Buick-GMC recommend the following tried and true test drive tips.

Do Your Homework First

There's no point in falling in love behind the wheel of a car that you won't be able to afford. Save yourself time (and potential heartache) by researching vehicle prices and analyzing your budget ahead of time. We recommend only test driving cars you could realistically end up purchasing.

Evaluate The Comfort Level

Once you've established a list of the top three or four cars you could legitimately see yourself purchasing, it's time to get behind the wheel! Before you leave the parking lot, give the cockpit a critical once-over. Can you adjust the seat so you can comfortably reach the pedals, the steering wheel, and all pertinent dashboard controls? Can you easily see out windshield and all the windows? Do you have a clear look at dials on your dashboard, or is the steering wheel in the way? Does the headrest put your neck at an awkward angle? 

You might be tempted to jump behind the wheel and take off on the ride of your life, but you'll thank yourself later for taking the time to pay attention to all these little details. If you end up purchasing the car, the shiny "newness" will wear off eventually, and you'll become painfully aware of any slight discomforts you overlooked during the test drive.

Take The Vehicle Through All The Speeds

Your vehicle takes you everywhere from short little jaunts around town to massive cross-country road trips. Make sure your prospective car or truck will be able to perform under all conditions by cruising slowly around town as well as jumping on the highway to test out the higher speeds.

Give Yourself a Realistic Trial Run

Just like you want to be sure to test drive your vehicle at all speeds, you'll want to take your potential new car through all the motions. Practice accelerating, decelerating, stopping, starting, turning right, turning left, parking forwards, parking backwards, and parallel parking.

Evaluate The Vehicle In Relation To Your Needs

No matter what car you're looking at buying or why, you'll want to run through all the steps we've addressed so far. Now, though, it's time to evaluate your prospective vehicle's ability to cater to your specific needs. If you're a single individual looking for a new car, for example, you probably won't need to make sure it has child safety locks for the back doors. If you have a few kids, however, child safety locks will probably be a priority. Once you determine exactly what you need your next vehicle to be able to do, you'll be able to find one that meets those needs.

By following these simple suggestions, you can be sure that you'll end up with a new car or truck that is perfectly suited to all of your needs. If you're looking to buy a car at the Lake of the Ozarks, stop by and check out the vehicles at Hulett Chevrolet-Buick-GMC! We have a great inventory of new and pre-owned vehicles.

The Team at Hulett Chevrolet Buick GMC

513 N. Business Route 5
Camdenton, MO  65020
www.ShopHulett.com
Sales: 573.317.4197
Service:  573.317.4195