| When it comes to buying a car, there's no shortage of | | | | accelerate and brake. Get a sense for how well the |
| advice. But, here's perhaps the best tip: Always test | | | | car is insulated by listening for outside sounds, like wind |
| drive a car before you buy it. There's simply no | | | | and road noise. |
| substitute for this crucial step in the buying process. A | | | | - Drive where and how you usually drive. The |
| vehicle may be loaded with amenities you want and | | | | salesperson may give you directions for a route he |
| come in your favorite color, but these features don't | | | | usually follows, but you need to make sure this car |
| tell you anything about how it handles. Review these | | | | performs in conditions you normally drive. If you do a |
| test drive tips to ensure you get the most out of your | | | | lot of city driving and the dealership is more rural, take |
| test drive. | | | | it into traffic. If you drive a lot of hills, find hills. You want |
| Before you pull out of the lot | | | | to make sure the acceleration, power and braking suit |
| - Make the time. Go car shopping when you have | | | | your style of driving. |
| several hours at your disposal. Trying to squeeze in a | | | | - Change lanes to test visibility. Good visibility is a |
| test drive before your kid's basketball game or during | | | | must-have for safety reasons. A good way to test |
| your lunch hour will make you feel rushed, and you | | | | this is to change lanes and merge with heavy traffic. |
| won't take the time to inspect the car thoroughly. | | | | - Test the turn radius. Pull in and out of parking spots |
| - Poke around. Check out the trunk space and look | | | | to get a feel for the maneuverability and turn radius. |
| under the hood. Sit in the backseat and assess the leg | | | | You should also make three-point turns. |
| room. Explore compartments, push buttons and adjust | | | | - Check the climate controls. Depending on the time of |
| dials. Don't be shy about this step. You want to make | | | | year you take your test drive, you may not think to |
| sure the vehicle has quality features you need and can | | | | check the heat or air conditioning. However, it's |
| easily operate. | | | | important to see how long it takes the car to heat up |
| - Try it on for size. Now that you're ready to get in, | | | | or cool down, so run both. |
| take a minute to see how you feel sitting in the driver's | | | | - Bring a passenger. Have family members or friends |
| seat. Get a sense for the space: Do you and your | | | | join you for your car test drive. They can give |
| passengers feel comfortable? Does the ceiling feel | | | | feedback on how the ride feels in the back seat. |
| low? Are all the dashboard features within easy | | | | - Test windshield wipers and sprayers. This may seem |
| reach? Do you sit too high or low? | | | | like a minor point, but if your windshield gets splashed |
| - Prepare to drive. Before you test drive a car, make | | | | with mud or road salt, you want to clean it off and |
| sure you follow safety procedures by adjusting your | | | | regain visibility quickly. Spray the windshield and see |
| mirrors and buckling your seat belt. | | | | how effectively the sprayers and wipers work. |
| On the road | | | | - Bring the kids. If you have children and car seats, |
| - Listen to the car. There are certain noises you want | | | | bring them along. You want to be sure the car seats |
| to hear and others you don't. Drive with the radio off | | | | fit in the vehicle and that the kids are comfortable. |
| so you can hear how the engine sounds as you | | | | |