Test Drive Question To Dealers Here!!

[Risky3301]

I am trying to arrange a test drive with my local dealer who shall remain nameless for the moment, I have requested a 24 hour test drive and they do not have problem this request and are willing to supply me with car the only thing is the Insurance, They want to charge me exccess (large sum of money) in case of any damage, is this right, Any reponse would be most helpful. When I have had this type of Test drive before this has never been an issue,

[Ian S]

I've always found an excess has been applied, although not often pointed out. This has been true for both courtesy cars & 24hr test drives. A figure of 200GBP springs to mind?

(None of these have been with Lexus)

[Risky3301]

200 GBP wouldn't be to bad, they are asking for a hell of alot more, I suppose I should be gratefull they have been up front with the information.

[agalbraith]

I was trying to sort out a 24 drive recently too.

A terrifying figure of several thousand seems to apply unless:

- The dealer is not being cheap

- You pay a 10 quid fee

- You arrange your own comprehensive insurance

I've been charged a tenner on courtesy cars before too... although I've never gone back for a second service ;)

I think if you pay the fee, it drops to the 200 quid Ian mentioned.

A

[daveb1]

The £10 fee is for Collision Damage Waiver I think, a standard insurance thing for hire cars and the like.

I've also been charged for courtesy cars, from Lexus Tunbridge Wells. They cited the number of claims that people have whilst using their courtesy cars, and the steep cost increase to their "Any Driver" trade policy as the reason. Whilst I can understand this from a business point of view, the flip side of the coin is customer dissatisfaction, and without customers there IS no business.

I may be blinkered in my view, but my idea of a 'courtesy car' was precisely that... a service the business supplies as a thank you for using their facilities. I *expect* a replacement car if my Lexus is off the road and I need to continue with my days work or leisure. That is why I paid for a luxury marque. Most mainstream garages (Ford, Renault, Fiat etc) give out courtesy cars as a matter of course... it may only be a cinquecento but it's free and part of the service... Lexus shouldn't charge... if anything they should be giving us the car, AND a box of luxury chocs to munch on whilst we're inconvenienced by not being in our own car. :P

Dave

[javaboss]

Is all this charging something that has recently been introduced? I've never had this problem with Lexus Hadleigh.

[daveb1]

Lexus Tunbridge Wells tried to charge me for my 30k service in March this year. I think it's individual to each dealer because they're still an independent company even though they only sell Lexus... they aren't Lexus themselves, only a company who sells them. Perhaps if Lexus themselves found out about this charging, they might have something to say about it.

Out of principle I'm not going to use them again, which is why I asked for info about Lexus Brighton... sadly no one has replied to that thread :(

Dave

[Rodders_UK]

You guys shoud all think about joining GOLD - if you're worried about saving a tenner on the cost of CWD, you'll probably want to save 15% on the cost of your service!

[daveb1]

I am a Gold member.

The CDW cost isn't important, it's the principle... anyone who buys a Lexus probably isn't short of a bob or two. My problem is that I'm being charged at all. It all comes down to customer service from a luxury marque. Surely they make enough overall profit to swallow the £10 CDW charge when someone asks for a courtesy car?

Dave