would you let potential buyers drive it? This is entirely hypothetical as I am not about to sell mine but it was one of the main reasons I px-ed my previous MY99 rather than selling it privately.
I guess you can check people's insurance docs but normally they would only have third party cover so what happens if they smash it up?

 

another grim thought. what if they pinch it on the test drive as has been done a few times you get out to let them drive ,he jumps in and drives off you are left stranded. happened to someone in nuneaton last year.
Always have an adult in the back seat that you can trust to strangle them if they try it !!
not sure about insurance suggest it would be only 3rd party? Ask your insurers better than relying on the buyer.
Part Ex sounds safer but then not everyone is bent you just have to be aware.

 

I would only let them drive mine if they were very serious about buying it.
As regards some of the newer cars & specialised ones like the P1, 22B I would be very wary to be honest, in light of some of the stories that I have read on here.

shunty

 

No, no, no and no. Not even if they had insurance. Sorry, but no. I'll happily drive them somewhere, but no chance on the test pilot front.

Not wishing to worry you, but be very careful with the keys, too. Do not leave the car running without you able to grab the keys immediately. I know one person who lost his car like this when "selling" the car.

Good luck with the sale

 

just for the record Chiark - I am really really really not selling the car!!! just interested in what people thought as I would certainly not let anyone drive, but on the other hand would be very reluctant to buy one without driving it myself.

 

Alternatively, would you buy a car that you hadn't driven? I wouldn't, no way, not ever.

 

I let people test drive when I sold the TVR. Maybe the clientelle were a bit more refined that you might expect from your average scooby test pilot . It takes about half an hour to get into a TVR, so quite hard for them to dive in and drive off leaving you stranded.

 

A couple of Scoobynetters test drove my STI when they looked at it but they were both very good and made sure the car ignition was turned off and I had the keys in my hand before I stepped out of the car. It reassured me a great deal.

However, one of the reasons I took the voluntary termination option on the finance, rather than selling the car, was because I decided that the idea of risking numerous max-power idiots thrashing my car to bits and possibly nicking it or writing it off just didn't appeal.

 

The only time I`d consider a prospective punter drive my motor is if they left a big brown envelpoe full of 50`s in my house before they got anywhere near behind the wheel!!

 

My mate took someone out on a test drive and they smashed the car up and he lost everything. Also a another Mate (lots of mates) had a 1 year old M3 2 guys came to see the car they said they were from Swansea beat my mate up and stole the M3. But whos going to buy a car without driving it.

 

If the car is still under warranty then there is no reason for them to drive it. If something is wrong they get it fixed under warranty.

If it is out of warranty I still wouldn't let them drive it. But I would let them get an RAC/AA type inspection and I would let the inspector drive it if they wanted to check something.

 

I once went to look at a car (was a 6 months old DTurbo) and after having a look round it asked if i could take it for a spin. The guy said yeh sure, just dont smash it up or run off with it. He then gave me the cars and just let me drive off with it. Took it down the motorway and everything....! I must have an honest face!

I wouldnt have done owt dodgy though! I just found it amazing it happened.

I was amazed also when i bought my Scoob 7 months ago. The guy was a total star. He could see how much i wanted the car but i had to sell mine so he saved it for me for a £100 deposit and then when i sold my car i still had to wait for 4K bank loan but he let me take the Scoob and left a cheque that hed cash when my loan came through.

Proper good bloke and couldnt thank him enough! Id have been without a motor otherwise! Dont think id have the ***** to do that!
Just incase yer reading Gaz - cheers again man! You are a top bloke!!!