Hi all my car has just been put up for sale so, hopefully, I'll soon have people looking to buy her. I just rang my insurance up to see where I stand with allowing test drives. Easy enough I just need to give them details of the test driver and they can be put on as a temp driver for just a few quid. What would happen, I asked, if the test driver lies to me and I pass on false details in good faith that they are correct, and the test driver then wraps the car round a tree. Answer is that your insurance would then be void sir.
So it seems to me that there is no way to properly cover yourself for a test drive. Either hope that the guy gives true details or deny them a pilot seat.
What have others done? Or am I just trying to be too carefull.
Cheers all
Paul.

 

Hmmm, I am possibly going to be selling my car shortly, so here are a few thoughts :

1. Ask them to bring license / passport / utility bill - explain why, any genuine buyer will be happy, might put off tyre kickers and test pilots too!

2. Say that they must be covered on their insurance, and get them to bring their certificate. Of course this only covers them 3rd party normally, so perhaps some sort of document that they sign saying that if they stack it they pay. Probably going to put off even genuine buyers though, signing something like that would be terrifying, not the sort of thing you'd want to think about and you'd end up driving like a granny so as not to put a mark on it - hardly any sort of test drive is it!?

3. In the bike world I believe it is usual practice to leave a cheque for the full value of the bike with the seller before going on a ride - if you bin it you buy it! Of course the cheque could be fake, etc...

I think I would go for option 1 and trust to luck Would imagine with an Impreza you would have a greater proportion of people trying it on (either to pinch it or just for a laugh) than a Vectra...

Last time I test drove a private car I asked about the insurance - he said he was covered, and I knew therefore I was covered 3rd party. Of course, if he had been lying about being covered, I wouldn't have been covered. Which would have been my fault *sigh*. Noticed when I got back from the drive that the tax had expired a couple of days previously too...

 

I successfully sold my Scoob after taking the potential buyer out in it with me driving.

I also bought it without actually driving it until doing the paperwork for the finance.

[suck eggs mode on]

Beware someone who has fully comp for their own car and only 3rd party for other vehicles. If they stack your car, you have to claim on your insurance for the damage done to it.

Don't let more than one person come with you on the test drive if possible. Especially if they are big ugly *******.

Don't leave the keys in the ignition when you change drivers etc. Only have the car keys on the keyring. If something does happen, you don't want them to also have your house keys etc.

If they are fully insured and you let them drive, sit in the front. If they start driving like a pillock you have a chance of stopping them.

Also, if you do let them drive, ask to see their driving licence and note down all the relelvant details. If they go past a "Safety Camera" at warp speed, you need to know their details to avoid getting done yourself.

Before any test drive, ask to see their cash/bankers draft etc. You need to know they aren't test pilots/tyre kickers and are serious about buying the car.

[suck eggs mode off]

HTH.

 

Some good advice from Jerome. If they want to buy a decent car from you, they will be pleased that you are worried about it and don't want it wrecked. My previous car before the Impreza was an immaculate MGF - the guy took me out and drove enthusiastically but demonstrated it had been well looked after. I bought the car without even driving it.

 

Not really the best way of doing it. If the test driver does have an accident, it'll be your policy and NCD that will be at risk.

Ask any respondents in advance to sort their own insurance, and ring said insurance company to confirm that cover is in place before you let them in the driver's seat. Now go and read Jerome's post again as it's all good stuff.

 

How do you get fully-comp insurance on a separate policy on a car which does not belong to you?

 

Dont let them drive it, take them out for a good run, dont drive like a ****, never leave the keys in the ignition unless you or a memebr of your family is in the drivers seat. Any sensible person will realise they are not insured. Make a feature of "I do not allow any one to drive my car".
Worked ok for me several times.
Hope you sell .............
STEVE...................

 

I wouldn't buy a car from someone who wouldn't let me drive it!!! As long as your sitting next to them when they drive it then it shouldn't be a problem.

I defo. wouldn't let anyone in the back and I would always drive the car for a mile or so, pull over and let them drive it back!

Dom

 

Dom,

fair comment, but i would expect you to show you had sufficient cover to repair the car should the worst happen. if you didn't have cover you wouldn't be driving it. shouldn't be a problem if its all made clear over the phone before any potential buyer even arrives to view.

lets face it, a potentially buyer is just that. they're not the owner of the vehicle at that time and must respect the owner's concern for his property (after all he'll have several thousand pounds tied up in it). there is no hard and fast solution for everyone .. you just got to work on getting an acceptable (to you) level of trust/comfort before allowing someone to step into the drivers seat. perhaps ensure you have a friend in the back for added security.

Kev

 

Hi all thanks for the responses.
I think that idealy greasemonkeys suggestion of the potential buyer sorting his own insurance would be the best but my insurer told me that they couldn't do that as the car is still in my name etc. I suppose they could get fully comp cover for any car but I'm sure that would cost a packet. I think I'll be putting them on my cover as a temp driver at least I'll have done as much as I can to be covered and I have protected NCD. I'll also do my best to be accompanied by a friend and for sure their drive will be alot shorter than my demo drive! May also sound them out first about them not driving at all.
Paul

 

Sucking eggs, as before...

I also wouldn't like to buy a car without driving it

If you were the buyer, what would you like to see?

Hands off the wheel on a straight road (does it pull to the side)?
Hands off the wheel and brake (same)
Redline it for a bit when warm (check engine limiter etc)
No stereo while driving so you can hear all engine etc noise
etc etc etc

See also if you can get a mate to sit quietly in the back. And swap when YOU want, not when he wants - someone on here was swapping and someone got out of a waiting car and helped the "buyer" to drive off with it.

Good luck

 

I once tried unsuccessfully to insure myself on someone elses car. At the time I didn't have my own car, so couldn't extend any existing cover. I don't think you'll find many insurance companies that will do it in the UK if you don't already have insurance on another car. Even then, to extend fully comp to other cars (rather than just third party) would be extremely expensive I imagine - especially for Scoobs.

 

With a bit of luck the insurers of potential buyers will be somewhat more accommodating Paul. I've done this a couple of times in the past, and it's never been a problem, just phone them up with the type and reg number of the car concerned, they chuck a few quid on my credit card, and fax me down a covernote.

 

Cost me £12 with CIS. "Temporary additional vehicle".


Andy

 

I've tried to get temporary cover a few times on vehicles I have wanted to test drive and have been told (by Direct Line) it can't be done if the vehicle is already insured, as you can't have one vehicle insured twice. Quite happy to do it if it isn't already insured though !

Their solution was for me to be put on the owners policy temporarily, which is what I did when I test drove my Scoob - and I paid for the owner for it. Means exchanging a lot of details - but at least you're fully covered (on the owners no claims)

Scoobsti