8 steps to keep in mind when test driving the car you want to buy

(Baonghean.vn) - Test driving a car is an important step before signing a car purchase contract. Therefore, buyers need to prepare carefully as well as have basic knowledge to experience and evaluate the chosen car themselves. Below are 8 test driving steps you can refer to to avoid missing small aspects.

1. Before departure

The first thing you need to do when taking a test drive is to check the car's interaction. Do the gearshift and steering wheel fit your hands? Are the accelerator, brake, and clutch pedals too heavy or too light? The seat position is also very important, the electric seat adjustment feature and the ability to remember the position are also advantages that you should pay attention to.

Take a close look at the central dashboard, the parameters displayed on the screen… This is where you look at the most during vehicle operation; make sure you understand the numbers displayed on it.

Check the air vents to see if they work properly? Check the heating function too. Headlights, signal lights, fog lights… should be turned on and adjusted. If the car has bluetooth, ipod… connection, you should bring the necessary equipment to check.

2. Acceleration

Make sure the engine provides adequate acceleration when you start driving and you can safely merge into traffic on the highway. Acceleration depends mainly on engine power, but is also closely related to the transmission.

A good engine with a mediocre transmission will deliver subpar performance. Conversely, a relatively small engine can perform well with a well-designed modern transmission, whether manual or automatic.

3. Feeling when cornering

You should not test the car by turning faster than expected. Because you are driving a strange car, you need to focus on the most basic factors and not just see the speed as the most important. In fact, even at low speed, you can still check through the feeling of pressing or releasing the throttle, it shows the weight of the car.

4. Test the brakes

The brakes should respond quickly and without jerking or jerking when you test drive a car. Feel how the car responds when you press the brake pedal, both lightly and firmly. It should feel smooth and comfortable. You shouldn’t have to use too much force and the car shouldn’t stop too quickly or too slowly.

5. Check actual fuel consumption

A road test drive is a great opportunity to gauge fuel economy under the conditions you will use the car in. When you take the car for a test drive, you should reset the odometer and trip computer. When you leave the test drive, check the fuel economy reading - it may be completely different from the number quoted on the windshield.

6. Parking

If you live in the city, try parallel parking to see if it’s too much of a struggle to maneuver in a tight space. Again, check for visibility issues, especially when backing up. This is also a good time to check your car’s minimum turning radius.

7. Test drive another car

Even if you have decided to buy a car, you should also take the opportunity to test drive the other car's competitors to evaluate. Focusing only on a certain car model will prevent you from having a comprehensive view to choose a more suitable car model.

8. Be a passenger

Test driving a car can be so focused on driving that you can easily miss out on other things. So spend some time in the passenger seat and let someone else drive. Then, sit in the back seat. This will give you a chance to evaluate the noise, ride quality, and see how well the car fits your family.

Ngoc Anh

(Synthetic)