Should I Take a Test Drive Without a Salesperson

This is because—even despite the fact there’s more car info than ever available to you—there’s simply no substitute for GETTING BEHIND THE WHEEL.

This time-tested way of determining a good fit allows you to assess a vehicle’s degree of drivability and roadworthiness first hand.

Taking a test-drive also gives you a sense of whether or not you see yourself in a vehicle over the long-term.

Should I Take a Test Drive Without a Salesperson?
But should you take a test drive without a salesperson?

Yes! While a salesperson can give you the inside scoop by answering your more technical questions, this isn’t brain surgery. In other words, certain decisions don’t require expert consultation. So why not take a test drive without a salesperson?

And thankfully, buying a new car is one of them.

However, as in those movie one-liners, giving yourself this type of power comes with great responsibility.

So make sure you pay attention to the following aspects of your (potential) future car:

1) The brakes.

Safety first. What this means is that you’ll want to perform a visual inspection of the vehicle’s brakes by looking through the wheel. You can do this when the car has disc brakes (most new cars do). Here’s how to check the brakes on your potential new car. First, you’ll want to familiarize yourself with what a brake pad and a brake wear indicator look like. Then you’ll want to look through the wheel to get eyes on them. As a rule, the wider the gap between the brake wear indicator and the wheel, the more life your brake for that wheel has. You’ll also want to visually inspect the brake itself for wear and tear. Besides visually inspecting the brakes, you can also listen to see if they either squeak or squeal when they’re applied while driving.

2) The initial walk around.

You do this in order to assess the vehicle’s overall condition. Questions to ask during this stage include things like Do all of the car’s lights work? Are there dents or scratches? What about the paint, is it still shiny? Asking these questions now (and getting them addressed) will save you from having trouble later on.

3) Shifting capability.

Whether you’re test-driving an automatic or even a manual, you’ll want to pay attention to how the car shifts. Doing so allows you to avoid buying a vehicle with a compromised transmission. This is particularly important as the average cost of transmission replacement ranges from $1800 to $3400, according to transmissionrepaircostguide.com.

4) Tech/ convenience options.

The auto industry is known for being ahead of the curve in terms of tech, so why shouldn’t your new car be too? As many newer cars boast features like a touch-screen infotainment system, multiple USB ports, and Bluetooth connectivity, you’ll want to take advantage of all they have to offer.

5) Comparable driving options.

Imagine that after you’ve finished your test drive, you’ve concluded that the car you’ve just driven passes for points 1 through 4 above. That means that now is the time to buy, right? The next logical step is not to buy now but rather to compare the said vehicle to its comparable driving options. For instance, say you’re interested in Jeep Cherokee. Before buying the particular model of Cherokee you’ve just test driven, you’ll first want to check out what the other models from that year’s Cherokee line-up have to offer you. Do you want an 8.4-Inch Touchscreen Display? Choose the Cherokee Trailhawk. Heated seats? Go with the Cherokee Overland. What about Front and Rear Tow Hooks? The Cherokee Trail Hawk Elite has it.

Our point, of course, is to make sure to survey all your options before deciding to buy.

Test Drive Near me
Rairdon’s of Bellingham has a huge line-up of new

Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, and Ram vehicles for you to test drive.

Schedule a test drive today by calling 360-389-2927 or visiting us at

1615 Iowa St, Bellingham, WA 98229.