Beware of Porsche Boxster 24 hour test drive offer

MarkyMarkD

You are being very silly, anewman. Many people who are going to "buy" a £35k Porsche are not going to buy it for £35k cash - they might buy it on credit, or lease it, or get it as a company car.

To assume that such people have £10k in loose change is ridiculous.

Porsche should highlight the key terms of their test drive "offer" before getting people to sign up to it.

anewman

MarkyMarkD wrote: »

You are being very silly, anewman. Many people who are going to "buy" a £35k Porsche are not going to buy it for £35k cash - they might buy it on credit, or lease it, or get it as a company car.

Or they might be reasonable people and live within their means. There's lots of fantastic cars available new for 1/3rd of the price, and in today's world of snobbish motorists a thriving second hand market where you can pick up reasonable cars for under £1k with air con, power steering, remote central locking, electric windows mirrors sunroof and heated mirrors.

No wonder so many people are in debt if they can't afford things but get credit deals on £35k cars, and mortgages etc etc. Chances are most people who spend £35k on a car pay straight up and have at least £500k in savings - and spend the £35k because it's next to nothing to them.

I know if I ever got to the point where I seriously considered buying a porsche and test drove one and totalled it, I wouldn't be moaning about having to fork out £10k to cover the excess.

Pipcola

GW65 wrote: »

I find it truly appalling that Porsche thinks it is acceptable to offer test drives without highlighting the risk that people are taking on in the event of something unfortunate happening to the vehicle. The experience has ensured I will certainly never consider purchasing a Porsche vehicle. Well done Porsche – a masterful piece of marketing.

Absolutely agree. I have in the past been responsible for a small fleet of 'Executive' cars which included several Porsche's including a Turbo
4wd. They were/are amongst the most uncumfortable cars evere made - and I own a Morgan...........

Whilst I realise we should not be rude or offensive it does appear there are some who inhabit a different time and space continuum.
And dare I say ride a bicycle - which I also own. It is a Porsche! Almost given to me because of the relationship I developed with the dealer.

rizla01

Well GW65, I get your drift and though I'm not in the market for a Porsche it'll make cetain that I look for this sort of behavior from ANY company that i might do a 'try Out' with. It's a very valid warning to others.

The vehicle make or the cost of said vehicle has absolutely no bearing on the subject matter.

peterg1965

anewman wrote: »

Chances are most people who spend £35k on a car pay straight up and have at least £500k in savings - and

Really? I dont know what world you live in anewman. If its the one I frequent then someone please return my £500K savings which has just gone missing.

The truth of the matter is, a lot of cars that sell at £30K or above will be company/business type purchases or leases, or sold to individuals on some form of affordable finance package. Each to their own, but buying a £35K car DOES NOT automatically mean that people in this category have half a million pounds in savings! It still does not justify a £10K excess on an insurance policy.

rdwarr

anewman wrote: »

If you can spend 35k on a car, losing 10k to you is like me throwing away £1.

That means that your car cost £3.50.

nullogik

If you can't afford to pay the excess if you total the car on the test drive, then you can't afford to own a Porsche, simple as that.

Really, anyone who hasn't got at least £10k to hand (I mean in a bank) shouldn't be even considering purchasing a Porsche let alone test driving one, you're living beyond your means!

MarkyMarkD

Goodness, an anewman clone saying exactly the same illogical things.

'Nuff said.

balsingh

Why has thread gone off on such a tangent?? Its not about what cars people can and cannot afford, or even whether they should or shoudlnt. The OP was simply (but indirectly) pointing out that you shoudl read the small print and make sure theres no hidden things (like a hefty excess). In essense, you could test drive a Fiat Panda and somehow they could sneakily put a hefty excess into the equation.

rizla01

Like many thousands of others, If I were invited to borrow a new Porsche for 24 hours, I'd be very tempted.

Forrtunately, I drive performance cars anyway, so it wouldn't be that big a kick for me.

I'd never want to splash out that kind of money but hey, it's a freebie, init? (Unless you bend it, of course)