I’d never even sat in a Skoda, any Skoda, before collecting mine!  

I can't understand why anyone would buy a car without driving it or a similarly powered / specified one beforehand...   If the dealer said I couldn't I'd walk out and go elsewhere.

25 minutes ago, skomaz said:

I can't understand why anyone would buy a car without driving it or a similarly powered / specified one beforehand...   If the dealer said I couldn't I'd walk out and go elsewhere.

We ordered our Karoq before it was launched in the UK and when we collected it it was the first on Leicestershire roads. Although they had a Black one in the showroom for the official launch Skoda UK told them no one was allowed to drive it but I liked what I could see and touch enough to place an order and 38 months later still very happy with my decision and it is so much nicer than her previous £18.000 SE Sport Rapid Spaceback (although that had a nice pano roof).

I once bought a new 150bhp sports tourer motorbike without having a test ride. I had sat on a few, I knew it fitted me, it was comfortable and the price was right. It turned into the best bike I ever owned. 

 

tom

16 minutes ago, Sanqhar said:

I once bought a new 150bhp sports tourer motorbike without having a test ride. I had sat on a few, I knew it fitted me, it was comfortable and the price was right. It turned into the best bike I ever owned. 

 

tom

Sounds interesting. What did you buy? 

4 hours ago, Fux said:

"Fortunately the garage did allow me to sit in the car and that was a sportline model. Just couldn't drive it. (or any other car due to covid restrictions)"

Two separate Toyota dealers have allowed me to drive a demonstrator during lockdown (just bring it back within an hour they said), didn't even ask for the keys of my car.

I bought my car unseen and I had never driven one, nor had I ever driven a Skoda in any guise. I laughed at adverts on TV saying buy a used car and we will deliver it to your door etc. I thought who would be daft enough to do that? buy a car without a test drive. Errrr me so it seems. My dealer - Fish Brothers in Swindon did a 1hr video around the car, showing the details, how various things operated and when I went and picked it up I gave it the once over. It was officially deemed a 'used car' but it had 90 odd miles on the clock so practically new. Do I regret my purchase? not one bit - I love the car - its nice to drive - not very economical but I'm not doing that many miles. Would I buy it again? without doubt. Any issues? Only the poor sat nav / infotainment. Using CarPlay to get around that.

1 hour ago, Westbury63 said:

Sounds interesting. What did you buy? 

 

Yamaha FJR1300. 

More comfortable than my two previous BMWs (K75, R1100RT). Wife and I went camping with all the gear in a trailer. The bike didn't know the trailer was there.  It was capable of highly illegal speeds.

 

tom 

4 hours ago, Sanqhar said:

 

Yamaha FJR1300. 

More comfortable than my two previous BMWs (K75, R1100RT). Wife and I went camping with all the gear in a trailer. The bike didn't know the trailer was there.  It was capable of highly illegal speeds.

 

tom 

A trailer !!!! 
 

I also enjoy a bike, but cannot imagine riding with a trailer hanging off the back.

 

Well done.

 

ps - I bought my bike over the phone without a test ride and I’ve bought many, many cars without test drives. Simply ordered over the phone. Or occasionally face to face in a showroom. Never, ever, had any regrets as I do my homework and/or I’ve had something similar before.

Edited 5 March, 20215 yr by BoxerBoy

4 hours ago, Sanqhar said:

 

Yamaha FJR1300. 

More comfortable than my two previous BMWs (K75, R1100RT). Wife and I went camping with all the gear in a trailer. The bike didn't know the trailer was there.  It was capable of highly illegal speeds.

 

tom 

The FJR is a very nice beasty. They are underated IMHO and it'll be heaps more reliable than modern Beemers from what I've heard.  Stay safe!

 

1 hour ago, Westbury63 said:

The FJR is a very nice beasty. They are underated IMHO and it'll be heaps more reliable than modern Beemers from what I've heard.  Stay safe!

 

 

1 hour ago, BoxerBoy said:

A trailer !!!! 
 

I also enjoy a bike, but cannot imagine riding with a trailer hanging off the back.

 

Well done.

 

Properly set up with a powerful bike you don’t know the trailer is there. That's the risk. 

 

I have been within 30mph of the world land speed record for a bike towing a trailer, with the wife on the back and a fully laden trailer.  I slowed with the wife yelling down the intercom and banging on my shoulders. That was a long time ago. Old age etc and the wife no longer riding pillion and me struggling to manhandle it around meant me selling it in 2016. 

I bought a 450cc CCM single at under half the weight, dropping 100bhp that keeps me biking, albeit solo. 

 

Apologies for the thread hijack. 

 

Tom