yf69

had to sign a purchase agreement (with a 'subject to test drive' note on it) just to test drive the s2k at one dealer, and the saleslady tells me "ok, we can only go around the block once because everybody who buys these wants the mileage really low... and the engines haven't been broken in yet"

not a problem for me since i've never really rat-bagged any car, let alone a 50k one (canadian). she starts it up, gives it 20 seconds to warm up, pulls out of the dealership and cruises half a block where i'll get to be behind the wheel... not even 10 seconds after leaving the lot she guns it, hits the rev limiter (cool! never had that in my civic), and just chuckles "heh, that rev limiter again!".. the car only had 51km on it

and while i'm driving it, she kept telling me to keep it around 3000 rpm... wtf!?!

S2R

They pulled my S2 from the middle of the showroom floor and had to move 2 cars to get to it. One was a silver S2 and the other was an Accord. When I got in to drive the car the feeling was amazing. It was so far superior to my moded gen 2 teg. The shifting was so short and precise, the handling and feel were so solid, and the acceleration and reving were simply awesome. That was all I needed to make my decision. This was just me checking out the car for fun while my 328ci was due to arrive at the dealer in a week or so. Talk about being spontaneous and not thinking things through.

Howie

You mind telling me where this dealership is? I assume it's in Vancouver? Cause when I buy my S2K I don't know if I want to buy from them if they let you test drive cars that buyers have stressed no test driving.

Takashi KazuMori

No problems with me about paperwork or so. I've got good relations with the dealerships in Japan and Australia as well ... Generally, I just drive any demo or second-hand showroom cars around when I feel like it, sometimes I even get to drive them home and bring it back the next day or week later ... Not that I get much of a chance doing so, still gotta come up with a good reason or excuse.

Once, I borrowed their NSX for a date with a pretty girl and it was a damn good experience all round. That is probably one reason why I love going to the dealerships when I'm free to hang around with the folks working there. I seem to be like their test pilot or something, occasionally I have taken potential customers through "Performance Drives" in the demo cars before to really show them what they are intending to buy can really do. Always gets a thumbs up and they have never end up not buying.

sousleau

My first test drive in a S2K was in Vancouver, while waiting between meetings. Stopped in at the Honda dealer in Richmond Auto Mall (if I remember correctly). Wasn't even going to ask for a drive. I had decided earlier that month that, based upon what the car looked like, and the poor attitude of the Honda dealer in Edmonton (the one in the West End - Yellowhead Honda I think) that I didn't want the S2K and would be deciding between the Z3-S-SLK trio.
The salesman came up, asked if I wanted to take one out, and I ended up getting in the so called "illegal" demo, silver/black. It had about 1200 km on it, so VTEC was possible. I had just driven the TT ten minutes ago, and was fairly impressed by the Audi. Five minutes later I was smitten. The drive blew me away and the car could have looked ten times worse, and I would be an S2K driver today.
Twenty minutes later, I was on my way to that meeting, with a new purpose - get a S2K registered in my name.
A subsequent drive later in the year at the dealer I bought mine from (Halton Honda, Burlington, ON, Canada) and I knew it wasn't just a fluke.
Compared to other test drives, no other roadster can touch the level of enjoyment I get from the S2K.
Okay, it was a bit long, but you did ask

sousleau

MajorHavoc

I went to a dealer just to check them out with no intention of driving or buying one that day! So, the sales guy immediately asks if I would like a test drive! I think he was new! We walk around back to the service area and there's a silver/black parked in one of the 20 or so service bays. He hops in, tells me to do the same and fires her up. This car is a mess inside! Dirty, personal belongings strewn about, and a drivers license in the cup holder!!!! At this point I'm thinking WTF!! Are we stealing a customers car! So I ask if this car is for sale. He responds NO! It belongs to the sales manager!!! At this point as he is trying to find reverse, a mechanic comes up and asks what we're doing and if we know who's car this is! The sales guy says yes and not to worry "It's okay"!! He pulls the car around to the front of the dealership and as soon as we hit the street he says "she's all yours"! with 20,000 miles on it I ease in and out of a few gears and proceed to give the sales guy his first VTEC experience!!! I'm sold!!!

P.S. I would never buy from this dealer!

Zoinks

Went in to the dealer to look at Civic SI's. Test drove one, liked it well enough and went in to start on the paperwork when I saw the Stook showroom. I had been on a waiting list for a few months and knew it was there. In fact, I had tried to work with the managers to get the price down (used with 5,500 miles). Wouldn't budge on the price and gave me standard rhetoric. "These babies are in high demand. You can't get them any cheaper" Guess I should,'t have tried to haggle over the phone.

Regardless, I hadn't seen one up close before and was totally awe struck. The sales guy saw me gawking at it and asked if I was interested. I said I was, but nobody wanted to work with me on the price. The sales guy's eyes got real big and went to fetch the manager. We worked out a decent deal, at least at the time I purchased it. $32k with CD changer, all the body moldings, new mats, what appeared to be 4 new S02's and a Honda Care warrantee (saved my ass already). Some desperate bastard had used a key to remove the H emblems ab scratched the paint pretty bad. They repaired it to my satisfaction.

Anyhoo, I had some reservations in purchasing a used car, but they took me out for a test drive. The manager took me out first, thrashing all over the place. I drove it next...

It has been in my garage every night since.

brandonb

Mine was...different.
I was walking around looking at the car...I didn't want to buy it at all. I just though it looked really cool but I already had my mind set on other cars. I was looking around and the salesmen started talking to me. Well, we talked for a while and then he asked if I wanted to drive it. I was really pumped because my friend told me that it was rare that they let people drive these cars without showin a lot of interest in buying. So they pull it off the showroom floor with only 8 miles on it. We take it out and on the highway and I really fall in love with this car. While coming back to the dealership I took a right turn at a light. The salesmen told me earlier to not be afraid of the car and see what it could do. So I put it in first and hit it hard at the turn right at V-TEC. The tires roared and the rear-end went sideways. I loved it....and so did the cop right next to us. The salesman told me to just keep going because there was a cop right there. A few seconds later the cop was chasing me down and pulling me over. He bitched at me for a while but let us off of the hook. I took the car back to the dealer and bought it 2 days later.
-Brandon

Zoinks

LOL! You know it was a good test drive when the police get involved!

Great story

yf69

howie,

actually yeah it was richmond honda. i'd strongly suggest to stay far, faaaar away from them if you know what i'm saying. i've been there quite a few times when my friends were interested in buying cars, and i can't even count how many times they use the "well, we're the #1 selling honda dealership in canada" line, basically conveying the feeling that they don't need your business because people are just lining up to buy cars from them

not sure if you're around this area but if you're looking into buying one, i'd recommend carter honda on burrard. i didn't buy mine from there but i was told by 4 dealers that they sell the most s2000's in canada (i think 5-7 per month?), so they must be doing something right (plus they offered me a test drive right when i walked in there, without having to go thru the purchase agreement stuff)... of course this could be regular dealer bs (like, how can u tell if a dealer is bullsh!tting? his lips are moving)