Whether you are shopping for your first luxury vehicle or you’ve purchased this type of vehicle before, there are a number of things you should be looking for during your test drive. Far too many buyers come into luxury car dealerships without knowing what they should be looking for when test driving a luxury vehicle. The reality is that there are significant differences in what to expect when driving vehicles such as those sold at Naples Luxury Imports and those sold by mainstream automobile dealers. Knowing these differences can and will go a long way towards helping you to make the right decision.
Power, Acceleration, and Stopping Power
When you plan to invest in a luxury automobile, you have a right to expect it to perform like one. Most luxury cars have high performance, powerful V8 or bigger engines under the hood. When you take them for a test drive, you should experience instant throttle response and unrivaled 0-60 mph acceleration. Given the amount of time and money invested in research, luxury cars should significantly outperform any other car on the market.
Since you are buying a luxury vehicle with a large powerful engine under the hood, you need a braking system that is capable of keeping all of this power under control. Many now come equipped with Brembo brakes, the same brand used by a number of professional racing teams. On your test drive you should be looking at facts such as 60 -0 mph braking times, overall braking times, four-wheel antilock braking, and electronic braking assistance systems.
Out on the Road
While outstanding performance is a very important aspect of any luxury vehicle, there is far more to judging the performance of these cars than just how much horsepower is under the hood. Whether you are interested in a Maserati, Porsche, or Bentley, the vehicle you choose should exhibit zero lag when turning at any speed.
These vehicles are designed with superior highly tuned suspensions and should corner without any sign of wallowing or loss of control at any speed. Bear in mind many are designed to handle the road at triple digit speeds. Steering should be tight and responsive, and the suspension should provide you with a comfortable ride yet ensure you are fully in control at all times.
A View from the Inside
While the exterior of any luxury vehicle can be quite exquisite to look at, you will be spending most of your time on the inside. When looking over the interior of your potential new luxury car, keep in mind that these cars are intended to be a cut above the rest. This means the fit and finish should be absolutely perfect.
These cars are built with the highest quality materials available, every inch of the interior should reflect this. During your test drive, there should be absolutely no unusual noises such as rattles, squeaks, or wind noises. If this is your first luxury car, it is very important that you set your expectations far higher than they have been in the past when purchasing mainstream vehicles. Those small imperfections you have been used to ignoring in the past become major flaws in a luxury automobile.
Bear in mind that the majority of luxury vehicles have been built by hand, this means a fair amount of proverbial blood, sweat, and tears have been poured into the process. The hand stitched leather seats should be amongst the most comfortable car seats you have ever sat in. Not only should they be comfortable, but also should be designed in such a way as to keep you firmly held in place, this is especially important in the more high performance vehicles such as Porsche and Maserati.
Beware however that many of the top performance luxury cars may offer limited visibility. In certain newer models this particular issue has been overcome with the use of rear view and all-around video monitoring systems and a full color LCD viewscreen incorporated into the infotainment system built into the vehicle’s dashboard.
From the ultimate in quality fit and finish to massive under the hood performance, taking a test drive in a luxury car should be an experience you will never forget. Schedule your test drive today, by using this quick online form. But bear in mind you are paying a premium price for a luxury vehicle, and as such, you should set your expectations high. You should never settle for anything less than perfection from bumper to bumper.
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