Would you pay for a test drive?
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Yep my last 3 business trips, I checked and checked. I find older gens but not the 11th. Maybe soon there will be some people renting out theirs even at a premium as I won't be paying for the cost of the rental.
I did not miss the part where the owner (me) would sit with you (a stranger who'd followed me in their car and then came up to me). If anything, that's worse. I'd rather straight up be carjacked than be cargo in a Weird Situation, LOL.
But you are right, your OP is actually about paying FOR a test drive (as the test driver), though the scenario you then gave had me (and most people) immediately identifying with the random guy getting out of his car being approached by a stranger with this proposition.
So yes, I would definitely consider paying money to take a "real" test drive, inasmuch as (as you have found) in-demand cars often are being sold on paper before delivery and the dealer doesn't even have one on the lot to sit in, much less to test drive.
I just wouldn't go about finding one with a private party the way you did.... I cannot imagine a more "freakout" way to do it, short of leaving a note with letters cut out from magazines reading "hELlo I LiKe yoUr cAr caN I drIve it foR 2o mINuTEs $$$"
You would probably do better simply posting here on this forum to find a 2022 Si owner in your area, schmooze them up for a few days, and then ask them to let you do this (my friend let me drive his brand new Si for 20 minutes as soon as he got it, back in 2017 when it was the latest 10th gen... Because he's my friend).
Have you ever driven the 10th gen Si? If you've never driven an Si before, it's still going to give you at least 90% of what the 11th gen Si feels like driving around, and you can much more easily find a used 10th gen to test drive at a dealer lot. Or if Carvana is still doing that "money back guarantee" thing, LOL. (Never tried it)
The other 10% difference, you either wouldn't notice except under hard driving (which you shouldn't be doing with a "borrow your car for 20 minutes" type scenario); can trust is better (auto rev matching, no "power dip" after 5500 RPM, etc.) based on reviews; or are "luxury touches" (new infotainment display and sound system, digital dash, NVH, etc.)
If you are familiar with the 10th gen Si and are trying very hard to see firsthand what's new/better in the 11th gen, that will require finding a willing donor - I mean lender - for that car, though
Maybe you had very different life experiences to let you feel like "only good people in the world are my friends, the others are bad, if they weren't, they would have been my friends by now"
In my area, at least, people would have other ways of stealing someone's car, they don't have to be this creative.
Thanks for sharing your concerns that you have for all other Si owners who would let someone else drive their car. They will appreciate it.
In my area, at least, people would have other ways of stealing someone's car, they don't have to be this creative.
Thanks for sharing your concerns that you have for all other Si owners who would let someone else drive their car. They will appreciate it.
Wow, so admittedly you are really Jonzin for an Si, nothing wrong in any way shape or form about that, but Ks find another way to get inside of one! Thinking here, it might be quite a bit easier to attract a street cruiser by simply flagging a dude down expressing your appreciation for the car and politely asking “Could I Sit Inside, Please” Have you started checking local Cars an Coffee days or Honda Si clubs, owners love showing their cars to inquisitive folks! But most of us out there on the roads, catch wind of a guy following us, well let’s say…. the hackles on our neck stand up!! Kindly proceed with care and caution, and good searching to ya
Plot twist. You follow an Si and the owner is female. Do you still approach and ask to pay for a test drive?
How good is this, an ethics question on a Civic Forum, love it.
Haha, it gets better.
Let's say the OP comes back and says "no, I wouldn't do that with a woman".
Well, how does he know neither I, "robardin", nor "midlifecrisis" earlier, where he suggested the both of us have "trust issues" or something for thinking his idea of following and approaching a stranger driving an Si for an unsolicited kidnapping - sorry, test drive - was a good idea, ... are not women? It's the internet!
Hell, we could SAY we were women and still be the proverbial hairy 40 year old man in his mom's basement!
I believe there’s a Rorschach test for this in all the current Civic color’s !
The reason I ask is that the OP stated "So, I am going to try and pay a fellow Si owner to let me drive his car with him sitting next to me."
That is a good idea, will need to research those car meets.
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Nope, never. Although I find a female driving manual transmission very sexy, I would not approach that way. But I will ask questions about the car if I happen to see one without chasing them.
Yes, good idea through many years in numerous areas in the States, I’ve always found people friendly n willing to share stories about their cars, prices paid, accessories added and their lives.
So, let's all agree that if you want to check out / sit in / ask for actual ignition-on drive time in someone else's car, building a car-related rapport first (be it online via a forum, or warmup schmoozing face-time at a Cars and Coffee meet-up) is a good approach
And that spotting someone in an Si, following them until they park, then going up to them and asking to test drive their car is not
We'll ignore whether or not any added elements like whether the person is a woman, and/or "offering" the owner to be in the passenger seat, or offering money, makes it an even more hackle-raising scenario for some or most people, and/or speculating on how the hell someone could see it that way (from either direction) and what it says about that person (in both directions)
And just close this thread
And that spotting someone in an Si, following them until they park, then going up to them and asking to test drive their car is not
We'll ignore whether or not any added elements like whether the person is a woman, and/or "offering" the owner to be in the passenger seat, or offering money, makes it an even more hackle-raising scenario for some or most people, and/or speculating on how the hell someone could see it that way (from either direction) and what it says about that person (in both directions)
And just close this thread
Your further opinions are not required. Prepare your refusal statements Incase someone asks you to drive your car. If you feel in danger when someone approaches you in your neighborhood, I suggest you change your zip code. Wussufication at its best.So, let's all agree that if you want to check out / sit in / ask for actual ignition-on drive time in someone else's car, building a car-related rapport first (be it online via a forum, or warmup schmoozing face-time at a Cars and Coffee meet-up) is a good approach
And that spotting someone in an Si, following them until they park, then going up to them and asking to test drive their car is not
We'll ignore whether or not any added elements like whether the person is a woman, and/or "offering" the owner to be in the passenger seat, or offering money, makes it an even more hackle-raising scenario for some or most people, and/or speculating on how the hell someone could see it that way (from either direction) and what it says about that person (in both directions)
And just close this thread
You don't set the tone here or decide what to close.
If someone comes up to me and asks me if they could drive my car (esp as soon as I park) is a major red flag. I feel like there should a more formal way of arranging this. There are so much things to factor (like accidents, how far the drive is, is this guy gonna red line it etc.) that there should be an agreement of some sort if shit hits the fan.
It gets more complicated if the driver you happen to follow is a girl/lady (please tell me you are smart enough to tell why).
One of the best ways to find anyone is through fb groups or car meets.
It gets more complicated if the driver you happen to follow is a girl/lady (please tell me you are smart enough to tell why).
One of the best ways to find anyone is through fb groups or car meets.
Thank you. I am working on Facebook groups between meetings. If people thought my first sentence after walking up to someone I don't know is "Can I drive your car", then there are incorrect assumptions made here.
But it's much funnier that way.
I have the feeling you think everything here is 100% dead serious
And that "LOL" means we're laughing derisively and hatefully at you
...Boomer?
(FWIW, I am 50+ years old)
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