Can a guy get a test drive?

[pa-outdoorsman]

I mean, when I ordered no Hybrid Mavericks had actually shipped yet. In fact, all of us who ordered Hybrids in 2022 couldn't have test driven them ahead of time, since orders closed before the OKTB date

That's a leap of faith, but I guess you always had the option to turn the order down at the time of delivery if you really didn't love the truck.

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[Traegorn]

That's a leap of faith, but I guess you always had the option to turn the order down at the time of delivery if you really didn't love the truck.

Oh ya, 100%. On the upside, the truck drove exactly the way I thought it would.

Which, y'know, is incredibly lucky because my other car is falling apart and heck knows what else I would have bought if this hadn't worked out.

 

[dcs12345]

I was among the 19% who test drove. I can't imagine buying ANY vehicle without driving one first. And, FWIW, I came away from my test drive impressed. It made me want a Maverick even more...

That question was about testing one before Ordering, not Buying.
I only sat in a Bronco Sport before ordering a maverick. Once it comes in I will test drive it before I really “buy” it. If I hate it, I will not be out anything other than my time.

 

[KdeB]

Thanks, found it. 80% did not drive!

Opinions differ, but I would not call this normal or good.

Nothing is “normal” these days….

We ordered a Maverick XLT EB in January 22, on almost the very last day that orders were being accepted.

Had never driven one. Had never sat in one. Had never even seen one. Never thought I would ever buy a vehicle without even seeing one.

But … We took the plunge because we liked what we saw online and in photos… and we loved the price. It was the utility vehicle we were looking for.

Ended up being many months before we got a glance of one on the road…. And never did see one up close until the day we picked up our MY23 (our reorder when the MY22 never got built.)

So … this forum is filled with happy Maverick owners who took their first drive in the truck the day they drove it home.

Your best bet if you really want to look at and drive one is to make a post on the forum, saying where you’re located, and asking to meet up with an owner who will let you look and maybe drive of you ask nicely .,.

 

[bluesteel]

When I test drove mine immediately before buying, the dealer knowingly had little enough gas in it for the light to be on - I think it said 30-some miles til empty. I wonder why...

 

[HTX]

Just rented a Hybrid on Turo. Otherwise been impossible to find.

 

[New2AZ]

I've been happy to let any member here who's never driven or even seen a Mav come check mine out. Still am! It's gotta be better than trying with a dealer, if they even have one

 

[brickmagnet]

Check used car lots like Carmax to see if they have any that people have traded in.

I found a xlt in used inventory with 13k miles on it at the same dealer that said I couldn’t touch the new one.

And I just drove it. its fine. Optioned mostly how I’d like it, in that battleship gray color. A few rattles, some signs that the prior owner was a slob and they didn’t detail it very detailed-like.

No sticker price. They want $45k, because they bought it off somebody for $10k over the new price.

The new one? $48k. They tell me they paid another dealer $10k over msrp and brought it to LA to flip.

I walked the hell out.

This is demented stuff.

 

[Aza]

I found a xlt in used inventory with 13k miles on it at the same dealer that said I couldn’t touch the new one.

And I just drove it. its fine. Optioned mostly how I’d like it, in that battleship gray color. A few rattles, some signs that the prior owner was a slob and they didn’t detail it very detailed-like.

No sticker price. They want $45k, because they bought it off somebody for $10k over the new price.

The new one? $48k. They tell me they paid another dealer $10k over msrp and brought it to LA to flip.

I walked the hell out.

This is demented stuff.

Glad you found one to test drive!

 

[IwannaMav]

Never drove one or seen one up close when I bought mine. It was a long 10 month wait.

 

[brickmagnet]

Glad you found one to test drive!

Yeah!

The interior:

 

[IwannaMav]

Reason I got an XL. Didn't like the orange accents and blue seats of the XLT.

 

[prsncat]

I've been happy to let any member here who's never driven or even seen a Mav come check mine out. Still am! It's gotta be better than trying with a dealer, if they even have one

Same here... I am in Orange County if you want to come down and drive a 2023 XLT EB AWD. I also let several people drive my 2022 XL Hybrid before selling it when I ordered the EB AWD.

I ordered the EB AWD 09/16/22 and received in 01/07/23. I am happier with the EB AWD than I was with the XL Hybrid. I prefer the automatic transmission with the AWD over the CVT.

 

[mav_kev]

It's not even nearly the last piece to this customer though. I'd be really really hacked off if I showed up in person, to drive a ordinary car, and was refused.

I called the dealer where I bought mine, before I bought it, asking if they had any Mavericks. He told me they had 3 hybrids and some Ecoboosts. I hadn't even sat in one at that point. I drove down to check them out and asked if I could drive a hybrid. No problem. Test drove one and ended up buying it.

This is how it works. And always has.

The difference in his case is he called to confirm inventory, then went to the dealership. That's the action that will get you a truck. What worked in the past doesn't work anymore and unfortunately you have to be proactive. If you want attention you have to convey buying interest.

Say something like "I'm calling to confirm the availability of the Maverick you show online. I've been searching for one in-stock and available, because I'm prepared to buy one now, but would like to test drive it before committing." Convey genuine interest and ability to purchase without being demanding and sounding entitled.

No salesperson in their right mind is going to read that behavior as window shopping. Pointing and clicking on the internet won't get you the interest you would like, I'm sorry to say. Granted, this is not the way it used to be and probably not the way it should be. When inventory is slim, you have to be proactive, prepared, and likable to get what you want. This is unfortunately the reality.

 

[PA-Homesteader]

I was among the 19% who test drove. I can't imagine buying ANY vehicle without driving one first. And, FWIW, I came away from my test drive impressed. It made me want a Maverick even more.

100% same

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