Garth

I am looking to buy a 2010 GT500 sometime this year. I have a 2005 V6 and it is time to upgrade. However, whenever I go to a dealer, they tell me I can't test drive a Shelby. I don't get it. This is just a $50,000 car. There are trucks on the lot that cost more and I can test drive those. I have even been to dealers where the Shelby has 1000 miles on it and still no go. I went to BMW and the guy let me test drive an M3, which cost $70,000. What's up with this? Will I ever be able to test drive a Shelby before I buy one? This isn't a Ferrari or a Lambo. It is a very nice, $50,000 car (not a $200,000 one) and I am not just going for a joyride. I am seriously thinking of buying one, but not until I actually get to drive one.

Tony Alonso

May I ask how old you are? No disrespect meant at all...

Onelildude

Age could play a big part. The dealer I purchased from wouldn't let me drive at GT because I look young but once I gave them my license they had no problem with a test drive. Maybe try a dealer with a few other nice/fast cars like the Roush stage 2 and 3

SD CALSPCL

I am like you, no test drive, no sale. I am not sure what the dealers are thinking. Perhaps it has to do with the future buyer not wanting to see miles on the car. When I bought my 2011 it had 12 miles on it. I test drove it another 20 and bought it. Anything over 30 is a no sale for me, when I am looking around, especially on a high performance car. You can do a lot of damage to a new engine on "test drives".

You may also be presenting yourself as a "tire kicker", the guy who just goes around driving anything he likes on a Saturday. I suggest you make contact with a salesman, and let him/her know you are seriously considering the purchase, but you need to test drive it first. They can Intervene with the management and get the test.

05GT-O.C.D.

It also depends on their situation as well. If that's their only GT500, then they're less likely to allow test drives. They'll wait until their ideal buyer comes in. Their ideal buyer knows he wants a GT500, doesn't need a test drive, and is ready to sign the check. They may not want extra miles on a car they want to sell at a premium.

chutoyy

Do you look younger than 30? If so, don't count on them letting you test drive. However, there ARE some dealers that will let you test drive, and some that won't.

It's not the principle of price. Many out there just want to go for a joy ride; higher risk of crashing (insurance may not cover it) and excess miles and/or wear on the car.

I too find it funny that I (I'm 21) can walk to a BMW dealer and test drive a 6MT M3 Sedan (worth ~$82,000) and some Ford dealer won't allow me to test drive the GT that I planned on buying. (Ended up buying from a different dealer who allowed a test drive).

However, go in there, spend some time and talk numbers with them, but DO NOT COMMIT TO ANYTHING, then when you "agree" on POSSIBLE price you'd pay they may allow a test drive if you submit a "requested, refundable deposit."

Garth

I am 43, married, 3 kids. I think I look my age as well. Maybe it is just dealers in Houston. I guess I should call ahead or visit a dealer multiple times so they know I am serious. Also, I don't get the pricing on the Shelby. The previous generation had a MSRP of about $45,000 and you couldn't find one anywhere for under $70,000. The 2010 and newer Shelby is much, much better than the 2005-2009 and has a sticker of $50,000, and everyone is selling it for $50,000. Why isn't it being marked up last the last version? I don't get it. I can go on cars.com or ebaymotors and find a 2010 with under 2000 miles on it for $42-44,000. That is an incredible deal for 540 hp!

05GT-O.C.D.

1st, the economy. 2, the newness/uniqueness has worn off.

OAC_Sparky

Sorry, if I was buying a GT500 I certainly wouldn't be buying one with miles on the odometer. Ever see someone test drive a Mustang? They beat the **** out of it.

I think most people are the same way, no dealer is just going to hand over the keys to a $50,000 car to a tire kicker. I'm sure if you put down a $10,000 deposit that would change things.

GRAYPNY

Before I ordered my GT the dealer handed me the keys and said go have fun. BTW I a "test drive"!

caps

thats why my dealer wouldnt let me drive a gt500, and they knew i was their to buy a fully loaded gt in cash

Flagstang

dealers in here always want me to test drive the higher end cars on the lots. But I have bought from these dealers before and they know me by first name and ask me to bring my cars by after I mod them.

ShowGT

Just a note here, I agree with everyone here. When I ordered my 2006 GT, I had never sit in a new model year GT. The day it was delivered is when I drove it to the gas station. My salesman was like what you think, I was like I'll take it, he was floored I had never driven one before that day. I had to have it, the rest is history.

kcsherman

Just maybe this is why?

karman

Probably just the Houston dealers you have gone to.
.
The age question did remind me of something that happened to me in the past.
When I was 43 I could still pass for under 30.
20+ years ago when Acuras first came out I went to their local dealership.
My buddy had just bought a top of the line loaded model and I wanted to try one out.
At the time, I had 2 Cadillacs and a brand new 4Runner.
The salesman wouldn't let me drive the top of the line car and kept steering me to the 4 cylinder Integra (which he finally let me drive).
Needless to say I was nonplussed by the car.
I have never bought any type of Honda product since.

Knight

Its not the price that is the problem. Its the fact that its a 550hp car. It is more car then a lot of people can handle.

MattR

I would not have purchased my Shelby If I knew it had been test driven several times. What I would suggest is you drive a GT, they should let you do that. If you then feel the GT500 is the car for you sit down to buy the one you want. Tell them before you hand over the check or sign the final paper you want to drive it to be certain it doesn't have any problems. They will let you do this as you have now invested time in getting money in order.

A Shelby may be just a 50k Mustang to you, but to many others it is a very special car that needs to be treated as such and the buyers of these cars have different expectations.

I am 33 and Drove my car right after it came off the car hauler. I then went in and handed them the check and drove my car home.

Good luck and use your head, this is a serious car with 550 HP. I love mine.

944withnos

I agree...I think it is more because it has 550hp. If I had this car with any less experience I am pretty sure I'd wreck it! Even now I think it wouldn't be hard to ball up... The car is easy to drive and handles great...but explosive. Any over confidence will get you introuble. The car is insane. I tried to gun it on the highway in third at 70mph on a dry sunny day and ended up breaking traction and sideways. That got my blood flowing and I was happy too...but just saying. I test drove an '11 GT and was impressed and had to buy the gt500 based off that drive.

chutoyy

Aren't the GT500's "de-tuned" during the break-in period..?

Guest123

I'm 25 years old and the first time I tried to test drive a gt500 they shut me down but shortly after I bought a new 5.0 and took it to another dealership and they let me drive a brand new 2011 gt500!! Which I really shouldn't have done cause wow that supercharger on there makes that a way more intense driving experience!! Now I think I'm gonna have to drop another 8,000 on a supercharger for the 5.0!! Then I took the 5.0 to the dodge dealer and test drove last years viper!! :-)