What is your policy on test drives?

[LTLFTcomposite]

I've been pretty liberal with letting people drive it. Everyone has been amazed. When it's safe I tell them to floor it, then they are totally surprised. One guy said it was like driving an iPhone

Somehow I feel compelled to share this experience with others. It isn't about hey look what I have, it's about see what you have to look forward to. A minute or two behind the wheel turns skeptics into believers.

 

[mwalsh]

I don't even let my wife drive it, so anyone else has a pretty slim chance. Though I did let one of the reporters who stopped by early on in ownership have a go (just round the block, mind you).

 

[evnow]

I've no problems giving rides / letting them drive. But most people only want rides - not drives. Ofcourse now that all dealers have demo cars, there isn't that much need for a private test drive.

 

[ebill3]

I've been pretty liberal with letting people drive it. Everyone has been amazed. When it's safe I tell them to floor it, then they are totally surprised. One guy said it was like driving an iPhone

Me too. I even push it on close friends. I love it when they put the pedal to the metal.

Bill

 

[TomT]

I'm very anal about my cars so unless I know someone well, it is not likely to happen. Rides, yes; drives, no. I also go out of my way to avoid valets...

 

[thankyouOB]

I have offered and have no takers, except my 28-year-old, who liked it and was amazed I would let her behind the wheel.

For her reaction, it was worth a thousand Leafs.

 

[Lopton]

I've been pretty liberal with letting people drive it. Everyone has been amazed. When it's safe I tell them to floor it, then they are totally surprised. One guy said it was like driving an iPhone

Somehow I feel compelled to share this experience with others. It isn't about hey look what I have, it's about see what you have to look forward to. A minute or two behind the wheel turns skeptics into believers.

Sounds very similar to what I do, why not let them play a little.

-Matt

 

[CWO4Mann]

I've been pretty liberal with letting people drive it. Everyone has been amazed. When it's safe I tell them to floor it, then they are totally surprised. One guy said it was like driving an iPhone

Somehow I feel compelled to share this experience with others. It isn't about hey look what I have, it's about see what you have to look forward to. A minute or two behind the wheel turns skeptics into believers.

Sounds very similar to what I do, why not let them play a little.

-Matt

I feel the same way ... after all, a car is just a car ... a tool just like a hammer or a .454 Casull. I've invited most everyone in my office building to take it for a spin, with me in the right hand seat, of course. I always show them a few things, then have them start off in the ECO mode (which is where I drive all the time). Then after we stop for a traffic light, I'll have them put it into "D" and floor it. Oh yeah, .... My office now has 2 people who have signed up on the list and at least 5 others who are seriously considering purchase. Granted these are mostly tech-savy folks like I am, but also ones who can see the advantage of the Leaf in a variety of perspectives.

Actually, that's how I learned to fly -- I was 12 years old and the father of a friend took me and him for a ride in his Cessna 140. He let us both get behind the wheel and from there (for me anyway) it was all downhill ... well, figuratively speaking, actually.

Dave

 

[Boomer23]

I've been pretty liberal with letting people drive it. Everyone has been amazed. When it's safe I tell them to floor it, then they are totally surprised. One guy said it was like driving an iPhone

Me too. I even push it on close friends. I love it when they put the pedal to the metal.

Bill

Same here. I'm happy to let friends drive as long as I'm in the passenger seat. Everyone I've let drive it has been impressed.

One of my favorite test drives was the young guy who works for Mitsubishi. After I finished my quick charge with their CHAdeMO charger at their Cypress headquarters, it was suggested that one of the Mitsubishi guys would like a ride. I offered him a drive instead. He was familiar with their Mitsubishi i EV, and he was very impressed with the acceleration, the interior space and the level of instrumentation of the LEAF. I wasn't the least surprised by his reaction. The LEAF is in a different class from the "i".

 

[mbutter]

I have been okay with friends and family test driving. I jokingly tell them it is okay for them to wreck as long as they *total* it!

It is a blast to see their reaction when they realize this is not just a souped-up golf cart, but a real car that is spunky and fun to drive, and can chirp the tires if you are not careful.

Everyone finishes the drive with a big grin.

 

[planet4ever]

Then after we stop for a traffic light, I'll have them put it into "D" and floor it. Oh yeah, ....

Do people really believe that flooring it in D gives more of a kick than flooring it in ECO? I don't.

Ray

 

[jkirkebo]

Then after we stop for a traffic light, I'll have them put it into "D" and floor it. Oh yeah, ....

Do people really believe that flooring it in D gives more of a kick than flooring it in ECO? I don't.

Ray

Easy to prove: Just look at the energy screen. When flooring it, the motor will show 80kW wheter in D or Eco. I always drive in Eco as I find it much more comfortable.

 

[LTLFTcomposite]

It seems that all ECO does is make you push the pedal harder to get the same result on acceleration, and also makes the regen more aggressive, such that not having your foot on either pedal equates to light braking. Encourages behavior that saves watts I suppose.

I don't have people use ECO on test drives though.

 

[DaveinOlyWA]

i have given probably a dozen rides (some requested, others "hijacked") but no one has wanted to drive it yet.

 

[adric22]

I have given many rides and many drives. The only scary experience was letting a female friend of mine drive it. I didn't realize she's driven the same Honda Accord for the last 10 years and so any car that was not an accord was very outside of her comfort zone. She kind of scared me so after a mile or so, I had to take the wheel.

 

[EricH]

I've given a number of 'rides', but am willing to let nearly anyone drive it. Most interesting reaction was from my stepdad, who's been published in numerous auto magazines, testing everything from off-road gear to tires to R/V's, and has raced everything from road to drag to ovals. He drove it and his summary comment was "It drives.... like a car". I took it as the ultimate complement (that, and the fact he could get comfortable in the driver's seat at 6'6").

 

[OhmPah]

I let my nephew, who only had a learner's permit in another state, drive it. He was careful and I think it made is day to think that I trusted him with the car.

Letting someone else touch my tuba is an entirely different thing. The rule in the house is that nothing gets set on top of it and nobody moves it but me.

 

[mwalsh]

I let my nephew, who only had a learner's permit in another state, drive it. He was careful and I think it made is day to think that I trusted him with the car.

Letting someone else touch my tuba is an entirely different thing. The rule in the house is that nothing gets set on top of it and nobody moves it but me.

My LEAF is my tuba!

 

[PaulScott]

As a LEAF salesman, I've been letting my customers drive mine since January. It's been a great sales tool for sure, and helped me become the leading LEAF salesman in the country. I have relocated to Nissan of Downtown LA from Santa Monica where we had a natural affiliation for alt fuel cars, to more of a questioning group. Still, when they drive the car, it's game over, they want it. I've had many types in the car, from Ferrari drivers to ex-EV1 drivers, to some youngster who turned out to be on drugs. I stopped the last one very quickly after a couple of strange turns. The Ferrari driver drove it hard, but he knew what he was doing. In the end, I'm generally comfortable letting most anyone drive it, but I do check their pupils for dilation now.

 

[CWO4Mann]

I let my nephew, who only had a learner's permit in another state, drive it. He was careful and I think it made is day to think that I trusted him with the car.

Letting someone else touch my tuba is an entirely different thing. The rule in the house is that nothing gets set on top of it and nobody moves it but me.

ah! a Tuba. Do you perhaps also have an Eb contrabass sarrusophone hanging around also?

Dave