Why drive around the block when you can test the car for 24 hours? General Motors is going ahead with its plan to allow customers to test vehicles overnight in an attempt to boost sales.
General Motors is going ahead with its plan to allow customers to test vehicles overnight in an attempt to boost sales.
CARtoday.com reported earlier this month that the manufacturer was hoping to counteract the nine per cent drop in sales in the United States year to date, but was not sure how to implement the plan. All the details have now been worked out.
reported that vehicles would be available between April 15 and July 22, on almost all models. The Hummer H1, Cadillac XLR, Chevrolet SSR and Chevrolet Corvette are excluded.
The test drives are limited to 24 hours and 100 miles (160 km) after speculation that it would include weekend test periods. Vehicles may not be taken out of state. Customers must leave their own vehicles with the dealer and have valid driver’s licences and insurance. The dealers will cover insurance on the vehicle.
GM’s director of retail strategy, Bill Mistele, said this would the most extensive test-drive offer in the company’s history. They are targeting consumers who would not consider buying a GM vehicle.
“Incentives alone aren’t going to be enough,” Mistele said. “If we can get them in to drive the vehicle and experience it, we know we’re going to increase our likelihood of selling them a vehicle.”
“We want to tell our quality story,” said spokeswoman Marcia McGee. “We think a lot of people out there, for one reason or another, don’t consider GM cars. We want them to see how our quality’s improved.”