Promotional Test Drive

barryso

Member
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2006 Mazda 6
Mazda corporate sent out an email several months ago offering some seat time in a 2017 CX-5. The email made it sound like there would be a chance to drive a CX-5 a bit more than an average dealership test drive so I jumped on it. Their timing was perfect as we are looking for new wheels.

Normally at events like this you visit them at some location and they allow you to take a specific route that ends up being all right hand turns. BMW did this about 10 years ago, and while entertaining, the route was urban and didn't allow you to explore the dynamics of the car. The Mazda event turned out to be completely different. Long on short, Mazda dropped off a GT (all options except AWD) to my house and let me drive the car for 24 hours before they came to pick it back up. No mileage restrictions and they didn't even require filling the tank before they came to pick it up. The one oddity? I had to pass a sobriety test. :)

Needless to say we spent the day driving the thing all over and were able to get a very strong impression of the CX-5 in a way that you just can't do in a quick drive or an urban crawl. We had it on local roads and highways. We took it on many roads we travel regularly (both good and bad) and were able to get a fine handle on what the car was like in our neck of the woods. The road test was responsible for moving the CX-5 to the top of the list of vehicles we're considering. It was quite a promotion and we really appreciated the time, effort and expense Mazda took to do it.

The odd thing is that none of the local dealers know Mazda did this. Or at least none of the sales folks I've talked to know about it.

Was anyone else here able to take advantage of the promotion?
 
Yep that's how we went from a 14 to a 17 top of the line. Overnite use. The Lincoln dealers call it date night.
 
Our local dealer will actually let us have any car for from late Saturday afternoon to early Monday morning. When looking to either give me car to my son and get a Miata or buy him a new car, we had a Miata one time and a 3 the next time. And our dealer lets me drive a new 2017 CX-5 anytime and for as long as I want.

Honestly, all dealerships should allow you do it.
 
Shout-out to Freeman mazda in dfw. The test drive was small and awful. They let me drive overnight.
 
I wish Mazda treated us like you when we signed up Mazda CX-5 Ride & Drive Event in Dallas in May. It was a very short 5-minute circling-around-blocks test drive in stop-and-go traffic. We needed to pass sobriety test too. The "Product Specialist" rode with us didn’t know too much about anything whenever I asked some questions during the test drive. The only good thing coming out of that event is we got 2 gift cards!

When did your test drive promotion happen? I wonder if I can sign up one right now. (boom08)
 
Mazda corporate sent out an email several months ago offering some seat time in a 2017 CX-5. The email made it sound like there would be a chance to drive a CX-5 a bit more than an average dealership test drive so I jumped on it. Their timing was perfect as we are looking for new wheels.

Normally at events like this you visit them at some location and they allow you to take a specific route that ends up being all right hand turns. BMW did this about 10 years ago, and while entertaining, the route was urban and didn't allow you to explore the dynamics of the car. The Mazda event turned out to be completely different. Long on short, Mazda dropped off a GT (all options except AWD) to my house and let me drive the car for 24 hours before they came to pick it back up. No mileage restrictions and they didn't even require filling the tank before they came to pick it up. The one oddity? I had to pass a sobriety test. :)

Needless to say we spent the day driving the thing all over and were able to get a very strong impression of the CX-5 in a way that you just can't do in a quick drive or an urban crawl. We had it on local roads and highways. We took it on many roads we travel regularly (both good and bad) and were able to get a fine handle on what the car was like in our neck of the woods. The road test was responsible for moving the CX-5 to the top of the list of vehicles we're considering. It was quite a promotion and we really appreciated the time, effort and expense Mazda took to do it.

The odd thing is that none of the local dealers know Mazda did this. Or at least none of the sales folks I've talked to know about it.

Was anyone else here able to take advantage of the promotion?

That sounds great. I just got a couple of 10 minute test drives surrounding the two respective dealerships. One was on my own, and the next with my wife and kid. I did spend a couple of miles on the highway, but not enough to get a feel for it, and now windy, narrow, hilly roads like near my house.

It was enough for me to decide it was acceptable, but I don't love the feel of the drivetrain. I'm hoping the diesel will be just the ticket. Maybe I'd get used to it, but didn't like having to floor it to get decent pickup. I'm used to driving a V6 sedan for the past 17 years.
 
When the Prius 1st came out, the Toyota dealer in my town did the same thing. Kinda surprised me.
Can I drive it?
Sure, have it back Monday morning.

The dealer was cool, but it was still a Prius. We bought a Mazda
 
HELL YES!

I've been looking at upgrading my 2015 for a few months now. I have it down to a few vehicles, the only SUV like vehicle being the CX-5, the others are sedans, and I'd be a very happy camper if I could do this. I have a 100 mile route I'd like to drive that includes my commute and some of the hilly areas I sometimes have to drive through. It would take about 4 hours to do all of it. That time would give me a chance to test seat comfort, head room, the infotainment system, handling, speed, noise, etc. You can't do it in a 15 minute scoot around the block and a tire kick.

I'm even trying to rent a Camry but no one ever contacts me from the online form.
 
I wish Mazda treated us like you when we signed up Mazda CX-5 Ride & Drive Event in Dallas in May. It was a very short 5-minute circling-around-blocks test drive in stop-and-go traffic. We needed to pass sobriety test too. The "Product Specialist" rode with us didnt know too much about anything whenever I asked some questions during the test drive. The only good thing coming out of that event is we got 2 gift cards!

When did your test drive promotion happen? I wonder if I can sign up one right now. (boom08)

This was in the middle of June around the Philly area. The tour had been to other cities and was going to Boston after Philly.

When I signed up it sounded like a quick 5 or 10 minute deal but since we were interested in the CX-5 it seemed like a good idea to sign up anyway. Had no idea they'd be so generous with their car.

My local Mazda dealer has loaner Mazda's they give out for overnight repair work. A few years back I asked to rent one of them (to use as an extended test drive) and they were clear they did not rent vehicles. Odd, a few hours of seat time (which I'm willing to pay for) would give more than enough information to know if you wanted to buy. As it is, their test drive route is too short and too well paved to get any real impression of their vehicles so the CX-5 promotion was perfectly timed.
 
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