I Test Drove a Corvette

"marshknute" (marshknute) 11/21/2015 at 14:15 • Filed to: None

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And I ended up stranded on the highway!

It was a 2006 base Corvette just like the one pictured above. Anyway, I pulled onto a highway on ramp, gave it some gas...and nothing. No power. Sputtering engine. Stalled engine. Dead. Total distance: 1/8th of a mile!

I’m guessing the alternator failed, causing the battery to drain and ultimately leave the car wheezing to an undignified halt.

To make matters worse, our rescue party caused a crash. The rescue truck pulled into the shoulder, and someone who wasn’t paying attention to the brake lights swerved into another vehicle. It’s a miracle none of the other swerving/skidding cars caused even more wrecks (or rear ended the stranded Vette). Pretty terrifying how quickly everything went so wrong so quickly. Fortunately everyone was ok.

Anyone else have a fun test drive story?

EL_ULY > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 14:26

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Not a sales test drive but

test driving a red DB9 with a fellow tech...

...U-turn

...mud

...bridge column

.... bye bye DB9

AMGtech - now with more recalls! > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 14:30

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Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 14:50

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Test driving a Subaru Outback. Salesman has me stop on a steep and very icy and snowy hill to “test out the beauty of AWD”. Well turns out the AWD kicks ass but the OEM continental tires kind of suck ass. So after stopping I tried to start up again with all 4 wheels churned forwards and then the car started sliding back down the hill towards a large pine tree. I managed to feather the brakes (Apparently ABS doesn’t work to well going backwards) and did a kind of J-turn while sliding back down the hill. We were a both white knuckling it and decided no more icy hill starts that day. Anyway I bought the car.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > EL_ULY 11/21/2015 at 14:50

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..that

..really

..sucks

and 100 more > EL_ULY 11/21/2015 at 14:58

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Oh shit dude! Recently?

EL_ULY > and 100 more 11/21/2015 at 15:04

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2009 I think.

Steve in Manhattan > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 15:28

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Well, now you have to buy it!

My story is I was test driving an LTD a long time ago and, while reaching for some control, managed to slam it into Park at maybe 30 MPH. The sales guy looked at me - no words were spoken, but it was clear to both of us that no one would ever speak of the incident again. Sometimes I wonder if the eventual buyer had a problem. Still, the car performed perfectly on the test drive. And yes, I bought yet another used Volvo instead.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > EL_ULY 11/21/2015 at 15:47

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Oh damn... a client’s car or one you had for sale?

105 HP of fury > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 11/21/2015 at 16:11

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Still a success for the salesman!

EL_ULY > davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com 11/21/2015 at 16:43

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in for service, we both didn’t see this slippery oil/mud mixture at all. We were not going fast at all. Could of happened to anyone

mancub920 > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 17:27

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Alternator? Doubt it.

Once the car is running, it should have enough juice to keep running. Enough to start it again? Not-so-much. Alternator is for charging the car, should be fine once it’s going.

davesaddiction @ opposite-lock.com > EL_ULY 11/21/2015 at 17:52

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How did your boss and the owner take it?

JR1 > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 18:17

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Maybe you can negotiate the price of the Vette down!

hike > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 18:33

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Not a story about me, but one from my days at the dealer. We had a new salesperson who was on the job for maybe 3 weeks at the time. Well one night I was talking to the sales manager, and the salesperson comes in face red as a tomato, eyes watery as hell. Turns out he went on a test drive and the dude he was with did an emergency stop. On the highway. From 70 mph. For no reason. The salesperson literally thought he was gonna get hit from this crash and lost control of his emotions. We prompty asked this customer to leave the store. Makes me glad I wasn’t a salesperson.

yitznewton > marshknute 11/21/2015 at 20:38

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POS AW11 MR2, rusted to poo, also dying alternator or bad connection somewhere, plus 5% brake function. Broke down, dealer’s coworker-father had to bail us out with a portable charger.

QCGoose > mancub920 11/22/2015 at 10:15

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False. I’ve had two vehicles up and die in the middle of driving them, due to bad alternators.

mancub920 > QCGoose 11/24/2015 at 16:45

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side note: am I no longer grey?

/edit: I concede on this one, but your voltage shouldn’t drop too much while driving...did you service the car yourself?