No, TD didn't buy a new R (AFAIK)--I meant back when he bought the white 2013 that he just sold.

When I got that 2013 R, dealers were already looking to unload the copies they had left. I was able to test drive without any hesitation and they didn't even ride along. I was gone for a while with it. And then they were quick to agree to a deal below invoice.

Maybe the lesson is wait until late in the model run, I don't know. But they do seem to go from protecting them irrationally to not wanting to be stuck with one in inventory. It's a matter of timing.

Thinking back, months before than a different dealership let me test drive the GTI and R back to back. And this was still when they were charging premiums.

Now you have me curious as to whether I could swing a test drive of the new one. I loved my 2013 but I'm honestly totally not interested in having another.

And, no, I haven't bought anything yet. Eager to, but I'm waiting out some uncertainty at work before I do anything. I've been daily driving the M3.

I was able to test drive a 2015 Golf R when actually wanting to order and buy the GTI with the Performance Pack. There were no GTI's with the Performance Pack anywhere to be had and my dealer had a blue Golf R just sitting there. Maybe try a different dealer?

I may. Part of the problem is that with work and kid schedules I've got a severely limited set of windows to go on drives. I get the chance, realistically, once a month. Maybe.

That's one reason I was so pissed about this one; they wasted my time.

So, I suppose I could call around and see if there's another VW dealer that has the car and is willing to do drives, but honestly it's a bigger pain in the ass than it's worth, esp. since I've already been to the two closest ones.

Clyde--I had the same thought about the RS, though I have no illusions that I'll be able to easily find one of those to drive, either.

That is so frustrating that 2 dealers said no to a test drive especially with the trouble VW dealers must be having since the whole tdi situation.

I would try a different approach that might work ... Try using the Internet to give you pricing then make an appointment to go in and test drive.

The problem is with some special cars like the R the dealers know that buyers don't want to buy a car that has been test driven ... I know I would not buy any car that was used to be test driven by someone else heck I won't even buy a car if it was sitting on the showroom floor.

That's a good approach, but I don't really care enough to do it. I'm not going to beg for a test drive. If they don't want to sell me a car, fine.

This happened to me with the original STi. Subaru dealer wouldn't let me near the one they had in the showroom so I walked next door to the bmw dealer and ordered an m3.

I can kind of see the dealership's perspective. If they get a limited allocation of them, why bother offering test drives? I'd rather have something on the showroom floor with 0-5 miles on it than something that has 100 of the hardest miles a car will ever see. :dunno: