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Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:09 pm
by scrounger
The wife is after a D3 Auto R design pro 2wd but can we find a D3 to drive in the NW??? Nope

Not one dealer has one either as a used or on demo.

I'm a bit reluctant to buy something she has never driven.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:24 pm
by Oblivion
Hi,

When I ordered my xc40 at Stockport Volvo the demo car was a D3 momentum. Have you tried them?

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:30 pm
by hdasmith
Can’t help finding one to test drive, but can report my manual D3 FWD is a lovely drive. The clutch pedal isn’t positioned quite right, too close to the driver in my opinion, but that wouldn’t be a problem for you.

It’s not the quickest, of course, and it’s quite a relaxing drive, but the oomph is there when you need it. The front wheels are inclined to spin up when trying to pull away quickly at a junction or roundabout, but again, an auto will probably be less of a problem.

In two and a half months, I’ve driven 3,900 miles, about half and half long and short drives. I’m averaging 48.5mpg, typically low to mid 40s for short journeys, and 50+ for longer ones. I’ve had a couple of drives at 60+ mpg when stuck for a long time in a 50mph average camera zone.

Generally quiet, but if you do have to accelerate higher up the revs it does sound like a tractor.

I had only test driven the D4 before, but I’ve been very happy with the D3, it suits me very well. I would have liked AWD though if I had been allowed.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:34 pm
by scrounger
Oblivion wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:24 pm Hi,

When I ordered my xc40 at Stockport Volvo the demo car was a D3 momentum. Have you tried them?
I've tried every dealer in the NW. Stockport are yet to get back to me.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Fri Jan 11, 2019 10:58 pm
by johnd
Not much help I'm afraid, but I can sympathise. It's a perennial problem with any make/model for which there are a number of different engines etc available. I've been struggling to find a T5 demo for instance and seem to have drawn a blank but Peterborough - which is not too far away from me - now think they might (but to be confirmed) be able to get hold of one.

I can totally understand that individual dealers are only likely to run one or two demo cars at a time but really don't know why Volvo (in this instance, but it applies to any manufacturer) ) can't have a small pool of extra demo cars available on a regional basis. I guess most of us would be happy to travel an hour or two to a regional centre or alternatively the relevant car could be delivered/lent on a short-term basis to a given dealer to help win a sale from a good prospect. It's an obvious idea which has presumably been tried and then dismissed for, I'm guessing, economic reasons.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:12 am
by Salmonfisher
Johnd
Don't know where you are but Waterhouse in Chelmsford had a T5 demonstrator (and a D4) last week.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 12:32 pm
by scrounger
When I worked for Saab, many many moons ago, if you didn’t have a particular car in demo, you could book one out with a central pool and it would be delivered within 2 days. It was a great facility to use.

I agree that dealers should have more than 1 demo but a demo is owned by the dealership which they have to pay for and having one sat around costs money.

It doesn’t help that the XC40 is in such short supply customer orders come first so anything that they’ve ordered for a demo car will more than likely be sold to a customer instead.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:25 pm
by ACertainAge
I never had a test drive either! Read the reviews, found a cancelled order on the Wednesday and drove away on the Saturday. It replaced a 'C' class cdi200 Merc. Now 2.25K miles and delighted with it.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Mon Jan 14, 2019 8:35 pm
by johnd
Salmonfisher wrote: Sat Jan 12, 2019 10:12 am Johnd
Don't know where you are but Waterhouse in Chelmsford had a T5 demonstrator (and a D4) last week.
Meant to say thanks for this pointer. P'boro have now said that they'll definitely have one as from next week and that's closer, but I'll note Chelmsford as a possible fallback.

Re: Can't find a D3 to test drive anywhere!

Posted: Tue Jun 25, 2019 11:31 am
by Blue Velvet
scrounger wrote: Fri Jan 11, 2019 8:09 pm The wife is after a D3 Auto R design pro 2wd but can we find a D3 to drive in the NW??? Nope

Not one dealer has one either as a used or on demo.

I'm a bit reluctant to buy something she has never driven.
Hi,

Have you found one to test drive yet?
Mine is a Momentum Pro D3 Auto Fusion Red with Blonde leather interior =class 😉.
I live in Manchester, if want, you can test drive mine and see. Seriously.

If you ask me, it isn’t one of the best rides I have owned/experienced in my lifetime.
This is my first diesel ride and I am not impressed. It is slow to take/drive off after a stop at the lights.
It might just mine that is sluggish at that.

Other than that, the car is a head turner, I will say.