Buick Offering 24-Hour Test Drives To Build Brand, Not Sell Cars
July 19th, 2015 2:00 PM
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Buick is tossing the keys to prospective customers for sleepovers in their driveways as part of a brand-building exercise the automaker says isn’t meant to sell cars immediately.
According to Automotive News, the program — dubbed “24 Hours of Happiness” — gives customers the chance to live with a Buick vehicle for 24 hours starting this coming Wednesday.
“Customers thought it showed that we have a real confidence in our vehicles,” Duncan Aldred, Buick brand chief, told AN.
“It’s more of an image builder,” he continued. “Some people can’t believe that Buick has the confidence to send them out in a car without a salesperson sitting next to them to tell them how great the car is.”
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I really think the phrase "24 hours of happiness" should be reserved for something better than a long Buick test drive.
It's not just Buick. Recently a Denver Jeep dealer responded to my curiosity about the new Renegade by offering me the car for a day. There was no sales presentation and a minimum of paperwork (and only one followup call afterward). I had to stay within a 50 miles radius. Eight hours later, I returned it with 175 miles on the clock and mud on the rear fender. I had enough time to know that I didn't want the car, but my impression of Jeep dealers was greatly improved.
Thats probably the most flattering picture of the Encore I've yet seen.
Late edit- I meant to say "75 miles on the clock."