Your best bet is a low mileage used car, particularly a so-called program > car.
>
> Make your selection and take it for a short road test, as the dealer
> expects any prospect to do. If you like the car, then proceed:
>
> Since its a used car, the dealer will not object to your taking it for an
> extended road test. Offer to pay the gas in all fairness and tell him you
> want to drive it a couple of HOURS or even a DAY. You need to put on about
> 100 miles to really know the car enough to lay down your cash and buy it. >
> The advantage of a long test run is to really check out the car. You will
> learn if it consumes oil, overheats, loses coolant, has any vibrations at
> high speed & check its handling, braking, steering, shifting when warm,
> behavior on hills, etc., etc.
>
> Think back. You don't know what you have until you've owned it a while.
> An extended drive will wring out any problems that you will otherwise
> unpleasantly find out if you don't. The dealer should not object, since
> what's a hundred miles more on a car that already has maybe 15,000 miles?
> If you offer to pay gas and he refuses you, go somewhere else where the
> dealer has nothing to fear from potential defects being revealed. Good points.
I also suggest at least a one day trial for a new car. My preference is a rental of several days. It's amazing how many new cars don't drive as well as my 12 yr old Chrysler LH car.