TEST DRIVING ME CRAZY – CARGURUS REVEALS THE WEIRDEST THINGS CAR BUYERS BRING TO TEST DRIVES

• Pets, musical instruments and even the ashes of dead relatives among the most bizarre things that car buyers have brought to car dealers
• CarGurus surveyed thousands of its UK used car dealers to find out the peculiar foibles of British car buyers
• CarGurus helps car buyers search local car listings and quickly find great deals from top-rated dealers

London, UK, 17th June 2019 – A 12-foot snake, a mattress and a pair of parrots are among the strangest things that potential car buyers have brought to a test drive, according to new research by online used car platform, CarGurus.

CarGurus, the fastest growing automotive shopping site in the UK among its nearest competitors*, which was founded by TripAdvisor co-founder Langley Steinert, surveyed thousands of used car dealers in its UK network to find out the most unusual items that customers have turned up to a test drive with over the last 12 months.

Dealers revealed that many people bring their pets – including fish, cats, a Great Dane in a child’s car seat, snakes and even a horse – to their test drive and several reported customers bringing the ashes of dead relatives with them for the ride.

But extended family members are not the only unusual items brought along to a test drive. Musicians often bring their instruments – such as a double bass, cello, drum kit and even an accordion – to check they will fit in the vehicle and one customer even brought slippers with them because they said they could only drive in them – while this is not illegal, it is certainly not advised.

Top 10 most bizarre things buyers brought to test drive

1. A ‘lucky’ egg
2. A horse
3. A rifle
4. A 12-foot pet snake
5. An accordion
6. vTwo parrots
7. A mattress
8. The ashes of a deceased relative
9. Slippers
10. A truncheon

Chris Knapman, Editor of CarGurus said: “These examples might be at the extremes of what car buyers have brought along on test drives, but they do highlight the importance of making sure a potential purchase is fit for purpose. After all, it’d be a shame to get your new car home only to discover your beloved 12-foot pet snake didn’t fit in the boot!

“Even for those with more conventional requirements we’d still encourage taking along items to ensure a car fits your needs, whether it’s child seats, a baby buggy, golf clubs or anything else you plan to carry on a regular basis.

“Of course, having a smartphone to hand is an essential to access online resources like CarGurus.co.uk while on the forecourt; helping car buyers compare local adverts and get specific answers to questions, including whether the car is a great deal.”

In addition to vehicle listings, CarGurus is also home to a variety of articles covering topics such as used car buying advice, reviews and news. This can be found on both the UK blog and on the UK YouTube channel.

-ENDS-

For further information, please contact:
James Drake at CarGurus – UKPR@CarGurus.com / 0208 541 3434

*Source: Comscore MMX Multi-Platform®, Custom-defined list includes Cargurus.CO.UK, Motors.CO.UK, AutorTrader.CO.UK, Pistonheads.com, Gumtree.com, Percent Change in average unique monthly visitors from Q1 2018 to Q1 2019, UK.

About the research
CarGurus surveyed thousands of used car dealers in its UK network.

How CarGurus Works:
CarGurus helps car shoppers search local car listings and quickly find great deals from top-rated dealers. Every day, the company analyses millions of data points on hundreds of thousands of UK car listings to calculate each car’s Instant Market Value (IMV) or fair retail price. This data is used in combination with dealership ratings from other shoppers to rank and rate available cars results based on the quality of the deal: Great, Good, Fair, High or Overpriced. The site also provides transparency on how long the car has been on the forecourt and if it’s had a price drop. Consumers can contact dealers directly.

About CarGurus
Founded in 2006 by Langley Steinert (also a co-founder of TripAdvisor), CarGurus (Nasdaq: CARG) is a global, online automotive marketplace connecting buyers and sellers of cars. The company uses proprietary technology, search algorithms and data analytics to bring trust and transparency to the automotive search experience and help users find great deals from top-rated dealers. CarGurus is the largest automotive shopping site in the U.S. by unique monthly visitors (source: Comscore Media Metrix® Multi-Platform, Automotive – Information / Resources, Total Audience, Q1 2019, U.S.) CarGurus launched in the UK in 2015 and is the fastest growing auto shopping site in the UK among its nearest competitors (source: Comscore MMX Multi-Platform®, Custom-defined list includes Cargurus.CO.UK, Motors.CO.UK, AutorTrader.CO.UK, Pistonheads.com, Gumtree.com, Percent Change in average unique monthly visitors from Q1 2018 to Q1 2019, UK). In 2019, CarGurus acquired UK-based PistonHeads.com, which it operates as an independent brand. In addition to the United Kingdom and the United States, CarGurus operates online marketplaces in Canada, Germany, Italy and Spain.

CarGurus® is a registered trademark of CarGurus, Inc. All product names, trademarks and registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.

To learn more about CarGurus visit www.cargurus.co.uk.
© 2019 CarGurus, Inc., All Rights Reserved.