Why do they take a copy of my license when I test drive?

[ullyeus]

Was just having this conversation with some people and someone tossed in the "It's so they can do a quick credit check" and I was surprised but it almost makes sense...

Or is it just insurance? I mean...the salesdude is coming with you on the test drive anyways...

[B0000rt]

Probably insurance.

We once got a test drive for a CTS, and they let us take the car home to show my mom. Without the salesman.

Credit check? Yeah right, so the person who suggested this is saying that if you test drive alot of cars, your credit rating will go down? Rightttt...

[maverick601in]

Probably insurance.

We once got a test drive for a CTS, and they let us take the car home to show my mom. Without the salesman.

Credit check? Yeah right, so the person who suggested this is saying that if you test drive alot of cars, your credit rating will go down? Rightttt...

a somewhat unrelated question on the topic..

i m buying my first car...and i go on a test drive...if something to the car ..ie. get involved in an accident etc...and i m the driver...and at this point i dont have any insurance as i dont have had a car...then under this situation what would happen...

would they let me drive the car in the first place...ie. without having insurance...

i know its kinda basic question...but this is my first car buying experience n would like to know more about it..

thanks.

[slim_shady]

They cannot do a credit check without your consent (that's why all credit applications have miles of fine print )

Most dealerships say it's to satisfy their insurance requirements (you are using their insurance when test driving their car -- you don't need any insurance of your own).

[maverick601in]

They cannot do a credit check without your consent (that's why all credit applications have miles of fine print )

Most dealerships say it's to satisfy their insurance requirements (you are using their insurance when test driving their car -- you don't need any insurance of your own).

hey, thanks for the quick reply..

so if the car is damaged with myself as the driver...then do i have to pay anything to the dealer?

its not that i m a bad driver...just want to get the basic facts...

[actng]

uhhh are you all ********?

it's cuz your driver's license has:

- your legal name
- your birth date
- your picture
- your height, weight
- your address

so if you disappear with the car, they (police, dealer, dealer's insurance...) have somewhere to start looking?

[B0000rt]

Thinking about it abit more, that "credit check" suggestion is absurd.

I mean what if a 17 year old kid was to go test drive a car? I'm sure most 17 yearolds have no credit whatsoever (I didn't get my own credit card until 19 or so)

[rfdrfd]

hey, thanks for the quick reply..

so if the car is damaged with myself as the driver...then do i have to pay anything to the dealer?

its not that i m a bad driver...just want to get the basic facts...

If you test drive the car, then the owner of the car is covering the insurance. But, its not hard to project that the dealership can claim your "future" insurance company for costs of repair, because you caused the damage.

And they have a copy of your Driver's lic.

[ullyeus]

uhhh are you all ********?

it's cuz your driver's license has:

- your legal name
- your birth date
- your picture
- your height, weight
- your address

so if you disappear with the car, they (police, dealer, dealer's insurance...) have somewhere to start looking?

in every test drive I have went on the salesguy has come with, not sure how worried they are about me killing him and taking the car.

[JAGpilot]

Say I crash the car with or without the salesman. If I decide to just go back to the dealer and get in my own car and leave the dealer has a way of identifying you and prosecuting you.

[yao416]

iuno but when i took my g2 test, my teacher asked me to make a photecopy of my card -_-'

[masterballer]

uhhh are you all ********?

it's cuz your driver's license has:

- your legal name
- your birth date
- your picture
- your height, weight
- your address

so if you disappear with the car, they (police, dealer, dealer's insurance...) have somewhere to start looking?

+1 ..... If they ask for your Credit Card THEN they are doing a credit check, never give them your credit card!

[number84]

i don't think they are doing a credit check...i think it's in case you get any photo tickets (like red-light camera, etc.)

[slim_shady]

uhhh are you all ********?

it's cuz your driver's license has:

- your legal name
- your birth date
- your picture
- your height, weight
- your address

so if you disappear with the car, they (police, dealer, dealer's insurance...) have somewhere to start looking?

Gee, do you think?
Do you think maybe, just maybe, that's why the dealers insurance requires them to copy that information?
Wow, and you called all of us retarted

[kcorscadden]

Some sales reps go on the test drives, some don't. It all depends on the dealership.

They photocopy your license for 2 main reasons that have already been mentioned:

- Insurance
- Personal information

For insurance, you will/should not be dinged for future claims if you do have an accident. It is just so that if you do have one, the dealership can give a detailed report as to what happened and who was driving. All the info on your license is then given to the insurance company.

As for personal info, if for some weird reason you are allowed to test drive a car all by yourself, what is stopping you from stealing the car? You can go in there, ask to test drive a car, get behind the wheel and drive off and never return. By having your info, you are pretty easy to find by the police.