Coronavirus confusion: Can you take a car for a test drive in Kentucky during the shutdown?
On March 25, Gov. Andy Beshear issued an executive order shutting down all non-essential businesses due to the coronavirus pandemic, including car dealerships.
But there appears to be confusion about exactly what part of the car sales process is essential — the sale itself, financing, lease trade-in? It has even gone so far that some Lexington dealers are selling cars without a test drive ever taking place.
Some dealerships, including at least one in Lexington that has had a confirmed case of COVID-19 in an employee, were still doing test drives of cars last week.
Asked on Friday specifically if test drives were allowed, Beshear said: “Auto dealers should not be having any face to face contact with people. They can still operate if it is online or over the phone. But people shouldn’t be shown around the lots. And I will tell you that made me very unpopular with auto dealers that I know and I feel for them. The way their inventory works and the damage this is doing to them ... I know. It’s doing the same damage to record unemployed folks and small businesses that are out there ... It’s just important that everybody buy in and you don’t think that you should be the exception.”
But calls to several car dealerships in Lexington on Friday indicated many are arranging test drives.
Some dealerships wouldn’t talk on the record about their arrangements; one hung up.
Others stressed the steps they are taking to ensure customers and employees are kept safe from virus transmission.
Curbside service under a tent
Dan Glass, general manager of Courtesy Acura and Courtesy on Wheels, said that at his dealerships they are taking precautions like sanitizing cars and keys before and afterward, using steering wheel and seat covers and meeting people outside under a tent.
“We observe social distancing … we try to do everything Andy (Beshear) says to do,” Glass said. “We have gloves that we offer the customer.”
Most people have a specific car in mind when they call, he said.
“Most of the people I’m seeing have to have a car,” he said. “But we did sell two sports luxury cars yesterday.”
He said that immediately after the order was issued, sales volume dropped dramatically.
“We were selling a car every other day,” he said.
But the curbside sales have helped.
“We sold five yesterday,” he said on Friday. “People can try cars out, and not feel obligated. The curbside thing might be something we do more of. People really like not coming into the showroom.”
‘We’ve not been told not to do test drives’
At Don Jacobs, also on Nicholasville Road, they have implemented a regimen of cleaning cars for test drives as well as vehicles brought in for repairs. In their waiting room, for instance, half the seating has been taken out to space out customers; employees clean surfaces repeatedly.
The dealership, which like most others has furloughed sales staff, notified all employees earlier this month via an email, obtained by the Herald-Leader, that an employee in the body shop had tested positive for the coronavirus.
The Lexington-Fayette County Health Department confirmed that there has been a case of coronavirus at the Don Jacobs auto facility.
The employee has since recovered and will return to work this week, said owner Don Jacobs.
They are aware of concerns and have taken steps to eliminate contacts between employees and the public where they can, said Scott Britain, general manager.
But repairs and sales are still necessary, he said. “There are certain people who need to buy a car.”
They are following guidelines issued by the Kentucky Automobile Dealers Association, Britain said Friday, “we’ve not been told not to do test drives.”
The Kentucky Automobile Dealers Association did not comment.
“No customer’s going to buy a car without a test drive,” Britain said. “The important part is you maintain your social distancing. We’re sanitizing the car before the customer gets in, the car and keys after the customer gets out. If a dealership is saying they’re selling cars without test drives, that just isn’t happening.”
All test drives are unaccompanied, meaning no one from the dealership goes along, Britain and Jacobs said.
Jacobs said that dealerships have a responsibility to stay open.
“Transportation really is essential. The intent of the governor’s order is prevent crowds and people getting infected. The showrooms are closed. We are absolutely closed for walk-in traffic. But through prearranged appointments, we’re allowed to sell cars. We prepare the documentation and maintain social distancing,” Jacobs said.
“We’ve been told by Kentucky Automobile Dealers Association that we can continue operating sales through curbside, home delivery or online,” Jacobs said.
“But if the governor comes out and tells us unequivocally that ‘no, you may no test drive cars, we will comply’ … we’re not the outlier, we’ll comply with whatever his orders are. We think that we’re doing that now, and if we’re not, then we will.”
“The governor’s actually said ‘no test drives’”
But several dealerships said that they have eliminated test drives. Instead, they will sell a car and take it back if the customer isn’t satisfied.
Matt Agosto, general manager of Lexus of Lexington said the dealership will deliver a sanitized vehicle after an online sale. “We’re doing business with the governor’s mandate,” he said.
At Toyota on Nicholasville, finance director Rob Khalaf said the dealership isn’t doing them. And his impression is that “the governor’s actually said no test drives.”
“To be honest with you, we’re on a skeleton staff,” he said. “The problem is people want to buy car, they want to drive, and sales people are all furloughed. And it’s too much trouble to disinfect the car every time someone gets in and out.”
His dealership is sticking to helping people work out issues with their loans, necessary car service and repairs, and online sales.
As for the confusion about what is permitted under Beshear’s order and what isn’t, “I’m guessing it might come down to their definition of a test drive,” Khalaf said. “We’re not having somebody drive five cars, then say ‘I’ll take that one.’
“It’s lives we’re talking about,” he said. “I’d rather play it safe than sorry.”
This story was originally published April 13, 2020 at 2:35 PM.
