Excited to treat yourself to your first brand new car? Before you sign on any dotted lines, make sure you take that car for a thorough test drive. That's right; test drives aren't just for used vehicles. You can learn a lot about how a car handles and how well it will work for your lifestyle based on an extensive test drive. Before you start looking for a new car for sale, however, there are a few things to keep in mind.

Call Ahead and Schedule Your Test Drive

While appointments certainly aren't required at most dealerships, it's always a good idea to set up an appointment if you know there's a specific car you want to test drive. This will save you the time and hassle of waiting for a salesperson to find the car you're interested in and retrieve it from the lot for you to test drive. Be sure to also bring your driver's license to the appointment, as the dealership will be required to make a copy of your license prior to your test drive.

Test the Fit of Car Seats and Other Gear

If you have a child (or children) in car seats or booster seats, don't hesitate to bring these to your test-drive appointment. It's important to make sure that car seats will fit properly and safely. If you use other gear in your car regularly (such as a crate or carrier for your pet), you may wish to bring this to your test drive as well.

Check for Blind Spots and Other Visibility Issues

It's not a bad idea to schedule a nighttime test drive, when possible. This will allow you to get a better feel for any potential visibility issues or blind spots that the car may have. 

Turn Off the Radio During Your Test Drive

Last but not least, make sure to shut off the radio during your test drive; as tempting as it may be to crank some of your favorite tunes while you enjoy a ride in your future car, it's important to be alert for road noise, excessive engine noise, or other problematic sounds. If the weather permits, you may also want to roll your windows down while driving to get a better feel for how loud (or quiet) the ride is.

By taking these measures, you can make the most of your new-car test drive and make a confident buying decision.