When getting your car serviced, it’s common for dealerships to allow you to borrow a car until your vehicle is fully repaired.
While this is partially just for the ease of the customer, there’s also an added benefit for any dealership that offers to do this: advertising.
Some have reported that, after taking their car into the dealership, they were provided with a vehicle that was substantially nicer than their own. For example, one internet user showcased his new loaner car and noted that the experience of driving and (briefly) owning it made him want a new car. This leadmany to speculate that this was a deliberate strategy on the part of the dealership.
Now, a user on TikTok is sharing her experience with a loaner car, only this time, the loaner came from Porsche.
What’s so special about this woman’s loaner car?
In a clip with over 1.2 million views, TikTok user Alexandria Herde (@theluxereality) describes how Porsche “has a lifetime client in me.”
According to Herde, she presently leases what she calls her “dream car”: a Porsche Macan. While she notes that it’s “the cheapest car you can get from Porsche,” she is still satisfied with the vehicle.
Upon taking her car in for a complimentary oil change, however, she was given a car to drive until her’s could be picked up. That car was a Porsche Cayenne.
“The loaner car is nicer than my car. Like, the loaner car is worth double my car,” she states. “So, they have a lifetime client in me. Because now, they got me riding around in a tight Cayenne instead of a Macan. And I’m like… ’I’m living my sports car girl dreams right now.’”
While she dropped her car off on Friday and was told to expect to have it returned by Monday, she says that the dealership can take their time.
“I’m getting a little too comfortable in this car, and they may have made a mistake,” she details. “Maybe it’s a sales thing, but girl can’t afford this right now. So one can dream. This is me manifesting.”
@theluxereality and by manifesting I mean taking this as a sign God put me in this car for 1 weekend as a future life preview!🤣 #fy #fyp #luxury #manifestation #porsche #dream #car #storytime #justagirl ♬ original sound – Alexandria Elizabeth Herde
Commenters say it’s a tactic
While “courtesy cars” are frequently nicer than the cars that customers bring in, this is more likely due to the fact that a dealership has the most recent models available. These cars are simply well-maintained and on deck, rather than serving an advertising purpose.
That said, there’s still a chance that this could be an attempt at subtle salesmanship—at least, that’s what commenters seem to think.
“I swear it’s a tactic,” wrote a commenter. “I drive an X5 and when I went in for a service they loaned me an M series and I went home to my husband like waiiiittt I think I need THIS one.”
Another wrote, “I worked in sales for 10 years. The amount of people that would buy the actual loaner car when it came back to turn it in would blown your mind…..and I worked at Toyota.”
“They didn’t make a mistake, they want you to make one,” declared a third.
The Daily Dot reached out to Porsche and Herde via email.
Update 1:22pm CT Dec. 26: In an email to the Daily Dot, Herde said that her experience with the company has “remained positive.”
“When I picked up my Macan, they had it cleaned inside and out for me,” she recalled.
Intentional sales tactic or not, she stated that she was swayed by her experience with the loaner car.
“Once my lease is up, I plan to switch into a Cayenne,” she said. “Their customer service is unmatched!”
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