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Here are some of the steps you should take when test-driving a car you're thinking of buying.

Do your research

You can find information on cars from reviews in publications like Car and Driver and Automobile Magazine , or you can get it directly from the manufacturer's website. Learn about all the options that come standard with the ride you have your eye on, and get familiar with more important specs like engine size and mileage. If you know what the car is capable of and its limitations, you won't fall for an embellished pitch.

Test-drive on your time

It's tempting to get a test-drive out of the way on a lunch break, but it's not a great idea. Every test-drive is a sales situation, and a good salesman can use your lack of time to his advantage. Take your trial spin when you have plenty of time to get all the information you need.

Seat the salesman

Just because the salesman is another source of information, you don't have to let him disturb your driving experience. Tell him that you want to focus on the drive, being polite but firm. Rather than let him launch into his pitch, ask him questions only when you need to, and make it clear that you're not listening to his ramblings.

Try different terrains

Drive on curvy roads, bumpy roads and highways, so as to test the car's suspension, handling and speed. Dealerships have predetermined routes for test-drives, but you want to simulate as many driving situations as you can. Remember to tell the salesman where you want to go before setting out, as he may need to check with his manager.

Test turning

A good way to get a sense of a car's handling is to turn at varying speeds. Does it hug the road or fly away? Also, do a couple of full circles in the parking lot. This should tell you if the car has a decent turning radius or if your three-point turns are going to be extended journeys.

Start & stop

A leisurely drive will tell you nothing about a vehicle's performance. Accelerate hard to see what kind of guts the car has. Be sure to brake hard as well; it'll give you a sense of how the car handles while stopping short.

Change lanes

Visibility is critical to any car. You can roughly gauge it while sitting in the parking lot, but the real test is on the road, while changing lanes. Can you take a quick glimpse at the mirrors and go, or do you need a few extra seconds to focus?

Check the climate control

Depending on the weather on the day of your test-drive, you may not even think to investigate its interior-climate system. See how long it takes for the AC to reach its peak, then do the same with the heating.

Inspect the interior

Are all the controls accessible? Do you have enough room for your legs? Don't be afraid to push all the buttons, turn all the knobs and generally treat the interior the way a child would. Oftentimes, quality resides in the little details, and you'll know right away if you're looking at a winner or a cheap car.

Take a passenger

The driving experience isn't the same as the ride. Bring a friend along and, while you're behind the wheel, have him sit in back. He can tell you if he feels all the bumps or if the car handles poorly when you brake.

Adjust your seating

In doing this, you'll be looking for how easy the seats are to adjust. Don't be tempted to take the salesman's word for it or let him demonstrate for you. You'll be the one adjusting the seats when you buy the car, so make sure it's easy.

Buckle up

The only way to see if a seatbelt wears comfortably is to try it on. Also have a look to make sure that its buckle won't easily get lost between the seats.

Check the doors

Doors can tell you a lot about engineering and workmanship. A cheap car is likely to have cheap doors that feel flimsy. You want a set that feels solid and closes firmly and definitively.

Pop the trunk

There are two ways to open the trunk on most cars and you want to make sure they both work properly. First, use the keys and then open it remotely, using the button on the inside. During the latter method, check to see if the trunk springs open or if it just unhooks, leaving you to do the heavy lifting.

Listen up

During a test-drive, there are two groups of sounds that you don't want to hear. You don't want to hear very much noise from outside the vehicle (the car should be decently insulated) and you don't want to hear any funny rattles from inside the car or the engine.

Make mistakes

As your habits aren't likely to improve, you'd better make sure that your new car can handle your common mistakes. Leave your keys inside, leave the lights on, test all the warning signs and sounds, and generally behave badly.

Compare cars

Test-driving is as much about checking out a specific ride as it is about comparing multiple ones. The only way to be an informed buyer is to test out several vehicles. This will help you to get a broader sense of what else is on the market and may reveal things about your dream car that you had overlooked. Test-drive the cars consecutively so that you don't forget anything.

Take a second spin

None of us are perfect, so even if we follow a checklist, we're liable to miss something. A second drive never hurts. Take it a few days after the first one so you can approach it with a relatively fresh perspective.