Would you buy an Elise demonstrator?
Discussion
fridaypassion said:
Fastpedeller said:
I think you'll find that NO MANUFACTURER is allowed to sell on development cars. At Lotus the development cars are registered specifically as that, and DVLA do not allow them to be re-registered as private use cars afterwards. I'm sure other manufacturers are compelled to follow the same procedures.
Which laws would that be then that prevents this? If Lotus produce a car, stick it on a AU plate, use it themselves to do some suspension tweaks on or drive to Scandinavia and back to test something they crush it then? If its registered for the road they can do what they like.
I'm sure there are cars that fall into that category of course you couldn't sell a development mule car that's a different thing altogether. There are cars that have been used by the factory before and done a few laps of the test track being sold through the dealer network I can absolutely guarantee you you but her what would I know? 
fridaypassion said:
I'm sure there are cars that fall into that category of course you couldn't sell a development mule car that's a different thing altogether. There are cars that have been used by the factory before and done a few laps of the test track being sold through the dealer network I can absolutely guarantee you you but her what would I know?
Demonstrator cars and development cars are quite different vehicles of course.How much are you actually saving by buying a demonstrator? How long are you going to keep it for? Lotus are offering some good incentives on brand new cars on top of the financing on offer. You can spec a brand new car as you like it and even have custom paint jobs or other non standard extras put on as part of the factory build process. After a lot of thought and an intense debate with the wife, I have spent a couple of grand more and ordered MY lotus direct from the factory with a paint scheme which is not offered in the brochure and I'm planning to keep it for a good while. If you are going to spend this sort of money on something which, let's face it, is unlikely to be a daily driver, do you really want to open the garage on a Sunday and think 'I wish it was a different colour' or 'I wish it had x or y'?
On a daily driver I completely get why it's worth buying an ex demo if you are looking at a new car, but for something like this? If you can afford a demo you can in all likelihood afford a brand new one at the moment. Give a dealer a call - I'd recommend Silverstone...
On a daily driver I completely get why it's worth buying an ex demo if you are looking at a new car, but for something like this? If you can afford a demo you can in all likelihood afford a brand new one at the moment. Give a dealer a call - I'd recommend Silverstone...
gashead1105 said:
How much are you actually saving by buying a demonstrator? How long are you going to keep it for? Lotus are offering some good incentives on brand new cars on top of the financing on offer. You can spec a brand new car as you like it and even have custom paint jobs or other non standard extras put on as part of the factory build process. After a lot of thought and an intense debate with the wife, I have spent a couple of grand more and ordered MY lotus direct from the factory with a paint scheme which is not offered in the brochure and I'm planning to keep it for a good while. If you are going to spend this sort of money on something which, let's face it, is unlikely to be a daily driver, do you really want to open the garage on a Sunday and think 'I wish it was a different colour' or 'I wish it had x or y'?
On a daily driver I completely get why it's worth buying an ex demo if you are looking at a new car, but for something like this? If you can afford a demo you can in all likelihood afford a brand new one at the moment. Give a dealer a call - I'd recommend Silverstone...
Good point about the colour, although two of the ex-demonstrators I saw were in one my favourite colours, so it doesn't seem to be a big deal. They also had a lot of extras that add thousands to the price of the car.On a daily driver I completely get why it's worth buying an ex demo if you are looking at a new car, but for something like this? If you can afford a demo you can in all likelihood afford a brand new one at the moment. Give a dealer a call - I'd recommend Silverstone...
I'm keen to keep the budget as low as I can so I have more money left for holidays, track days, driving the car, so I wouldn't necessarily want to add too much from the option list if I was buying new, but will probably regret it.
I hope keeping the car at least 4 years which is the longest I've kept any vehicle so far.
K2iss said:
Good point about the colour, although two of the ex-demonstrators I saw were in one my favourite colours, so it doesn't seem to be a big deal. They also had a lot of extras that add thousands to the price of the car.
I'm keen to keep the budget as low as I can so I have more money left for holidays, track days, driving the car, so I wouldn't necessarily want to add too much from the option list if I was buying new, but will probably regret it.
I hope keeping the car at least 4 years which is the longest I've kept any vehicle so far.
Have you had one previously and are you looking at the N/A or supercharged? What is your budget? I've had my S2 Exige for almost 4 years now, which is by far the longest I've kept any car and, while it's now up for sale if I hadn't had a V6 for a long weekend I would be keeping my current one for another 4 years. If you are going to do trackdays, get a supercharged one as you will want more power once you've done a couple in an N/A version. I was at the factory last week and the new Elise cups look fab but a normal 220 cup racer in toxic green also looks pretty great (a mate has one and drives it everyday...). As to the budget, well the 50/50 deal has been extended to 2 years again for the next couple of months. So you can have your cake and eat it with no impact on the monthly budget - even my wife was happy!I'm keen to keep the budget as low as I can so I have more money left for holidays, track days, driving the car, so I wouldn't necessarily want to add too much from the option list if I was buying new, but will probably regret it.
I hope keeping the car at least 4 years which is the longest I've kept any vehicle so far.
gashead1105 said:
Have you had one previously and are you looking at the N/A or supercharged? What is your budget? I've had my S2 Exige for almost 4 years now, which is by far the longest I've kept any car and, while it's now up for sale if I hadn't had a V6 for a long weekend I would be keeping my current one for another 4 years. If you are going to do trackdays, get a supercharged one as you will want more power once you've done a couple in an N/A version. I was at the factory last week and the new Elise cups look fab but a normal 220 cup racer in toxic green also looks pretty great (a mate has one and drives it everyday...). As to the budget, well the 50/50 deal has been extended to 2 years again for the next couple of months. So you can have your cake and eat it with no impact on the monthly budget - even my wife was happy!
Yes the Elise S CR in toxic green is high on my list if I can't go for a Cup with the crazy aero. I hope the low APR finance deal will hold until I get my house move sorted.Feeling jealous about your V6 car though
Mine was a demonstrator, 2500 on the clock. Good saving and got the colour I wanted anyway. It's been near faultless over 2 years ( just a roof cable replaced under warranty). Personally would have no problem going for a demonstrator again except I think the one I have will be a long term keeper.
I haven't read all the posts above, but if I don't write this down I may forget the point.
Before I bought my Elise S, I had a test drive from the local dealership and also attended a demo day that they hosted as a local castle. I took one of their demo cars out with the salesman in the passenger seat. Subject to the car being warmed up sufficiently, he positively encouraged me to get the shift-change lights working as often as possible. After all, not everyone can arrange for a test drive at their local track and even if they did, who would cover the insurance. It's more likely in the real world that you take your performance car just that little beyond a typical car envelope to see whether it satisfies. Which means Elise's will have been pushed more than a Civic, but not like you find on the track. Does that mean you wouldn't buy one? No, I would.
Before I bought my Elise S, I had a test drive from the local dealership and also attended a demo day that they hosted as a local castle. I took one of their demo cars out with the salesman in the passenger seat. Subject to the car being warmed up sufficiently, he positively encouraged me to get the shift-change lights working as often as possible. After all, not everyone can arrange for a test drive at their local track and even if they did, who would cover the insurance. It's more likely in the real world that you take your performance car just that little beyond a typical car envelope to see whether it satisfies. Which means Elise's will have been pushed more than a Civic, but not like you find on the track. Does that mean you wouldn't buy one? No, I would.
Customer of mine has an Elise that was used to test the new auto gear boxes destined for the Exige. The previous use was disclosed and the car discounted quite well. It was retailed out through a main dealer. 2500 miles on it. Interestingly the dvla did require some documentation from the factory to differentiate the car from a "mule" it was designated as a test car.
Lot of comments on this post about demonstrators never being allowed unaccompanied, this is not true.
I've had a number of Lotus demonstrators for a few days, Porsche the same (they even let me take one of theirs to France for a week when my car had not arrived in time), BMW - every time. I'd never buy a new car without living with it for a couple of days.
That said it would not deter me from buying one (I seriously considered the Elise I had), I bought a BMW ex demo that I'd had for a couple of days, had to wait 3 months to get it. We kept it for 5 years and never gave us a second's trouble. I was also 3rd owner on a Z4 demonstrator, had that 6 years, again fine. I think it had had a bump at some point in it's life but that's nothing to do with being a demo.
Just check the condition of the car as you would any other. As for residuals, would not expect that to be a problem, unless you sell it on quickly after buying it.
On the Lotus front, with the finance deals they are doing at the moment, a new one is a no brainer IMO. Sure you know this, but watch out for "savings" against what someone would pay new for the car. No one ever pays list price (just got 5k off a new Golf R which has a 8 month waiting list, day we collected there was a used one in the show room, identical spec for 4k more than we were paying).
I would never have bought an Elise if I'd have based it on the 20 minute test drive I initially had with the dealership. Took me a day of driving to really bond and understand it.
I've had a number of Lotus demonstrators for a few days, Porsche the same (they even let me take one of theirs to France for a week when my car had not arrived in time), BMW - every time. I'd never buy a new car without living with it for a couple of days.
That said it would not deter me from buying one (I seriously considered the Elise I had), I bought a BMW ex demo that I'd had for a couple of days, had to wait 3 months to get it. We kept it for 5 years and never gave us a second's trouble. I was also 3rd owner on a Z4 demonstrator, had that 6 years, again fine. I think it had had a bump at some point in it's life but that's nothing to do with being a demo.
Just check the condition of the car as you would any other. As for residuals, would not expect that to be a problem, unless you sell it on quickly after buying it.
On the Lotus front, with the finance deals they are doing at the moment, a new one is a no brainer IMO. Sure you know this, but watch out for "savings" against what someone would pay new for the car. No one ever pays list price (just got 5k off a new Golf R which has a 8 month waiting list, day we collected there was a used one in the show room, identical spec for 4k more than we were paying).
I would never have bought an Elise if I'd have based it on the 20 minute test drive I initially had with the dealership. Took me a day of driving to really bond and understand it.
Edited by eightyone on Friday 30th January 09:07
Lots of good useful comments on this thread.
eightyone said:
Lot of comments on this post about demonstrators never being allowed unaccompanied, this is not true.
I would never have bought an Elise if I'd have based it on the 20 minute test drive I initially had with the dealership. Took me a day of driving to really bond and understand it
I'm not sure how you manage to get the car for a day or two, I guess you just have to ask. I had the car for an hour and there's been nothing out there that got my partner or myself more excited, apart maybe for the caterham supersport R which is a totaly different proposition.I would never have bought an Elise if I'd have based it on the 20 minute test drive I initially had with the dealership. Took me a day of driving to really bond and understand it
K2iss said:
I'm not sure how you manage to get the car for a day or two, I guess you just have to ask. I had the car for an hour and there's been nothing out there that got my partner or myself more excited, apart maybe for the caterham supersport R which is a totaly different proposition.
Just ask and be flexible, I guess it will depend on how serious the dealer think you are. Easier with bigger dealerships I would imagine, more so if you have bought cars in the past from them. It's a requirement of the sale in my mind, never been turned down. Only one car I have not bought after been given an extended test drive.Edited by eightyone on Friday 30th January 14:31
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