Ex-demo cars...good/bad?
Discussion
Hey guys,
What's the general opinion of so called ex-demo cars from dealers? I've only ever bought cars privately [except my New Beetle which I bought brand new] so I don't have any experience with cars that have been owned by employees of a dealer for say 6 months before being sold on to the public etc?
I guess I've always seen these kind of cars as kind of un-loved - I mean how much will someone care for a car [engine running in period for instance] when they know they'll be getting a new one in a matter of months, it's not like they've spent their hard earn cash on it!?!
The reason I ask is cos my girlfriend is looking to buy a used Mini, from a Mini dealer [it'll be about 3/4 years old] and the majority of them will probably be ex-demo?
Cheers
What's the general opinion of so called ex-demo cars from dealers? I've only ever bought cars privately [except my New Beetle which I bought brand new] so I don't have any experience with cars that have been owned by employees of a dealer for say 6 months before being sold on to the public etc?
I guess I've always seen these kind of cars as kind of un-loved - I mean how much will someone care for a car [engine running in period for instance] when they know they'll be getting a new one in a matter of months, it's not like they've spent their hard earn cash on it!?!
The reason I ask is cos my girlfriend is looking to buy a used Mini, from a Mini dealer [it'll be about 3/4 years old] and the majority of them will probably be ex-demo?
Cheers
I have read that having multiple drivers and driving styles is actually beneficial for a car early in it's life. How true that is, I do not know, but like yourself, I was of the opinion that ex-demos are more likely than not to have spent prolonged periods being shuffled about fore-courts, being ragged from cold etc.
Unlikely that 2-4k miles of that use is likely to impact on long term reliability on most run of the mill modern cars imo though.
Unlikely that 2-4k miles of that use is likely to impact on long term reliability on most run of the mill modern cars imo though.
Some "demo" cars don't do anything - dealers register them to make the figures look right. Others will of been genuine demo cars.
The prospective purchase is more likely to be an ex-lease car than a demo ?
Even if a car you are looking at was originally a demo car it will have been through another owner since, its how they treated it that would be more important I think.
The prospective purchase is more likely to be an ex-lease car than a demo ?
Even if a car you are looking at was originally a demo car it will have been through another owner since, its how they treated it that would be more important I think.
Well my dad got his '02' V70 D5 as an ex Demo car. Only had 400 miles on the clock and being ex demo was discounted. The car has had no major faults (only a new clutch at 110,000 miles) in 10 years of loyal service. Very good overall.
Personally I wouldn't buy new because of depreciation, but an ex demo car that's had some sort of depreciation taken place may be a good buy
Personally I wouldn't buy new because of depreciation, but an ex demo car that's had some sort of depreciation taken place may be a good buy
My Dad used to run ex-demos, cheaper than new but the latest spec. All Volvos, and mostly great cars. One nightmare, an early 440 but I think that was just a crap car in its own right.
In the end we had an arrangement with the dealer principle. He'd give us a bell every couple of years and ask us what sort of spec we'd like on a car. He'd order it, then 3 months later, he'd offer it to us for a great discount.
Dad's last car (I sold it to a mate when he died 5 years ago) is still going strong with about 100k on it.
If you can get a good spec and a decent saving on new, go for it. the maufacturer's warranty should cover any nasties.
In the end we had an arrangement with the dealer principle. He'd give us a bell every couple of years and ask us what sort of spec we'd like on a car. He'd order it, then 3 months later, he'd offer it to us for a great discount.
Dad's last car (I sold it to a mate when he died 5 years ago) is still going strong with about 100k on it.
If you can get a good spec and a decent saving on new, go for it. the maufacturer's warranty should cover any nasties.
It depends on the type of car. A Honda Civic Type R demonstrator was ragged within an inch of it's life by the salesman who thought I'd be impressed and while I doubt it would adversely affect its longevity, I would be not keen to buy it.
My mother bought an ex-demo Honda Shuttle back in 2000 and had many good years out of it.
One thing I draw the line at is ex-Press demo cars - ragged, abused and probably smoked in by numerous journalists.
My mother bought an ex-demo Honda Shuttle back in 2000 and had many good years out of it.
One thing I draw the line at is ex-Press demo cars - ragged, abused and probably smoked in by numerous journalists.
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One thing I draw the line at is ex-Press demo cars - ragged, abused and probably smoked in by numerous journalists.
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I remember reading on here I think about a car Top Gear had used. Filmed on a beach with it or something and the sills were full of sand.
We had a press demo car last year, and the interior was in a shocking state bits falling off etc.
One thing I draw the line at is ex-Press demo cars - ragged, abused and probably smoked in by numerous journalists.
[/quote]
I remember reading on here I think about a car Top Gear had used. Filmed on a beach with it or something and the sills were full of sand.
We had a press demo car last year, and the interior was in a shocking state bits falling off etc.
They won't have been a demo recently at 3/4years old.
With regards to demos it's as bit of gamble, some will have been thrashed within a inch if their lives others will have been loaded up to the hilt with options, run by the general managers wife and valeted weekly.
For me the balance of probabilities Is such that I try and avoid cars that have been 'company cars' in some capacity but each to their own.
With regards to demos it's as bit of gamble, some will have been thrashed within a inch if their lives others will have been loaded up to the hilt with options, run by the general managers wife and valeted weekly.
For me the balance of probabilities Is such that I try and avoid cars that have been 'company cars' in some capacity but each to their own.
My last car (8th gen Civic EX) was ex-demo, bought at 6 months old with about 6k saving off list. Was absolutely perfect for the 3 years or so I had it.
It will be getting replaced with an ex-demo Fabia vRS, which is 3 months old and saves about £2k off the cheapest internet broker price of a new one specced the same, but I don't have to wait 6+ months for it. No qualms about buying ex-demo, in fact I hope it has been driven hard occasionally as ones that do don't seem anywhere near as prone to the oil consumption issues that some are having.
Normally these are cars that will still be under warranty for at least 30 more months, more than enough time for any issues to surface and be fixed at their cost. In reality, a lot of their mileage will be mundane everyday driving with someone from the dealership at the wheel, and maybe the odd hooligan customer but it shouldn't be anything the car can't handle. Most performance stuff seems less likely to be given out for unaccompanied test drives anyway.
It will be getting replaced with an ex-demo Fabia vRS, which is 3 months old and saves about £2k off the cheapest internet broker price of a new one specced the same, but I don't have to wait 6+ months for it. No qualms about buying ex-demo, in fact I hope it has been driven hard occasionally as ones that do don't seem anywhere near as prone to the oil consumption issues that some are having.
Normally these are cars that will still be under warranty for at least 30 more months, more than enough time for any issues to surface and be fixed at their cost. In reality, a lot of their mileage will be mundane everyday driving with someone from the dealership at the wheel, and maybe the odd hooligan customer but it shouldn't be anything the car can't handle. Most performance stuff seems less likely to be given out for unaccompanied test drives anyway.
waterwonder said:
They won't have been a demo recently at 3/4years old.
With regards to demos it's as bit of gamble, some will have been thrashed within a inch if their lives others will have been loaded up to the hilt with options, run by the general managers wife and valeted weekly.
For me the balance of probabilities Is such that I try and avoid cars that have been 'company cars' in some capacity but each to their own.
Yeah, as the car will be 3/4 years old, it certainly would of had at least 1 private owner - for instance: one particular Mini the sales-woman mentioned that was just about to come up for sale was originally a demo, sold to a guy at about 6 months old who was now part-exchanging it for a new Mini [it was an 07 with 35k on the clock].With regards to demos it's as bit of gamble, some will have been thrashed within a inch if their lives others will have been loaded up to the hilt with options, run by the general managers wife and valeted weekly.
For me the balance of probabilities Is such that I try and avoid cars that have been 'company cars' in some capacity but each to their own.
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