Ex Porsche experience centre cars

[Hamperman]

Hi, I know this has been done before in terms of the pros and cons of buying one of these. I’d like to know if there is any way of telling if a car that was definitely originally a demonstrator started off life at the PEC?

[Hamperman]

Sorry for bumping, anyone able to help on this? I was told all PEC cars are registered on a reg plate starting with R but is this 100% accurate?

[danjp]

Heres a pic of the carpark.. Every car I've ever seen there has an R Prefix . I think that R plates can also indicate management cars too.

[Shiverman]

They also indicate every car that comes out of Reading, Guildford and I think the London OPC's that are owned by Porsche GB

[jeremyc]

Hamperman said:

Hi, I know this has been done before in terms of the pros and cons of buying one of these. I’d like to know if there is any way of telling if a car that was definitely originally a demonstrator started off life at the PEC?

Have you tried asking the dealer, or the PEC?

[Hamperman]

Hi, I’ve just put a call into the OPC to ask them. I know the car was a demonstrator and I’m buying it from one of the London dealers that is part of the Porsche retail group which I think includes Reading. However the car is not registered on a plate starting with R so I’m hoping it’s ok. They are going to call me back to confirm!

[g7jhp]

Pros
• Spec of car should have extras
• Servicing should be guaranteed

Cons
• Driven by many people if demonstrator
• No guarantee how it's been driven/ cared for in terms of mechanical sympathy

Probably higher risk of longer term issues with engine, gearbox etc due to early life treatment.

[Fnumber1user]

You'd be buying with warranty, and if it visually meets your criteria I don't see what the true concern is?

[Hamperman]

Fnumber1user said:

You'd be buying with warranty, and if it visually meets your criteria I don't see what the true concern is?

Hi, no issue with buying a demonstrator at all, just not so keen on an ex PEC car. Yes it will have warranty but with COVID there is no opportunity to see the car. Of course I could wait and this is my choice, I’m just trying to establish some history of what I’m buying.

[Buster73]

Did an Audi driving experience day at Silverstone a few years ago, warranty or not I’d not be buying one of those cars.

A few months later and my son was looking at S3’s , there were plenty available nationwide with very low mileage in the exact colour we’d been driving at Silverstone.

You pays the money....

[Cheib]

There’s really not much other than using Launch Control that would tax the cars at the PEC. Most of it is pretty tame. It wouldn’t bother me. They are probably better looked after than any OPC demonstrator

[7184c]

Would have to be a pretty amazing deal to tempt me. Looked at a turbo once that was ex PEC. As my first special car purchase I couldn’t do it.

I’d feel like the guy who just married Pamela Anderson every time I drove it...

[Hamperman]

7184c said:

Would have to be a pretty amazing deal to tempt me. Looked at a turbo once that was ex PEC. As my first special car purchase I couldn’t do it.

I’d feel like the guy who just married Pamela Anderson every time I drove it...

Errrr....I’m starting to think I only want an ex PEC car now!

[danjp]

Cheib said:

There’s really not much other than using Launch Control that would tax the cars at the PEC. Most of it is pretty tame. It wouldn’t bother me. They are probably better looked after than any OPC demonstrator

Agree, wouldn't bother me, certainly with a PDK.

[GRD_72]

I asked that very question at the PEC. He was pretty open about it, all cars are on a Reading (R) plate, they tend to be let go when they have 3-4K miles. They go onto the internal Porsche auction site where dealers buy cars from each other to balance out their stock, so a PEC car could turn up anywhere. PEC cars obviously chew tyres & brakes so this is sorted pre sale and an occasionally, but not always an oil change... Personally I’d be inclined to avoid any Porsche with an R plate, 3-4K miles and fresh tyres or any sign they’d been replaced like marks from old balancing weights. They are plenty of others that have not been launched 4 times a day!

[foresterlad]

Not sure I see the problem with PEC cars any more than press or Porsche mgt.cars. Plenty of 12/24 month old 991/2' are with OPC's
with 2/2500 miles are probably not properly run in or used. After all these cars are built for performance use.

[therams]

The Porsche service history log book thing usually lists “central operations” when it’s a PEC car

[Tripe Bypass]

How about a press car? I saw before Christmas that the press GT2RS was advertised at East London. I think it was £285k with about 13k miles.

[Nuttcase]

Cheib said:

There’s really not much other than using Launch Control that would tax the cars at the PEC. Most of it is pretty tame. It wouldn’t bother me. They are probably better looked after than any OPC demonstrator

Do you think they are subject to earlier/ more frequent servicing e.g. oil changes than a typical OPC demo? Most demos would not clock up sufficient miles or time to require a service.

[Cheib]

Nuttcase said:

Cheib said:

There’s really not much other than using Launch Control that would tax the cars at the PEC. Most of it is pretty tame. It wouldn’t bother me. They are probably better looked after than any OPC demonstrator

Do you think they are subject to earlier/ more frequent servicing e.g. oil changes than a typical OPC demo? Most demos would not clock up sufficient miles or time to require a service.

They’ve got a full time tech and have just built a new service facility there...so I assume he keeps himself busy working on the cars! When I was there on a Performance Day last year in my own car one of the other drivers had his own 1980’s SC there which started playing up. Tech was all over it and diagnosed what was wrong in a matter of minutes and fixed it. He’s apparently a bit of a legend in Porsche GB tech circles