Would you buy an ex press car?

[rix]

Went to see a used 'performance car' this afternoon. A reasonably rare car so the opportunity to have a look at one locally popped up so I had a nose. Well priced and for context it's just over a year old and below 10k miles. Not totally my ideal spec but I was tempted...Came home to look at some videos of the model and to my surprise found the exact same car on the first vid that popped up - complete with a scene of smoking tyres! Googling the reg shows that it has done the rounds with some of the big car mags and has now come on the market.

Not so much the concern whilst in my ownership as would be under warranty, but come resale, maybe others would be put off also?

Would you?

[Furbo]

rix said:

Went to see a used 'performance car' this afternoon. A reasonably rare car so the opportunity to have a look at one locally popped up so I had a nose. Well priced and for context it's just over a year old and below 10k miles. Not totally my ideal spec but I was tempted...Came home to look at some videos of the model and to my surprise found the exact same car on the first vid that popped up - complete with a scene of smoking tyres! Googling the reg shows that it has done the rounds with some of the big car mags and has now come on the market.

Not so much the concern whilst in my ownership as would be under warranty, but come resale, maybe others would be put off also?

Would you?

This has been discussed many, many times on Pistonheads. The definitive answer has been determined to be:

Maybe. Maybe not.

[limpsfield]

Good question. I guess it would have been well-looked after while it was a press car, so that is a +. So any early niggles would be ironed out (?).

But I suppose there is that worry of being abused, ragged from cold etc.

i suppose the chances of finding out you were buying an old press car are quite low. I'd probably rather have a well-cared for private car, on balance - I just think it is unlikley that most buyers woud know a car's history to that depth.

[Earthdweller]

I bought an ex BMW Press car a few years back which had been featured in magazines like auto express

It was 9 months old, had 3k miles on it and a Mega spec

It was like new when I got it, even had brand new tyres all round

Fully warranted from a BMW main dealer

It was also cheaper than lesser spec older cars

Had it for four years and 50k miles and it never missed a beat and never a fault

I'd do it again, but I wouldn't buy blind

[biggbn]

Confession. I like weird cars. Confession. I like weird far eastern saloon cars. Yes, I have been browsing Hyundai Genesis and there is a late model on AT, or there was, with a Genesis private plate that is a one owner car. That owner is Hyundai. It has a full history and mega spec and was the UK press car. It is low miles and looks immaculate. I really want it....


So, as others have said. Yes...


.....maybe...

[Earthdweller]

biggbn said:

Confession. I like weird cars. Confession. I like weird far eastern saloon cars. Yes, I have been browsing Hyundai Genesis and there is a late model on AT, or there was, with a Genesis private plate that is a one owner car. That owner is Hyundai. It has a full history and mega spec and was the UK press car. It is low miles and looks immaculate. I really want it....


So, as others have said. Yes...


.....maybe...

What could possibly go wrong .. go for it

[3059hp]

Back in the 90s, my business parrner and I bought a pair of Alfa 164s which had been run by the importer. Turns out his was an ex fleet demonstrator, and mine an ex press car. Both were in excellent condition, and turned out to be very reliable.
The main difference was that the press car was miles quicker....presumably having been nicely loosened up by the antics of the road testers.

[biggbn]

Earthdweller said:

biggbn said:

Confession. I like weird cars. Confession. I like weird far eastern saloon cars. Yes, I have been browsing Hyundai Genesis and there is a late model on AT, or there was, with a Genesis private plate that is a one owner car. That owner is Hyundai. It has a full history and mega spec and was the UK press car. It is low miles and looks immaculate. I really want it....


So, as others have said. Yes...


.....maybe...

What could possibly go wrong .. go for it

Just checked and...its gone. Only two others listed now, both low miles late models but all the money

[Kenty in Weardale]

I did.

Direct from Caterham, the press 270S SV though it wasn't in any way the deciding factor, more that it was in a spec I was happy with and available when I had the funds. No regrets from me, though i did wonder (and still do) whether its status adds or detracts from its value

[Mr Squarekins]

Earthdweller said:

I bought an ex BMW Press car a few years back which had been featured in magazines like auto express

It was 9 months old, had 3k miles on it and a Mega spec

It was like new when I got it, even had brand new tyres all round

Fully warranted from a BMW main dealer

It was also cheaper than lesser spec older cars

Had it for four years and 50k miles and it never missed a beat and never a fault

I'd do it again, but I wouldn't buy blind

Same as me. BMW. The spec listing had 'press preparation'. Not sure what that is, but it was a great car, full spec and didn't miss a beat.

It was identical to the brochure car. I suspect it was that same car.

[Jamescrs]

Kenty in Weardale said:

I did.

Direct from Caterham, the press 270S SV though it wasn't in any way the deciding factor, more that it was in a spec I was happy with and available when I had the funds. No regrets from me, though i did wonder (and still do) whether its status adds or detracts from its value

Wouldn't make any difference to me with a Caterham, buy on condition. In the end no one is buying one to tootle to the shops for a paper on a Sunday morning, I've been to more than enough track days and I would assume any Caterham has seen some action one way or another.

[Stick Legs]

Yes.



I have dreamed of owning this exact car since I was 13.

Alas I think it’s dead, but it’s one barn-find-financially-illiterate-restoration I’d take on.

Not exactly in the spirit of what the OP was asking, but later in life some press cars get a real aura around them, a bit like competition history, which I suppose it is.

[bigmowley]

The correct answer for most ex press cars is yes buy. They are usually well specified to showcase the product in the best light. Rest assured they are well looked after right from build and they are in the best possible condition before they go out on every loan.
There are a few exceptions though. One red flag for me is Porsche Experience Centre cars, now they are “well used”.
Just do your research and go in with open eyes.

[Vsix and Vtec]

Personally id probably be happy with a press car, as other have said they're the showcase example and there is definitely a cache around having the car thats been in so many magazines. Just make sure to check for any notable accidents whilst in the care of a reviewer, there's been a few, heres the first one I came across!

[Mr Squarekins]

Along this theme, I also bought from BMW, something labelled as a 'static demonstrator'. It had about 200 miles on it, again, absolutely full spec.

One of the best cars I ever owned.

[Its Just Adz]

My old Corrado VR6 was an ex press car.
I didn't know when I bought it, only found out later when someone told me it was on the cover of a magazine.

Didn't bother me, actually thought it was quite interesting.

[mobile chicane22]

My current Ducati is an ex demo / press bike, I got it with just under 1000 miles on it and its on about 26k miles now, no issues.

[595Heaven]

I did. A Yaris GRMN. Great fun.

https://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?host...

[SteBrown91]

Vsix and Vtec said:

Personally id probably be happy with a press car, as other have said they're the showcase example and there is definitely a cache around having the car thats been in so many magazines. Just make sure to check for any notable accidents whilst in the care of a reviewer, there's been a few, heres the first one I came across!

That car was Chris's personal car not a press car.

[the-norseman]

I used to go to a lot of SEAT UK press events, one of which was the MK2 Leon Cupra R launch at Rockingham.

A few years later I ended up buying an ex SEAT UK Leon Cupra R, when looking back on the pictures of the press day I realised it was a car I had been out in and done a fair few laps.

It had been involved in an accident though as the front end had been resprayed, I found out from online after that it was used in a series of events for a "men vs women" series and had been crashed into some cones.

I'll try find the pics etc.