Demo Cars

[LatinR33]

What are people thoughts on demos? I know they are driven hard and stuff but after doing the calculation buying a demo is something which I will need to do or buy private.

I've seen a demo Evo x with only 500km on the clock in the same colour and everything I want. Price is within budget also.

I will be getting the car fully inspected and try get extended warranty. From what I've read online buying a demo is frowned upon. If it's a good deal and full warranty offered and inspection comes back positive would that be good?

Cheers and thanks for your opinions as they are always extremely helpful.

[GTR-N1]

Bit of a lottery here.

It can depend on the Dealership MD's policy all the way down the line to the part-time salesman, as to whether or not the car has been fanged at cold temp.

Mitsubishi has been well known to sell off cars at cheaper prices when 'plated' the previous year ie. I presume this car is a 2010 complied car.

Many other manufacturers learned from Mitsubishi that it'd be better to sell off the previous year's cars by adding extras. This way, depreciation is reduced.

However, I'd still rather an EVO X demo (from Mitsubishi) if it checks out well, than a Focus RS demo (from Ford) after my sister's arguments with Ford over her Focus demo.

[warps]

f**k!!

Had a long reply typed out and lost the f**ker!!

Long story short - demos are perfectly safe., You can't kill an EVO X in 500km no matter how hard you try

It still has warranty

By all means negotiate a better deal if you can, but if you're saving thousands, then it is a good buy.

Remember though that you can negotiate on price for a new model off the floor. Play a few car yards off against each other. YOu should be able to get a new car on the road for $5k less than RRP if you haggle well enough, so that;s worth doing. Find a dealer who is keen to sell, specially something that has been on the floor for a while, and offer them something silly (like I said, something like $5k off the RRP, or maybe even more - do your homework). Let them know you're ready to sign on the dotted line, and be prepared to walk if they can't meet your offer. It's worked for me int he past.

[maclarenf1]

i also got few mates only buy Demo and never had problem

Gven there KM are few "with 1000 - 2000KM"

I mean Cars are design to do 100,000's KM, so it very hard to really stuff them up in 500KM, given you get warranty and inspection

[Birds]

Non-sports cars, sure why not. People demo them for the comfort, overall driving feel, space etc.

Sports cars on the other hand...dealer is trying to sell it as a sports car, on performance merits. The Evo has to be shown to be better than that 370Z you just test drove etc. And all the stories I hear of people going for test drives and having the salesman tell them to put some effort into it...totally put me off sports car demos. Auto maybe, assuming the engine hasn't been cold thrashed and switched off straight after as its form of "running in period". Sure, the car might last its warranty period, but I'd like it to last longer...and don't want the headaches of dealing with warranty issues anyway. Manual, no. Most people can't drive a manual anywhere as well as it should be.

[LatinR33]

Ok well done some more research and negotiating tell me what you think.

I can get a brand new model 2011 for $3200 more drive away. The question is a saving of $3200 worth getting a demo with 500km on the clock.

[warps]

Birds you're paranoid.

I';ve bought Demo WRX's, as have several friends. None had a problem. When I test drove the WRX, the saleswoman kept telling me to give it heaps. I drove it fast, but not harshly. I imagine it had been given a pizzling by other test drivers, and yet the car didn't suffer any ill effects.

Do you really think that test drivers are going to go nuts in a test drive? Small percentage will, but in general, no. Also, by the time you get back from a test drive, and park the car in the dealer's yard, 99% of them will have cooled down anyway. Usually the dealer will drive out of the lot (most of their insurance won't cover a customer driving out of the lot) and drive a short distance before handing over to you. This gives the car time to warm up.

Plenty of people have lots of problems with non-demo cars too, remember.

$3,200 is a good saving, definitely worth having a demo for. However, I reckon you could get them to knock at least 50% of the difference off a new model. If they have a new one in stock, offer them $500 moe than the demo as your best offer. As I said, be prepared to walk away. If they don't have one in stock tell them you want a different colour etc. and again offer them $500 above the demo price for a new one, and you'll sign the paperwork today. If they know you;re serious, then a decent dealer won't let you get away.

My most recent Rex was negotiated after the dealer had given me his best offer. WHen he found out I was buying one off another dealer for $2k less than his absolute best, bottom dollar, lose money deal, he knocked $100 off the other guy's deal just to make the sale. This was a few weeks after the current model had hit the showroom, so they were still hot sellers.

[GTR-N1]

Further down the track, a 2011 plated car will be worth more than a 2010 plated car > so saving $3200 now can come back and bite you - just a little bit.

It's the 19th Jan today + car sales are slow in Jan sooo.........

Can you rock up on Monday 31st January - when they have to make monthly quotas - and ask for $1200 off for the 2011 plated car (and throw in extras like floor mats and other accessories)?

[Adelaideprosound]

You have to ask yourself, why are you buying a performance oriented car? Are you buying it to drive Ms Daisy, i seriously doubt it. Obviously you wanna do some spirited driving whether it be on track or road i dont advise the latter.

So at the end of the day your buying a car which has been bu8ilt to withstand harsh treatment no matter what and still survive another day. These days cars dont need to be warmed up, i drove my GTR stone cold for years with no problems and the motor still had excellent compression.

So my point is the demo car hasnt been treated any differently than what you would treat it like when you buy it off the showrrom floor. Anything else and ur just buying a penis extension.

[mickey]

Camry - no problem, Evo - maybe, but still I hardly expect redlining the car during a demo drive, they'd probably push it up to 6000rpm though.

I would think those inspections would just waste your money, if you're that paranoid then save a little longer and buy new. if you're not fussed by someone previously having a go in your car then buy a demo to save a bit, bearing in mind the reduction in resale due to old plates and 2nd owner.

The dealer always says they can only knock off a little, but the reality is the demo probably needs to be gone to make way for an MY11 demo and they want to get rid of it. Unless I was saving at least 10% off the new price I wouldn't bother, everyone knows a car loses that amount as soon as it's reg'd.

[LatinR33]

Seems like the plan is to try and negotiate cheaper price for demo. $3200 saving only on a new car seems a little low. Considering even though the low km's it is still technically a used car and used cars depreciate almost instantly by up to 20%.

So correct me if I'm wrong. Offering a price 20% lower than recommended retail would not be put of line. Maybe even push for a little bit

more considering the car is driven by the sales manager supposedly.

[LatinR33]

Camry - no problem, Evo - maybe, but still I hardly expect redlining the car during a demo drive, they'd probably push it up to 6000rpm though.

I would think those inspections would just waste your money, if you're that paranoid then save a little longer and buy new. if you're not fussed by someone previously having a go in your car then buy a demo to save a bit, bearing in mind the reduction in resale due to old plates and 2nd owner.

The dealer always says they can only knock off a little, but the reality is the demo probably needs to be gone to make way for an MY11 demo and they want to get rid of it. Unless I was saving at least 10% off the new price I wouldn't bother, everyone knows a car loses that amount as soon as it's reg'd.

I don't think a $200 inspection is a waste when your saving a few thousand. Unfortunately I have heard of a time when a repairable write off was being passed off as a demo. So better to be safe then buy a lemon.