Would You Buy an Ex Demonstrator?

Been looking for a secondhand Renaultsport Clio 200 and quite specific about what I want colour and trim wise.

One has come up in exactly the right spec at a local Renault dealership and the price is not too bad – £4k less than new list price.

Only thing is, that the car is an ex demonstrator with 6,000 miles on the clock.

Now knowing how I’ve driven demonstrators in the past then I’ve never been too mechanically sympathetic with them. So would this put anyone off buying this car? Anyone bought an ex-demo car and then regretted it?

What kind of warrenty will the dealer give you – ‘good as new’ or just a stock 6 month engine and drivetrain job?

FWIW – don’t think I would.

Go for it, get the garage to give extended cover as part of the deal

Car is less than a year old so would have just over 2 years warranty left.

Nothing handles better than a hire car.

Except a demonstrator.

Nothing handles better than a hire car. Except a demonstrator.

Yes that’s what I’m worried about, I mean would it even have been run-in properly? Dealership said that it had been mainly used by one of their sales reps who used it for commuting to work along the M56, and that not a lot of people had actually been out for a test drive in the car. Could be a load of cobblers though?

Go for it. Just bought 2 ex demos in June. Mine 750 miles and 3 months old with £6k off. Kevins 5 months old with 2000 miles and £10k off. Both have remainder of warrenties left

I bought an Octavia vRS ex demonstrator for a frankly daft price with 7,000 on the clock, and a full warranty. How much damage can you do in 7000 miles*? Its still fine. Never had a problem.

*Mind you, you’re buying something French 😉

how does the price compare to other cars of the same milage/age?

i’d be surprised if all those miles are demo miles – 1000 miles a month is quite a lot. You could have a compression check done to confirm the amount of bore wear (which is the biggest risk in not warming up\running in a car)

I am sure the car will be fine. I doubt many people will have driven it,and dealers very rarely allow customers to take cars unaccompanied these days. It would only be of concern if the car has had evidence of accident damage, or been smoked in or shows any signs of abuse.

In short if the spec is right, the price is ok and the car something like 30 months Manufacturers warranty and RAC/AA cover etc. Then you should just get it !

IMO.

having worked as a sales guy in the motortrade for a fair few years….I’d buy an ex-demo

I’ve done it with bikes numerous times & I reckon I’d be adventurous enough to chance it with a car.

Can’t see what the problem would be?

If you’re worried, look at the tyres, if it’s got 6k they will be orginal and they will tell you if it’s had a hard first few months.

Engine will be fine, it’s all limited by computers and run in on the bench.

Basically it will be a salesman’s company car

You might ask if they’ll extend the warranty for you – so you get 3 years from the day you buy it rather than when it’s registered. Apart from that, if the price is right, get it bought! Genuinely one of the most exciting cars I’ve ever driven.

look at the tyres, if it’s got 6k they will be orginal

Or already on a new set…

I have an ex-demonstrator right now. Bought it at 6 months old with 5k miles on the clock. Now at 75k miles, never missed a beat.

It looked and felt like a new car. It did have the balance of the 5 year warranty, so not too many worries on that score.

Hmmm, price seems pretty good. It’s on an 11 plate so can only be 7-8 months old max. Parkers guide price from a main dealer is 15.5k and this is up for 14k before any negotiation. Full list price new with the extras it has would have been about 18.5k

Guess you can’t do too much damage in 6,000 miles? Think I’ll go and take a look tomorrow. Arghhh, 14k is a lot of money for a car. Never spent more than 6k before.

sounds like its a bargin. get it bought

Just remember that demonstrators don’t qualify for VAT, so they should automatically be 20% cheaper than new because of that.
Then there should be a bit off than for the mileage and age.

We got an ex demo touran with 6k on the clock. Now got 47k on and hasn’t skipped a beat. Saved £7400 on the list price.

Bought a Seat Cordoba Vario ex demo – 5 months/4k on clock, bought for £7k/40% off and it was fab until we sold it at 85k/6 years, sold it for £2k next owners (friends) had it until 126k when it died.

Earlier Renaultsport Clio’s (172 & 182’s) had “cold engine” maps which meant it was impossible to thrash them until they were warmed up, I assume the 200’s are the same. Should be no issue at all.

Go for it…..

To clear things up….most dealer demonstrators are run as company cars for salesman….I would imagine a sports car like that would be run by the sales manager or some one slighty high up….so chances are most of the miles were done by them……you can’t possibly do 7 k in that amount of time as test drives….I’d go for it

Bought an ex jersey rental that was 6mths old and 10k on the clock.
Still got it 9 years later with 140k on the clock.
Go for it I say

Northern star missed your post above….

Yep It’s perfectly legit a salesman would run it! He isn’t giving you cobblers

Go for it, nice car!

I bought an Octavia vRS ex demonstrator for a frankly daft price with 7,000 on the clock, and a full warranty. How much damage can you do in 7000 miles*? Its still fine. Never had a problem.

me to (Octavia Vrs) but with only 400 miles on the clock.

But, in the last five months it has been to the Skoda workshop on three separate occasions and has been seen by no less than 6 RAC men. 49,000 miles on the clock!

Nothing to do with it being a demonstrator, more to do with it just being crap.

Car yes

Mountain Bike no