Discounts on demo's vs new cars

Thirtyfourfifty on 10/01/2024 - 19:04

Hi OzB,
Happy new year to all.

I'm in the market to get a new medium-sized car. Leaning toward an outback or a Mazda 6 (or RAV4 if I can get lucky with wait times)

Just wondering if anyone has experience buying demo's. If you have, what kind of discount can i expect versus buying brand new? Any other considerations?

Cheers

Automotive Car

Comments

  • Ocker on 10/01/2024 - 19:19
    +5

    Demo's are no longer "Demo's" as they were once known
    In years gone by Demo's were exactly that, vehicles kept onsite just to demonstrate the car to prospective buyers, and would generally have around 1k on the clock when offered for sale.
    These days they are essentially cars used by the dealer employees with up to 5,000k (if not more on the clock)
    The word "Demo" is just another con by the dealer for what are nothing more than a used car.

    • Thirtyfourfifty on 10/01/2024 - 19:37

      Yeah okay, guess it makes sense. There are some "demos" on carsales with 5K+ on them.

  • mksc09 on 10/01/2024 - 19:31

    Depending on the models wait time probably have a higher price like 'demo' Everest/Rangers were going $10k+ as can drive away now instead of 12+ months…

  • spackbace on 10/01/2024 - 19:33
    +1

    Have you actually found any demo's, or just asking?

    Likelihood they're either a) rare, or b) found on the used car lot and mis-advertised as a demo

    • Thirtyfourfifty on 10/01/2024 - 19:36

      There are plenty of "demo" outbacks with 2K or less on carsales

      • spackbace on 10/01/2024 - 19:55
        +3

        Yeah, $45k drive away for one with 2,500kms, or $47,608 drive away for a brand new one

        Worth it just to buy brand new, depending on wait times

        • bobbified on 10/01/2024 - 20:19

          Yep..agree with this ^..

          If you're going to spend that much already, might as well go brand new for a little bit more. Who knows that someone has done to the demo car

        • flagger on 10/01/2024 - 20:38
          +1

          That's been my experience when offered demo cars, it's not much cheaper and you get reduced warranty and rego.

  • dtc on 10/01/2024 - 21:18

    I have always bought demos (when buying ‘new’) but haven’t since pre COVID so things may have changed

    Last one I bought was early 2020 and was around $6500 off brand new with 2700km on it. (Was an Outback, paid $39k d/a incl mats, boot liner and I think new at the time was around $45.5k). I reckon at least 10% or $5k off minimum, otherwise just go for new.

    Demos have a bad reputation but cars are built tough nowadays, a few revs won’t kill them. Although I’m not precious about my cars so if there are a couple of minor scratches then no big deal. Not everyone is so sanguine

    You do get a slightly shorter warranty but, again, it’s a few months and if you save enough on the price then you will come out ahead

    • freefall101 on 10/01/2024 - 23:38

      We went through a huge period of car shortages where demo cars were selling for more than new, it hasn't gone completely back to normal yet.

      Getting 15% off the sticker price for a demo is very unlikely to happen these days.

  • Ugly on 11/01/2024 - 06:59

    The old saying is that you lose 10% of a new car value when you drive it off the lot, so I’d be looking for at least 10%.

    Just something to consider - any factory warranty started when the demo was registered. It doesn’t restart from when you buy it.

    • spackbace on 11/01/2024 - 12:19
      -1

      The old (and out-dated) saying is that you lose 10% of a new car value

      FTFY

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