New or demo

yop

Folks
I am changing my car and have got an got a very good price on a new car.
I then spoke to another garage and they have a demo coming in and it will be 3 months old when it arrives, still on 131 plate and will have circa 15k km on it. It will get a full service and any issues with tires and they will replace them, valet it and I will get the remaining 33 month warranty.
They were given me the car at 3.5k euro less than the best price I had got on the new car.
The repayments over 4 yrs were 369 which are well within my budget.

Anyway I got a call from the other garage to say that the new car, from this week, was qualifying for 0% interest, but it had to be over a 3 year period.
The cost though per month is 525 quid, which is a fair amount of a difference.

What this means now is that the difference between the new car and the 3 month car is down to 1100 euro.


SO, what would you lads do, is the fact its a 3 month old car on a 131 plate really only a small factor?
1100 euro is still 1100 euro and it would pay the road tax for the 4 years.
525 compared to 369 is a nice chunk per month. I can still "afford" it, BUT 160 quid a month is still a nice few quid.

So I would appreciate all points of view.

MuppetCheck

For €1100 more you could get the colour you want etc. but that's a large hike on the cost per month on repayments. If it would be in any way of an inconvenience at that level (it's an awful lot of money per month for a car) I'd go with the demo.

3.5k is a decent saving and you might get more off. 0% finance deals are often based on paying full RRP.

Stallingrad

A 3 month demo with €15km sounds like it could have had the crap driven out out of it. I tend to regard demos the same way as rental cars, the people who drive them treat them rough. If you can manage the higher repayments I would pay the extra and get the new car.

mailforkev

Is the demo the same spec that you would be looking at anyway, they would often be a decent spec to entice the punters in. Might be some extra value in that if so.

Otherwise it would depend on the money and your ability to pay it back (1100 isn't enough of a saving to stretch your finances for 3 years).

yop

Thanks lads.

Both the new and demo are the exact same color. The ONLY difference in spec is that the demo has 6 months tax (3 remaining).

The NEW over the 3 years 0% is at the best price, I have got the guts of 3k off the "book" price and includes all "other" charges.

The demo will be paid back over 4 years as it makes the payments more manageable.

That would worry a bit for sure that they would have the pants driven off it! Is there even a way to determine this?

thanks

Cee-Jay-Cee

I think I'd go for the new car as 15k is a considerable amount of miles for 3 month old car, it works out as 1250kms a week and would lead me to believe that the car is ex lease and not a demo. Taking that most dealers open 5 days a week with half day Saturday then the car was doing over 200km a day...on test drives! I'd love to hear how the dealer explains that one?

Stallingrad

What car is it? Presumably diesel?

yop

Stallingrad wrote: »

What car is it? Presumably diesel?

LOL, sorry it would have been handy to mention the car!!!

Its the Octavia VRS TDI.

yop

CJC999 wrote: »

I think I'd go for the new car as 15k is a considerable amount of miles for 3 month old car, it works out as 1250kms a week and would lead me to believe that the car is ex lease and not a demo. Taking that most dealers open 5 days a week with half day Saturday then the car was doing over 200km a day...on test drives! I'd love to hear how the dealer explains that one?

Thats true, its around 1100km per week.
But I drive to my work place and clock up 160km a day in mine.

The car is the Skoda reps car, so I shouldn't really call it a demo!

Del2005

yop wrote: »

Folks
I am changing my car and have got an got a very good price on a new car.
I then spoke to another garage and they have a demo coming in and it will be 3 months old when it arrives, still on 131 plate and will have circa 15k km on it. It will get a full service and any issues with tires and they will replace them, valet it and I will get the remaining 33 month warranty.
They were given me the car at 3.5k euro less than the best price I had got on the new car.
The repayments over 4 yrs were 369 which are well within my budget.

Anyway I got a call from the other garage to say that the new car, from this week, was qualifying for 0% interest, but it had to be over a 3 year period.
The cost though per month is 525 quid, which is a fair amount of a difference.

What this means now is that the difference between the new car and the 3 month car is down to 1100 euro.


SO, what would you lads do, is the fact its a 3 month old car on a 131 plate really only a small factor?
1100 euro is still 1100 euro and it would pay the road tax for the 4 years.
525 compared to 369 is a nice chunk per month. I can still "afford" it, BUT 160 quid a month is still a nice few quid.

So I would appreciate all points of view.

Depending on how long you're keeping the car would being a 2nd owner drop the resale value? Making the €1100 difference less

Is it possible to find out if a car was a demo model? As has been pointed out they aren't the best driven cars, which could affect resale value.

yop

Del2005 wrote: »

Depending on how long you're keeping the car would being a 2nd owner drop the resale value? Making the €1100 difference less

Is it possible to find out if a car was a demo model? As has been pointed out they aren't the best driven cars, which could affect resale value.

Thanks, I would be keeping it the 4 years anyway. I generally change cars every 3 years.

Thanks

ba_barabus

I'd check the car out and view it on its own merits.

I wouldn't be too quick to say no.

renofan

15k in three months in Ireland would be a bit excessive imo as I'd imagine its not all motorway driving and if the person knew they only had it for a short period it'll have been abused.

I'd get the new car to be honest.

yop

renofan wrote: »

15k in three months in Ireland would be a bit excessive imo as I'd imagine its not all motorway driving and if the person knew they only had it for a short period it'll have been abused.

I'd get the new car to be honest.

Thats true, I wouldnt have driven it sensibly

Stallingrad

Octavia changes things a bit OP as the new one is imminent. When you come to sell in 3-4 years you will suffer as everyone people will want the new car. Which would you buy, a 2010 E60 5 series or a 2010 F10?

I'd be looking for a killer deal to make it worthwhile.

Nickindublin

Personally for 1100 I would go with the new car. With the demo you will be 2nd owner and there will be 15k on the clock.

yop

Stallingrad wrote: »

Octavia changes things a bit OP as the new one is imminent. When you come to sell in 3-4 years you will suffer as everyone people will want the new car. Which would you buy, a 2010 E60 5 series or a 2010 F10?

I'd be looking for a killer deal to make it worthwhile.

I have that to consider for sure, though there isn't a massive difference in the shape of the new versus the current model, unlike for example the Mazda 6. But its certainly something I have considered.
I suppose I also look at it this way, the deal I am getting on the 2012 model, I wouldn't get on the 2013 and the 2013 price I couldn't afford to be honest.
Does that make sense?

Ok, so what do you lads think i should push this ex lease (won't call it a demo ) for then? If the difference is 1100 euro, what I should I push it for?

They are telling me that its the very best price, which without the 0% interest offer, it actually is. The best price on a 2012 VRS I could find was 2k cheaper and it had 10k more KM's on it.

MrFrisp

yop wrote: »

LOL, sorry it would have been handy to mention the car!!!

Its the Octavia VRS TDI.

:eek: Drrrooooolllllllllllll.....

Jealous now.
.

Cee-Jay-Cee

Have you gone back to the dealer with the ex-demo and told them of the 1100 difference in their car and a new car and ask them to reconsider their offer? Push for a better deal, they can only say no. Push the whole thing of it being a lease car doing 1200km a week for the last 3 months and how there isn't a big enough incentive for you to buy their car

yop

CJC999 wrote: »

Have you gone back to the dealer with the ex-demo and told them of the 1100 difference in their car and a new car and ask them to reconsider their offer? Push for a better deal, they can only say no. Push the whole thing of it being a lease car doing 1200km a week for the last 3 months and how there isn't a big enough incentive for you to buy their car

Only in the last 10 minutes

I will wait to see, I don't think he will move. But who knows

naughtysmurf

In this case I'd go for the new one because the milege is a bit high for me & the fact that it was a reps car,

If it was a hire car out of the airport say, then I'd think longer about it, Hire cars don't tend to be abused as much as people think because of the comeback on the customer for damage etc & the Km's would probably be lower, I probably mind a hire car better than my own.

I bought a 6 month old ex airport rental with 17000Km on the clock & drove it for years with no issues

mickdw

You are buying an old model. Id sit tight for however long the new model vrs takes to arrive.

Tea 1000

A badge like VRs on a car together with the words Demo mean it'll have had a very hard 3 months. Checking it out isn't worth a crap, how can you possibly see any wear and tear on the engine? You'll only find out what it might have been treated like when you cross 120k kms and something big fails.
In this specific case, with this specific car, I'd go with the new one. Despite what folk tell you, they still need to be run in with a bit of respect and checking oil levels on the day you collect it (it'd amaze you how many are over-filled) and for the first few weeks is paramount too.
If it were a different car with less miles on the demo, for example an Avensis demo with 10k kms then I'd be tempted to just save the money, as lets face it, not many folk drive the ring out of an Avensis.

yop

mickdw wrote: »

You are buying an old model. Id sit tight for however long the new model vrs takes to arrive.

Thanks, I was thinking of doing that so I enquired initially. The car is due out sometime between July and end of this year. The price seems to be sitting around 31k euro.
In comparison to what I have here now, that 6k (before interest) more than what I am getting the rep's car for.
So it puts it way out of my budget if you can see where I am coming from.

The big thing though as people have said is the 15k km's on it and the "driving" of that, most of us would have given it a "good drive".

The sums of paying over 500 euro per month is a dog to say the least, where as the 369 a month is a lot more manageable. Thats the crux of it really. If it all goes tits up, which in fairness the sector I am in, while I am a contractor, is plentiful with work, then 369 a month is a lot easier to handle than 525 euro.

I will see what he comes back with. But I am now thinking if I don't get this for 2k less than the NEW price I am as well to walk.

mickdw

Just one thing to add. 500 per month is fine when you have a nice new car to show for it. Its not so nice when you are a year to 2 years in and the novelty has worn off.

yop

mickdw wrote: »

Just one thing to add. 500 per month is fine when you have a nice new car to show for it. Its not so nice when you are a year to 2 years in and the novelty has worn off.

Very true. Its a lot of euros in reality. The 369 is a lot more sensible.
I am waiting back from him to see. If he takes another k off that car then he may have a deal but we will see.

Thanks for all the advice

Casati

yop wrote: »

Thanks, I was thinking of doing that so I enquired initially. The car is due out sometime between July and end of this year. The price seems to be sitting around 31k euro.
In comparison to what I have here now, that 6k (before interest) more than what I am getting the rep's car for.
So it puts it way out of my budget if you can see where I am coming from.

The big thing though as people have said is the 15k km's on it and the "driving" of that, most of us would have given it a "good drive".

The sums of paying over 500 euro per month is a dog to say the least, where as the 369 a month is a lot more manageable. Thats the crux of it really. If it all goes tits up, which in fairness the sector I am in, while I am a contractor, is plentiful with work, then 369 a month is a lot easier to handle than 525 euro.

I will see what he comes back with. But I am now thinking if I don't get this for 2k less than the NEW price I am as well to walk.

Did you consider buying a new 2.0 TDI - the new engine has 150bhp and is 100kg lighter - so probably not terribly noticeable versus a 170 bhp VRS? Also as stated the resale value of the new one will be much better - even allowing for a 3k discount- remember the current Octavia body is 8+ years old with only a slight facelift to the front lights. The new model will be sought after on the used market - I have not seen the pricing but imagine you'd get a 2.0 TDI Elegance with maybe 18inch alloys and/or sport suspension for the same price as that new old model VRS.

yop

Casati wrote: »

Did you consider buying a new 2.0 TDI - the new engine has 150bhp and is 100kg lighter - so probably not terribly noticeable versus a 170 bhp VRS? Also as stated the resale value of the new one will be much better - even allowing for a 3k discount- remember the current Octavia body is 8+ years old with only a slight facelift to the front lights. The new model will be sought after on the used market - I have not seen the pricing but imagine you'd get a 2.0 TDI Elegance with maybe 18inch alloys and/or sport suspension for the same price as that new old model VRS.

Thanks for that, I hadnt to be honest as I haven't (who has! ) seen one in the flesh!
I must compare performance with that of the VRS, I am sure the VRS is a tighter drive as its more "sporty" so to speak, but yes I will look at it.

yop

Just said I would up that the salesman came back and said that he couldn't move anymore on the lease car.