This is not just to do with Octavias of course but since I'm looking for an Octavia and since I don't know where else to put it, here it is.

What do people think about buying demonstrators? Is it really just down to whether the price is right? What price is right, do you think? Given, say, a car 6 months old with 10k miles on it what would be a reasonable price compared to, say, the Drive the Deal price for the same car new?

I nearly bought a Vrs demonstrator about a year ago but set myself a price (probably more to do with what I was prepared to pay than what it was actually worth) and couldn't quite get them to meet it.

As an aside, I'm amazed by how many used cars are on sale at Franchised dealers for no less and often significantly more than an apparently achievable discounted price for a new one!

Got a great deal on my demonstrator, got 5K off and it came with full leather!!

Personally I would be looking at a couple of grand off the DTD or Broadspeed's prices for a new car.

I have noticed many dealers are pricing their demonstrators at nearly new prices, cashing in on the fact that a factory ordered car will take 16+ weeks to arrive, some people are prepared to pay this premium so they don't have to wait.

ATEOTD the car will only sell if it's priced at what the customer thinks is a fair price TO THEM, hell some punters even pay RRP without negotiating any discount!

If its a vRS your going for- I personally wouldn't buy it unless it was WELL cheap.....think about it, how many people would you think have been out to 'test drive' it? Surely, anyone who tries a vRS would want to see what sort of acceleration it has-its not as if they are test driving a small engined Fabia. This is made worse as my dealer gave me the keys and let me out in my demonstrator on my own-I don't know how many other dealers do this - but I would either buy new or I'd expect a substantial discount for the reason that the car wouldn't have been 'run in' properly and I always think the first few months of a car's life are the most important and the last thing you need are a bunch of test pilots giving the car welly before it's had a chance to run itself in gently.

had 3000 off my VRS demonstrator and it only had 2000 on the clock. I also had privacy glass, mdi, full leater, heated seats, full size spare, false boot floor etc etc for free

Ive done 7500 miles and the car hasnt missed a beat! I would definitely recomend a low mileage demonstrator, anything over 3000 miles though and i wouldnt be interested.

In total i paid about 7000 less for the car if i had ordered it new. Im happy with it!

Edited 20 September, 201015 yr by Rob JS

My 4x4 was listed as the 'Service Managers Car' so read 'ex-demo' model but at 3months old with a few thousand miles on the clock and with some choice extras I saved over £5k on a car that was, at the time, rare - It was a no-brainer for me...

the price may seem steep if you're looking at a car which would have been new when the VAT offer wasn't on

When we ordered our Octy Estate in January, what we ordered was cheaper and had more extras than the demonstrator (same engine, same trim level) we had been out in.

Okay so it took nearly 3 months to arrive, rather than being able to dirve away immediately, but it seemed very strange that a 6 month old car was more expensive than a new one.

I'm ex-motor trade. All the management cars were declared as "demonstrators" for brand/financial reasons. I would change my car every month or so as things were sold or we had a requirement to put something new on.. The cars I had were out on demo a few times a week. Mistreating or damaging in anyway your vehicle was a real no-no and potentially career limiting so in general the cars were very well looked after.

Its no worse than buying any other used car IMHO.

As an aside, I'm amazed by how many used cars are on sale at Franchised dealers for no less and often significantly more than an apparently achievable discounted price for a new one!

Ain't that the truth. I paid £13K for my car new, and a couple months after I ordered, the 6 month old demonstrator was up for £15K with 3000 miles on it - list price was £16.5K. I would hope anyone could negotiate £1500 off the price of a new car!

I guess the only advantages to buying a demonstrator is that you can have it almost immediately and they are often fitted with loads of optional extras. Personally, I'd rather have a new car.

A year ago I purchased an Octavia Vrs diesel estate, it was a year old with 5k miles. Ex Skoda headoffice car. Paid 13K for it. Very good buy IMHO.

I got a 7 month old ex Skoda car, so it was stuffed with extras. Fully serviced, and £5k off new. Yes it may have been ragged by test pilots but what do you think the apprentices in garages do when they take your car out for a post-service spin? Mine hasn't missed a beat and I've added 15k. I say do it.

I got my Boca for sub 15k which made it cheaper than an FR, ex demo.

Disregarding the current VAT-free offer with Skoda, I'm always amazed at how expensive pre-reg and nearly-new cars are, given they shouldn't attract VAT. A chunk of a new cars price is VAT and on-the-road charges, which are not incurred on a used car. Some of the marketing ploys of dealerships and car supermarkets, quoting, for example, "save £3k on new" when £3k of the new car price was VAT and on-the-road charges.

The demo car I tried is currently on sale for 2k more than I paid new for my car with less options.