What usually happens to ex demo cars?

[Mick Dastardly]

The reason I ask is back in 2021 I ordered a Boxster GTS and the OPC lent me both a Boxster and a Cayman GTS to test drive for a day each.

Just out of curiosity I’ve just looked them up to see what mileage they were on now and neither of them are MOT’d, but should have been in March 24 and October 24 respectively.

So my question is, where are these cars likely to be now?

[RustyMX5]

My father used to like buying ex-demonstrators. His view was that although they might have been ragged a bit, it wouldn't have been for too long and it was always in the best interests of the garage to look after the cars thoroughly.

[Ussrcossack]

Could be on private plates.

For sale on a forecourt

Written off

Owner couldn't be bother to MOT

Take your pick

[AndyJWB]

I suspect they've been sold and assigned private plates, which means they won't appear on the MoT check website under the original registration numbers.

[Alex_225]

I'm guessing private plates but could be written off, exported etc.

I've known people buy ex-demo cars, some people prefer them as they are often well spec'd and well priced when sold nearly new.

[Mick Dastardly]

Ah, never thought about them being on PPs, which is a bit gormless as both of mine are on privates.

[South tdf]

If the registration shows on the DVLA site they are not on cherished plates. Chances are they have been exported as Ex Demo cars will be VAT qualifying which incentivises export buyers, or just gone backwards through a hedge.

[DickyC]

My eldest daughter's first Porsche was an ex-demonstrator, a Boxster S. As suggested above, it had most, if not all, options including IIRC Carrera body kit. I think it was simply a case of her being in the right place at the right time. If the dealer has a demo car to move on and a customer asking about a similar car, they offer it. Makes sense. No magic, just business.

[BunkMoreland]

What you should be asking is

"what happened to all the cars that are used as corporate trackdays"

"a trackday company" back in the day had a fleet of M3s' that all got de-stickered and dumped on the market.

All had less than 5-6k or so on the clock, so looked like good options. It was only when people on another forum looked closely they found out they were ex track cars. Something that was "forgotten" in the ads

[CG2020UK]

RustyMX5 said:

My father used to like buying ex-demonstrators. His view was that although they might have been ragged a bit, it wouldn't have been for too long and it was always in the best interests of the garage to look after the cars thoroughly.

Also a potentially free remap depending on the dealer

[georgeyboy12345]

My Dad always used to get ex-demos back in the 90s. He had a Fiat Tempra, a Seat Toledo and 2 Alfa Romeo 156s. Never gave too many problems.

[Jakg]

Mick Dastardly said:

What usually happens to ex demo cars?

Years ago, I owned one. Although at that point it was just a "regular" used car but originally was a demo.

BunkMoreland said:

What you should be asking is

"what happened to all the cars that are used as corporate trackdays"

"a trackday company" back in the day had a fleet of M3s' that all got de-stickered and dumped on the market.

All had less than 5-6k or so on the clock, so looked like good options. It was only when people on another forum looked closely they found out they were ex track cars. Something that was "forgotten" in the ads

Years ago Vauxhall used to do track days to advertise the VXR brand (RIP VXR power events!) - great fun thrashing the cars around the track. Couldn't help but wonder where the lorry-loads of cars went afterwards though... no reg plates so likely on the forecourt the next week. If anything would've put me off buying a new one!

[Tango13]

I bought an ex-demo, 25% discount off list price or about about £5.25 per mile

Edited by Tango13 on Monday 14th July 23:50

[Checkmate]

Mum owns the Fiat 500 Abarth which was shown as the car in both the Top Gear episode of the time, and also Fifth Gear. Thrashed a lot on those.
It's mint, awesome condition, and I love it!

[119]

I can't remember the reg of my current cars, let alone ones i borrowed for a day 4 years ago.

[TheDrownedApe]

119 said:

I can't remember the reg of my current cars, let alone ones i borrowed for a day 4 years ago.

Yeah me too. Popped to see my 83yo father recently and he had a hand written list of reg's on a table; needless to say i asked and he could recall every reg he had ever had owned.

I obviously fill my brain with far more useful nonsense

[996_3.4]

There was a post on the French P-car forums where a few people realized their CPO, recent Porsches were ex-Porsche Experience cars with 3-6k miles of track use.

Obviously, their OPCs had remained mum on the topic while selling them the car, but if another OPC was requested to trade the car in, they would diminish its value based on its track history.

Apparently, highly-optioned, low-miles and a price slightly under market were the telltale signs.

[Mick Dastardly]

119 said:

I can't remember the reg of my current cars, let alone ones i borrowed for a day 4 years ago.

Fair play pal. If I’d spent the last 4 years on an internet forum spewing 1000’s of posts of bigoted hate towards people who were politically or ethnically different from me, I doubt I’d remember a number plate either.

You crack on, hero.

[Mr Tidy]

My first BMW was registered to BMW UK in 2004 before I bought it in 2005, but it's last MOT expired in April 2024.

My next one was a pre-registered 2007 model I bought in 2008 with less than 20 miles recorded, but that hasn't had an MOT since last November.

One of my current cars was first registered by BMW UK in December 2006 and is still going strong, so they don't all disappear!

My Dad never bought new cars, usually 2 or 3 years old so someone had already taken the biggest hit on depreciation.

Another bonus is pre-registered and ex-demo cars often get plenty of options thrown at them!

[CG2020UK]

Mick Dastardly said:

Fair play pal. If I d spent the last 4 years on an internet forum spewing 1000 s of posts of bigoted hate towards people who were politically or ethnically different from me, I doubt I d remember a number plate either.

You crack on, hero.

Yikes!