Everybody wants a good deal. You look to get the best value for your hard-earned cash. “Get the most for the least” is the famous slogan. For some people, a new car is too expensive for them to afford, but they also want the tech and features of a new car. It’s also sometimes hard to trust a used car since you don’t know where it has been and what it’s been used for. Enter the magical demo vehicle. A demo vehicle is a new vehicle that has been used by a dealership for a variety of things. It could be used as a test-drive vehicle for prospective customers to try out the newest models, or it could be used by the manager to commute to and from work. Essentially a demo vehicle is used for promotion and to show a customer what that vehicle can do. Almost like a…demonstration. *mind-blown*

Why Get A Demo?

Getting a demo vehicle has many advantages. The biggest advantage of all is that the demos will be cheaper to buy than a brand new car. Because the car has mileage and some semblance of wear & tear, a dealership isn’t going to be able to sell the vehicle at full price.

Although a demo vehicle will have some mileage on it, it will usually be lower than most used cars. If a car is only being used for test-drives for example, it’s really only getting driven around the block or on the local highway for a bit. You don’t need to worry that someone has driven across the country in it.

Quite often, dealerships use higher end models to show off. This is to make their customers fall in love with the fancy new features which will hopefully get them to buy the fancy model. The benefit for you is that you can get that high-end model at a much cheaper cost than buying it brand new.

Are There Disadvantages?

Of course there are. Obviously, since it’s been driven for a while, it’s going to have mileage on it, although often it will only be a couple thousand KMs. It’s also possible that a demo vehicle might have some scratches or scuff marks due to being driven or sitting in high traffic areas of the dealership.

Also understand that the demo might have had multiple drivers, and not every driver drives the same way. Some drivers like gunning it from a standstill which can wear on the transmission, or they might be a little aggressive with the stick shift which could lower the durability of it.

Is It Best For You?

As with new and used cars, buying a demo car has its pros and cons. You’re going to get an almost-new car for a lower price, but you also run the risks that are associated with multiple people driving a car. At the end of the day, it’s still going to be up to you on whether or not to get a demo