Kryton...

A friend coming from a Focus ST is looking at it, and others - quite a few for less than £35K with less than 5K on the clock - good value, although to an extent perhaps the real market value in some ways (i.e. between 370Z and Boxter S - not equal to or ABOVE the Boxter!!!).
 
MMM said:
Car referred to above now reduced to £32,850..... wonder what they'd take for it for cash purchase/no p/x?? For me, no DCT or stereo upgrade rule it out, but at circa £30K it would have to be well worth a hard look for someone.

Mike
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Probably not a problem for you and I didn't think it would be a problem for me, but now I have it I wouldn't buy a new Z4 with out it! I'm referring to the lack of the iDrive and Sat Nav on that car. Not really for the Nav itself, but for the multi media capabilities (like the hard drive for the sound system).
 
Breaker said:
He is right that new cars do get damaged and repaired and you would never know when you pick it up.
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Absolutely. Bit OT but edited because after exhaustive research, I found it! Some pictures of the US VDC (Vehicle Delivery Centre) in CA, roughly equivalent to the UK BMW site at Thorne where 2000 cars arer at any one time, so you can see what happens when NEW BMWs arrive in the UK. See here - BMW / Minis UK receiving centre in Thorne. This is the process ALL our cars go through....

Cars arrive in paraffin wax or bags....

vpc09.jpg
vpc11.jpg

Basic vehicle check...

vpc12.jpg

If it needs bodywork, off it goes...

vpc15.jpg
vpc16.jpg

This Mini was on the lower deck of a transport truck when it was lowered and crushed the car....BMW is fitting a new roof.

vpc17.jpg
vpc18.jpg

Finally check out at the VDC

vpc25.jpg

And more evidence here.

Something like <4% of the vehicles value can be repaired and still sold as new. We have no way of knowing what cosmetic issues have happened between the factory and the dealership without a paint depth gauge if fixed properly - you should see the dock handlers unloading cars from the ship. The Mini with the new roof is an exception, whether that extent of damage would be passed I am not sure. My point being, 'brand new' doesn't mean it's faultless...in fact, ironically, an ex demo could have had no repairs and a new one had extensive work.

As for ex demos...I've sorted ex demo cars for family members before, never had an issue and the saving off list can make it worthwhile. A privately owned car may have been ragged within an inch of it's life, while an ex demo babied by the sales director, you just don't know. Should judge each one on a case by case basis. Fact is many people take pride in their car whether they own it or not...and in addition, the vast majority of people don't drive like Hamilton when the dealer is sat next to them...!
 
Kryton} Kryton Err said:
Thats true - I had an interesting demo in a 35 sdrive - was offered to test the traction control settings in a car park, and took it to well over XXXmph...

However - I don't think anyone believes they will have a had an easy life, but all in terms of road driving - they won't have been on tracks and they will have been serviced well. Hard road driving is tame in comparison to anything on the track (which a lot of forum members here do) - and many people debate what is actually best for an engine when new - some engineers (Porsche especially) believe that gentle running in does nothing for an engine.

BUT - my main opinion on this is - unless you're going to own your car for say 7 - 10 years + it probably won't matter anyway and the cost saving is much more of an advantage. I can understand why someone wouldn't want to buy a demo, it is personal choice, but I do think it is probably a subjective rather than objective choice.
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I'd generally go with being quite happy to buy an ex-demo and trade the saving against any risk that it's been thrashed from new. As said above, if I'm only keeping the car for a year or three and there's a three-yr manuf warranty anyway, then WTF. Furthermore. ex-demos usually seem to go a bit harder and rev a bit easier than babied private cars. I've had two Z4Ms - the first bought new in 06, the second bought ex-demo in 08 with 2K miles. No comparison. Ex-demo significantly harder-accelerating and keener to rev AND sweeter! Maybe some will say well the double VANOS'll f**k up at 70K miles instead of 120K miles or whatever but IMHO I doubt it.

All that said, I was once genuinely quite astonished and annoyed to be taken out in a S2000 WITH FOUR MILES UP by a dickhead who revved it as high as it would go stone cold in first after driving out of the dealer carpark :o :x :thumbsdown:

Mike
 
Kryton said:
Kryton
Err, yes they do, I had a test in a DCT and was shown the launch control twice, then it was my turn, this on a car with 175 miles on it :thumbsdown:
Don't buy a Demo thinking it's had an easy life. :)


Kryters
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Based on that it would be interesting to see the first road test on your new 35is by your dealer by the sound of it, especially if your getting one of the first delivered! :wink:

Best not to think too hard about what's happened to a new car your buying be it brand new or not! If it looks good and goes and drives well, does it matter?

I'm sure no dealer has done £10,000 worth of damage to the Z4 I've bought! :wink:
 
Not according to this:

http://www.bmweducation.co.uk/coFacts/view.asp?docID=54

and this is off the BMW website:

Thorne is the location of the BMW Group Vehicle Distribution Centre near Doncaster. All BMW vehicles imported through BMW (UK) Ltd are sent to Thorne for checking and preparation before they are distributed to the dealer network.The Vehicle Distribution Centre employs 500 associates.

:wink:
 
On the subject touched about buying new or used, I always liked this BMW add:

Your not the the first, but you still would! :P

504x_sug_ads_bmw_disease.jpg
 
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