What Would You Expect When Buying a Demo Car?

[rweggert]

I'm taking delivery of a dealer owned 2018 Model S in two weeks that has 7,000 miles on it. The car is 1,000 miles away so I am unable to look it over first. What would your expectations be of the condition of the car when it arrives considering I would be the first owner and it's not a CPO car? Part of me thinks that since the car has 7,000 miles on it, that I shouldn't expect it to be in perfect condition. But then another part of me thinks the discount I'm receiving is because of the 7,000 miles on it and everything else should be factory new.

Should I expect it to be in the exact same condition as a new car with zero miles on it?

Are some paint chips or minor scratches acceptable?
Scuffed seats or worn console?
Worn floor mats?
Degraded battery?
Should the warranty extend another 7,000 miles?
Updated and current software? (Built in February, 2018)
Mechanically inspected top to bottom?

Thanks for your advice! This sure is making me second guess that I should have paid an extra $12,000 for a factory new car versus a loaner ......

 

[P85_DA]

Hi what car did u get ? The warranty starts from when u get the car so it’s not 50-7 and you have 43k miles left ..you get a legit 50k miles warranty ...notate any damages you see normally SC if you treat them decently will fix those areas ..I wouldn’t worry to much battery degradation if any typically happens early on ..but it’s not as big an issue as folks may portray ...

 

[MyJoule]

I can't speak for today, but when we bought our 2nd Model S in 2015 indeed it was treated like a new car - including the Tax credit. There was very little wear and tear on it with 6000 miles on the odometer. The warranty was indeed extended the extra 6K miles and 6 months ( the car was 6 months old) . There were a few minor things but nothing unacceptable. The car has performed very well in the last 3.5 years. I suspect if there is something like a seat tear they would fix that, but if there is a scratch here or a door ding, you probably have to live with those. A 12K discount is a heck of a discount. We got something around 8K off on ours. We're happy. For our 3rd Tesla we recently bought a CPO- The CPO deal was good too- we did have to accept the few paint chips on it, but otherwise it's in remarkably good shape for a 3 year old car. The biggest issue is we had to rely on the pictures to give us an idea of what shape the car was in. Luckily we had good enough pictures to determine that there wasn't anything major wrong cosmetically. We were going to buy a Model 3 for our 3rd Tesla, but we bought the 3rd S instead of a 3 for about the same price as a 3 and got Dual Motors, Leather, Air Suspension and a Sun Roof. Plus it has an additional 50K warranty - so we're happy.

 

[rweggert]

Hi what car did u get ? The warranty starts from when u get the car so it’s not 50-7 and you have 43k miles left ..you get a legit 50k miles warranty ...notate any damages you see normally SC if you treat them decently will fix those areas ..I wouldn’t worry to much battery degradation if any typically happens early on ..but it’s not as big an issue as folks may portray ...

Model S 100D. It has virtually every option included (probably typical for a demo car). I'm glad the warranty extends because the car would already be 7 months old otherwise. I'm just concerned with what is reasonable to expect for normal wear and tear before completing the purchase. They told me that if I canceled the order for any reason, I would lose the $2,500 deposit and can't use it towards a different car purchase.

 

[rweggert]

I can't speak for today, but when we bought our 2nd Model S in 2015 indeed it was treated like a new car - including the Tax credit. There was very little wear and tear on it with 6000 miles on the odometer. The warranty was indeed extended the extra 6K miles and 6 months ( the car was 6 months old) . There were a few minor things but nothing unacceptable. The car has performed very well in the last 3.5 years. I suspect if there is something like a seat tear they would fix that, but if there is a scratch here or a door ding, you probably have to live with those. A 12K discount is a heck of a discount. We got something around 8K off on ours. We're happy. For our 3rd Tesla we recently bought a CPO- The CPO deal was good too- we did have to accept the few paint chips on it, but otherwise it's in remarkably good shape for a 3 year old car. The biggest issue is we had to rely on the pictures to give us an idea of what shape the car was in. Luckily we had good enough pictures to determine that there wasn't anything major wrong cosmetically. We were going to buy a Model 3 for our 3rd Tesla, but we bought the 3rd S instead of a 3 for about the same price as a 3 and got Dual Motors, Leather, Air Suspension and a Sun Roof. Plus it has an additional 50K warranty - so we're happy.

I'm glad you had a good experience - it makes me feel much better that mine will be a better experience too. My situation might be a little different in that I live 2,000 miles away from where I will take delivery of the car. (The car is in Colorado, I live in Chicago and the sale is happening in Las Vegas). I just felt like the first thing I would want to do was to take a long road trip and this meets that requirement! So, this scenario doesn't allow me time to wait around for minor problems to be fixed. I suppose if they note it on the sale record that the problems can be fixed when I get back to Chicago .....

 

[P85_DA]

Model S 100D. It has virtually every option included (probably typical for a demo car). I'm glad the warranty extends because the car would already be 7 months old otherwise. I'm just concerned with what is reasonable to expect for normal wear and tear before completing the purchase. They told me that if I canceled the order for any reason, I would lose the $2,500 deposit and can't use it towards a different car purchase.

Reasonable probably some smaller paint chips on front ..tires they used to replace on showroom to new ..check depth ..they are not supposed to sell with less than 6/32 ...also Tesla’s AWDs typically wear unevenly so look at inside wear of rear tires ...since this is being sold as a “new” vehicle ...typically the service center will be accommodating to fix ..Take the car home and enjoy if you see something bring back to SC

 

[ThisIsTrue]

I expected superior fit and finish, and a well-operating car because it needed to be. And that's pretty much what I got (December 2017).

I also expected a discount for the mileage (got that), and that I would get 50,000 miles of warranty.

One thing to note: if your state has an EV tax credit, make sure 7,000 miles would be OK. In Colorado, it would not. I got $6K, but only because the car had <1,500 miles on it. (Colorado credit is now down to $5K, still very generous.)

 

[Banks1346]

Finally received my Model S 100D today, 6 weeks after ordering. It was an inventory vehicle with 16k miles on it. Interior and exterior in excellent condition, brand new tires only thing is a couple of rock chips and a small scratch on the hood. Some small flaws but no big deal compared to the $22k discount that I received.

 

[wildtigg3r]

Congrats and nice score on an inventory 100D! I’m looking for one as well. Hoping to grab one by the end of this year.

Let me know the built quality on the newer cars (wind noise, fitting of trims, etc.).

Congrats again!

 

[Dan Baldwin]

I took delivery on an MSP100D with 750miles July 1. Aside from some road rash on one wheel (Tesla will replace) it was in perfect condition. My discount was $15K

 

[SpudLime]

I took delivery on an MSP100D with 750miles July 1. Aside from some road rash on one wheel (Tesla will replace) it was in perfect condition. My discount was $15K

15K discount and it only had 750 miles??!! Holy smokes that was a good deal!

 

[sdnd]

how do you check for new inventory cars? I know you can check used, but I didn't know you can get new ones.

 

[kev1n]

how do you check for new inventory cars? I know you can check used, but I didn't know you can get new ones.

EV-CPO.com - Tesla New, Used, and CPO Inventory Listings
or
https://teslainventory.com/

 

[Banks1346]

Tesla Info

Here’s a site with new inventory. If you find a vehicle you’re interested in, have someone at Tesla search the VIN to get you more info on the car

 

[bonaire]

These days, that discount seems a little bit light. Push for $2/mile or more as the quarter ages. New P with a few miles and $15k discount is not unexpected. Options charges on a P are huge profit windows. You can see some Ps reaching $30k discounts near end of quarters, at times.

 

[rweggert]

I'm taking delivery of a dealer owned 2018 Model S in two weeks that has 7,000 miles on it. The car is 1,000 miles away so I am unable to look it over first. What would your expectations be of the condition of the car when it arrives considering I would be the first owner and it's not a CPO car? Part of me thinks that since the car has 7,000 miles on it, that I shouldn't expect it to be in perfect condition. But then another part of me thinks the discount I'm receiving is because of the 7,000 miles on it and everything else should be factory new.

Should I expect it to be in the exact same condition as a new car with zero miles on it?

Are some paint chips or minor scratches acceptable?
Scuffed seats or worn console?
Worn floor mats?
Degraded battery?
Should the warranty extend another 7,000 miles?
Updated and current software? (Built in February, 2018)
Mechanically inspected top to bottom?

Thanks for your advice! This sure is making me second guess that I should have paid an extra $12,000 for a factory new car versus a loaner ......

I took my delivery two weeks ago and was mostly satisfied with the conditions. The problem areas were minor (chipped windshield and defective headlamp) but they ordered replacement parts to be installed soon. There were some minor scratches and blemishes but I think these were acceptable considering it was pre-driven for 7,400 miles. The floor mats aren't really floor mats - they are more like cheap pieces of felt with velcro attachments that don't line up with the velcro on the floor. They shredded easily the first time I vacuumed them so I'll be purchasing proper floor mats instead. Also, they couldn't tell me if my warranty would be extended by the 7,400 miles that were already put on the car. Bottom line is that, yes, I would recommend purchasing a demo car if you get the opportunity but with one HUGE caveat: The showroom refused to allow me see check out the vehicle or test drive it before signing all the paperwork! They claimed it was against policy. Fortunately, I drove to the dealer the day before and made an extensive inspection of the car while it sat in the parking lot so I was comfortable with the exterior anyway. Needless to say, the delivery process was extremely stressful. I couldn't help but think they were trying to sell me a lemon because they refused to let me see the car first. Don't make this mistake! Demand to see your new or demo car FIRST before signing any paperwork. Lastly, they also refused to give me any copies of all the paperwork I signed. They claim we're not entitled to the Bill of Sale or Odometer Disclosure which are required to register the vehicle in the State of Illinois so I'm have a very difficult time registering the vehicle.

 

[bahusky]

Finally received my Model S 100D today, 6 weeks after ordering. It was an inventory vehicle with 16k miles on it. Interior and exterior in excellent condition, brand new tires only thing is a couple of rock chips and a small scratch on the hood. Some small flaws but no big deal compared to the $22k discount that I received.

Very nice! How did you manage to get $22k off? Thats a nice discount from Tesla.

 

[SpudLime]

Dude, You need to escalate that crap right away. Them not providing the documentation you need to register your car is horrible service.

 

[rweggert]

Dude, You need to escalate that crap right away. Them not providing the documentation you need to register your car is horrible service.

Did they provide you with all your paperwork, especially the Bill of Sale and Odometer Disclosure? I also need the Certificate of Origin. I specifically asked the delivery agent for copies of everything I signed but she outright refused claiming they are property of Tesla. When I disputed her claim, she said that they will be posted on my Tesla website (they were not - only the loan agreement is there). When I again demanded copies of everything, she walked away and returned with several photocopies in a Tesla folder that I failed to examine. The copies turned out to be useless to me.

 

[Banks1346]

Very nice! How did you manage to get $22k off? Thats a nice discount from Tesla.

16k miles