To buy or not to buy a DEMO?

[Esby]

I am for sure buying a 52" Exmark Lazer HP with a 23hp Kaw this fall. Now heres the question, my dealer got one at the begining of the season that he allows people to try out and mainly for his commercial guys to use if their machines go down and he cant get the parts the same day. So should I buy the demo at the end of the year for $6050, or should I buy the new one for $7000? The demo right now has 35 hours on it and he expects it to have about 55-60 at selling time. What do you think?

[Scraper]

What type of warranty/guarantee is he going to give? Remainder of mfg.? Sounds like a pretty good deal to me if you can wait til the end of the season.

[Keith]

I would spend the extra money on the new one. I wouldn't buy a mower that every one had beat on, for a small discount.

[TLS]

Esby,

Thats a one year old used mower. $1000 is not enough off. I would offer $5000. Its just not worth it. I love running loaners, they do awesome wheelies and other harmfull fun stuff. Stick to new unless he comes down on the price some more.

[Scraper]

Yeah, but 60 hours? I really don't think that much abuse could occur...okay maybe some, but heck...that's only time for the first oil change. Maybe I'll renege my first response and say if he comes down a bit more. Personally, I still think it isn't a bad deal.

[Keith]

Its the same reason I wouldn't buy a demo car. They only discount them so much. Say a car stickers at 25k and invoices at $22,800. Some crackpot salesman drives it around for 3 months, spills McDonalds special sauce in it 2 or 3 times, dumps a 64 Super Big Gulp in the floor, farts in the seats, his wife drags the laundry backet across the hood....whatever else. After 3 months they sell it for $23k....hey nobody will have a problem paying that. Unfortunately, you probably could have got the same deal on a brand new one.

My point is, to me that in't enough discount. My example of the car is minor compaired to what people do to mowers that aren't their's.

[Scraper]

To each their own Keith...around here you wouldn't even get a sneeze at a new Lazer for $6000. ;) And that extra grand could buy a few hand held toys.

As for the demo car...I have not bought a new vehicle in years as I have found that a "pre-owned" as opposed to demo can save you huge money and the mfg. warranties are still in effect. Example...2000 Nissan Maxima...$16500. Still have 2 more years warranty and no problems. I could care less if there were sodas spilled...as long as they were cleaned up....sooner or later I'm gonna spill one and with the depreciation of a new car I could care less with the money I saved. I'll just clean it up and drive on.

Just my $0.02...so I will make no further comments on this.

[mowerman90]

Have you ever been to a trade show where they have machines to demo? You'll see people that have never even been on a murray lawn tractor trying to perform stunts on the latest equipment. The factory reps all stand there and smile while the machines are beat to death knowing that these machines are write-offs and it's just a part of doing business. After the show these same machines are the ones the dealers get to use as demos. Would you want to buy a new car that had, say, 100 miles on, it knowing that those 100 (break-in) miles were driven at over 100 mph. I don't think so. It's ther same situation with the demo mower. Spend the extra bucks and get yourself a "brand new machine"!

[Esby]

As far as the warrenty, its full warrenty will start when I buy the machine, same warrenty as if I were to buy a new one. I guess I am still caught in the middle here, but leaning more and more towards the demo. Most of the hours are put on by other commercial companies that have down machines and need a replacement until theres is fixed. So the hours on it probably haven't been really "hard" hours, just usage hours. On top of that, how much damage can be done to a machine in 60 hours, when they should last well past the 1,000 hour mark. I'm not looking at a Crapsman mower here, its an Exmark. Has anyone else ever purchased a demo machine?

[Randy Scott]

It sounds like you already know what you are going to do. You know your market and dealer better than any of us. If it's a good deal for your area, go for it. I don't intentionally hammer on my lazer, but I don't baby it either. I don't care if it lasts 5 years or whatever. I know I will get rid of it in a couple years max. That's just how I am, like to keep new stuff only a couple years tops. Anyways, these are commercial units and they are made to be USED! I would be more concerned about a guy slacking in the factory putting it together than a bunch of schmucks driving it around for 60 hrs. You are getting the warranty from time of delivery, just like a new one, yet you didn't take the new machine hit like others of us have, I know I took the hit, but that was my choice. Good luck with your purchase.

[smburgess]

With a full warranty, it's a good deal. I'd just make sure it's completely serviced prior to you taking it.

[Kent Lawns]

To take 1000.00 off for 50-60 hours is fair.

You're still paying full retail pricing, though.

My 23/52 Toro (same machine - diff deck & gas tanks was $5600.00
You should be paying less than $6000.00 BRAND NEW.

[roscioli]

Just a story: Last year i bought a new car. Went to the dealership to test drive, a place where they let you take it out all alone, no dealer in the car. Beat the crap out of it, peeled out from every green light, slammed the brakes like there was a child in front of me, hard turns, everything. And the BREAK-IN miles are the most important for the car. I loved the car.
So what did i do?
I said nah, then a week later after it was sold, went and bought a different one with 4 miles on it, even the same color.
Just my .02

[Randy Scott]

That's great, that's a car. Who here gets a new mower and just drives around real nice like for 10 hrs. or whatever to break it in? No mowing or leaves, no attachments. Just drive around with it. Not! Buy the damn thing Esby!

[Avery]

I don't think the dealer is doing you a deal at all! Not considering I can buy Toro 62" Z-Master 's by the boat load for $6100.00. Demo/loaner = tax write off for the dealer. He has made way more on the machine than he is giving you off. If you are stuck on the Exmark I would vote go for the new one and dicker with the $7000 price on it. If the dealer won't come off the price for a commerical customer it's time to find one that will.

[little green guy]

I would NEVER buy a demo, when most guys demo a machine they beat the crap out of it just to see how durable it is. When I have a demo I try to find the tallest grass just to see what it's got. We had a demo bobcat once, we gave the peices back to the dealer in a box and it wasn't even because of us, we only used the thing less than an hour. Even if it was mostly a loaner, do you think those guys took care of it? They wern't the ones that had to fix it. I would buy it new. Who realy knows what it's been through? At least you know there's nothing wrong with a new mower. ;)

[dhicks]

I demo-ed a Toro Proline 48" Hydro last year. The machine had 48 hours on it and the blades were dull, no oil and the cosmetic damage was above average. The deck had caked on grass and the cut was abismal. The people testing the machine treated like a piece of cr*p. Needles to say, I did not buy this machine nor a Toro. Go for new and reap full benefits! Pay now or later.

[Mark]

I really wouldn't say its a new mower and nothing will go wrong. Last yr i purchased a 2000 Z-Master and on my 5th yard my right side hydro pump and wheel motor went out, only had 2 hrs on a new machine. So things can go wrong with any mower even the new ones. When i demo a unit i do go for the tall grass to see how she holds up under those conditions but i dont run full speed in the real tall grass,in fact i try not the abuse any mower i demo. That machine sells for 7600 in my town,they do come with the donalson air filters, but they stay priced with scag,and toro in Evansville. If you get a new warranty i think id have to buy at that price. Marks Mowing Service

[HOMER]

I bought a demo...........................it will be my last demo. Think about the word demo and add some more letters to it..............demo-------------lition. Mine supposedly had 10 hrs on it.................but....................the tach/hr. meter had to be replaced when I got it, it was broke. Yep, I got the full warranty. I just spent $671.00 on a new hydro pump too. Was this all my fault? Could be, but then you never know do you? The "new" machine I purchased has given me no problems at all. If you find the machine you want at the right time you can still save a few bucks. The new one I bought had been at the dealer for almost a year and he was about to start paying interest on it. I got a $1500.00 break on the price because he needed it gone.

Save a little now and get through the warranty, then the premature trouble starts that you might not have had if you had had it from the get go.

Buy a new one.

[jason2]

I bought a demo last year. Full size Lazer Z, 52", 18 hp Kohler. It had 12 hours on it and I paid $5,800. Not a lick of trouble with it. I would have liked a bigger engine, but the price was too good to pass up. And the 18 is adequate.

Plus if I ever want more horsepower. Northern is selling the Honda 24 for around a grand. Still cheaper than new.

I'd say grab that machine before someone esle does.

[awm]

you may want to flush the motor as its probably been getting cranked an run for a few min a lot. this can cause a build up in various places as the oil never got hot and sometimes layers the cold oil film.