Better Beaters - Building Cars and Daily Drivers

What's up with Doug Demuro?

Doug is routinely  photographed with his mouth open.

Good old Doug. The dweeby, kind of goofy Every Man.  Not an accomplished driver, mechanic, restorer, or gearhead, Totally non threatening. But smart. Very much smarter than he lets on. And quite a bit richer, too.


Doug was born in Denver Colorado and received an economics degree from Emory University in Atlanta Georgia. After graduation he got a job at Porsche North America's corporate headquarters where he must have been doing a good job. He was promoted as the youngest vehicle allocation manager in the company's history. He quit that job to become a writer and his work has been featured in online publications as Jalopnik, Auto Trader.com, and The Week. He also written a book, "Plays with Cars."

He is probably beat known for his Internet videos. His You Tube channel received over four million views in 2014.

There are varying estimates of Doug's net worth from around 450,000 to several million dollars. Whatever it is, Don has found a clever way to combine his love of cars with the ability to make a good living. What ever you make Doug, You deserve it!

What car guy hasn't dreamed of owning a Ferrari?

I was first introduced to his videos through his Ferrari ownership series. In this series he answered a lot of questions that a whole lot of car guys have had about Ferrari ownership. I would say that they were too afraid to ask, but actually "Who were you going to ask?" I can't imagine trolling a Concours and trying to buttonhole a Ferrari owner and grill him about everyday driving. But we've still got those questions we want answered! Doug will oblige us, willingly.

For example:

How does a dweeb like him swing a Ferrari. He really doesn't answer that but he reveals that these cars are not as unobtainable as we might think.

Can you really use a car like this for everyday activities? The short answer is "No."

What's it like to go out for a casual drive?

It's not like you would want to park it curbside anywhere, or leave it outside of a Dennys or Motel 6! It's more like you leave your house, drive wherever, then end up back at your house again.

Can you carry anything in the car? That depends.

There is an unforgettable episode where Doug drives to Best Buy and straps a flat screen television to the roof of the Ferrari.

Can you carry anyone in the car? A Baby? If you've watched this episode than you know it's a good thing that he used a doll instead of an actual child.

What are people's reaction to the car on the street?

Pretty positive it seems. Seems like most folks can recognize a Ferrari and are anxious to to take a selfie next to the car, while a few even ask to take a photo of themselves behind the wheel.

Can you meet women with this car?

This is the million dollar question, as I'm sure that many guys hope that buying a flashy, expensive car would make them more interesting and attractive to the opposite sex.

The answers are surprising. Doug said that most women didn't seem to notice or express any interest in the car. (Or him!) But their boyfriends were a different matter. They would swarm around the car at gas stops. It seems as though middle aged men expressed the most attraction. Not exactly the demographic that was hoped for.

Why can't people trust British cars?

The Aston Martin; My Holy Grail. Not just mine, but for a lot of car enthusiasts. The purchase price was only ten grand above a new, optioned up Mustang GT convertible, but most guys myself included, are very fearful that the car would quickly bury them in repair and maintenance costs. But Doug took care of that concern, he bought a bumper to bumper unlimited mileage warranty for it!

Now that's the way to roll, come whatever calamity may, it's covered. Watching his videos you can see that it was used to cover a few problems, especially in the beginning. However the car proved reliable enough to take it on several long trips, even to the Bonneville salt flats. He has even broken down the cost of ownership, now that's full disclosure.

You've got to hand it to him. One article indicated that he has owned twenty seven cars at the time of publication. Wow! You'd have to cycle through those cars at a couple of units a year or more.


Doug has really found a way to own and drive some interesting, desirable cars and he uses them to make his living. I would hope that they are tax deductible as business related expenses.

Now that Doug is very well known, car dealerships and even his fans will offer their own cars for his evaluation.

It's all a countdown to the Doug Score.

Doug provides some reviews of interesting older cars also. One of my favorites was of the Pontiac Aztek, not a vehicle that you would expect. Doug reviews the gadgets and quirks and it is surprising how different manufactures handle different functions. A driving test follows and the episode ends with a "Doug Score." He ranks the vehicles without fear or favor and the results can be surprising.

I have even learned a thing or two from his videos. Doug reviewed the latest model of the Porsche Panamera. This was a car that I never gave much credence to, as I thought that it was a bit of a gimmick. Doug displayed the great beauty and design of the interior design, and most impressively, the ability to seat two six foot tall passengers in the rear seat. Now that was impressive. If I could find that hundred grand I lost in the sofa I might well consider buying one!

I will continue to enjoy Doug's videos but I expect that he will be looking to develop a new format. I think that this idea is playing itself out, I mean, "How many different cars are still out there?" Either way, Doug, Best of luck in the future!