Save Money at Local Car Auctions

Car Auctions are a valuable source for finding great deals on good used cars. But before you attend a car auction you must first do your homework and understand the process of a car auction.

What is a car auction?  Where do they get the cars from?

A car auction is a place where cars are bid on and sold to the highest bidder. The cars at auctions come from a lot of different sources bank repos, mechanics, private owners, car dealers, tow yards and many other places.

Most public car auctions are listed in the local penny saver or the newspaper. You can also do a search on Google for car auctions in your city. Find out when the pre-inspection times and dates are. Usually it's the day before the auction or two to three hours before the auction.

When you're at the pre-inspection find the cars that interest you most do a visual inspection of the car and take notes write down the year, make, mileage, VIN #, color and overall condition of the car. You won't be able to drive the car but at least ask if you can start the car. It's important that you find out about the sale terms when you're at the pre-inspection. Some places will require that you put down a deposit before you are able to bid. Also, find out what type of payment they will accept, such as cash, credit cards, or cashier checks.

Now that you have a list of cars you like it's time to do some research and find what the fair market value of the car is. You can use Kelly blue book, Edmunds or NADA. All three services are free to use online. To find the true market value of a car I suggest using all three services to compare prices I personally like using Edmunds when buying cars. It's also a good idea to run a free car report online to get the history of the car.

Your home work is all done! Now its' time to go to the car auction armed with all Your information. First thing is to get registered so you can bid on the car you like. Second thing is to look at the car you are interested in one more time and set the max price you are willing to pay for that car. Remember never get into a bidding war set your max price and never bid past it or else you will over pay.

Understanding Basics of Car Auctions

Car auctions are houses that deal into selling of used cars purely based on bidding. These houses have a huge variety of cars from various sources comprising bank repos, private owners, car dealers, and car mechanics, offering great bargains for savvy car consumers.

Every month, nearly about 1000s of cars become government's property through foreclosure law. These laws are implemented on foreclosed cars, cars that are confiscated by banks or finance institutes in case the car owner fails to pay the installment. Unfortunately, there are many who fail to pay the EMI (Easy Monthly Installments) of the car purchased due to some or the other reason including loss of employment and economic recession. So, these houses gather a variety of used car models in an assortment of colours and variants. This huge number of cars at the auctions compels the government to sell off the car at cheap prices and recover the debt.

Infact, during this era of inflation, it is one of the best ways to get cheap and affordable cars. Car consumers may have to sacrifice on the make, model, and colour options, but in a massive collection of cars, they definitely get the car of their choice. Even a good, well-conditioned and new car, a car that is one or two months old, can be purchased at comparatively cheap prices form the auction.

All the auctions are organized by government agencies, banks, and lending organizations that don't sell off the car because of profit margins but to recover the debt and get rid of property as soon as possible. These organizations feel that auctioning a car is a better option than letting the car fall into a waste and unmovable piece. That's the reason why cheap deals are attractive and impressive at car auctions.

The best part of these auctions is that the cars are sold at a price people want. The entire process undergoes a legal procedure where in the auctioneer states a price and after that the process of bidding starts. An individual, who states the highest bid, gets the car at the price quoted by him.

Car auctions are divided into categories and are mainly classified into three types:

• Police Auctions or Government Auctions: These are the most common types of car auctions that have been around for years. Many of the cars and other automobiles have been seized by the police department or government agency when the vehicle owner is able to pay its monthly installment. The same vehicles are offered to prospective car buyers at sale prices.




• Online Car Auctions: The advent of internet and advanced technology paved way for online car auctions. Today, there are many car auction website on the net where nearly about one car is sold off on the highest bid every one minute. Within the comfort of home or office, car consumers can win a car auction at their desired price.




• Public Car Auctions: These are considered to be good and profitable bargains. The complete information about these auctions is often advertised on television and newspaper so that the common man can have a chance to get a cheap car at his desired price tag.

Seized Cars For Sale – Where To Buy Repossessed Cars Online

These days, it looks like everyone is hunting for the best quality car available at the most affordable price. Usually, when car shopping on a budget, people opt to go to second hand car dealers. However, there is a huge chance that you might not get the best value for your money.

There is another alternative – buying seized cars. Seized vehicles are those that the government institutions have taken possession of for reasons such as unpaid loans or taxes or other such reasons. This is why you can get them at a lower price. Almost everyday, banks and other government offices sell these seized possessions or perhaps auction them off at low prices because it cost money for them to hold onto the cars.

What's even greater is that you can do these purchases in your own home. You don't have to get out of the house to check out your potential cars. All you need is a computer and an internet connection so that you can check repossessed or seized cars online.

These online seized car sites are a rich source of cheap cars, however, there is no guarantee that the car you will be purchasing in really in good condition. Most government auto auctions cars are sold as it so you still need to make a trip down to confirm your purchase.

It is also a good opportunity to check the condition of the car before purchasing. If you are not familiar with cars, make sure to bring along someone such as your car mechanic who can tell if the car needs extensive or just minor repairs.

There are various sites which can help you make your purchase. You can choose from a large number of seized cars for sale – trucks and SUVs are even available. These sites require a membership fee to allow unlimited access to their database of seized cars for sale and even seized properties.

You can pay via credit card. Once you have become a member you will get information on auctions, dates, and locations. This makes getting a car easier.

Government Auctions Are Great Places To Find Car Deals

If you're in the market for a new car, but you can't afford the high price of retail, visiting a government auction in person or online can be a smart way to go. Government auctions are notorious for having some of the best automobiles going at a fraction of the prices you'd pay from a dealer or private owner.

Government auctions can be found in all kinds of jurisdictions, ranging from small, local authority auctions to large federal auctions. They can include everything from the top of the line, just released vehicles to older cars that have been well cared for in a government fleet.

Let's take a look at some of the types of vehicles that can be found at government auctions:

Newer model cars, trucks, light vans
The newer cars found at government auctions are generally those that have been seized from suspects by various law enforcement agencies. This means they might not be in tip top condition, but they could be, as well. In these cases, the government auctioning authority will be interested in making as much money as possible, but the fact is these cars can end up selling for a real steal. No law enforcement agency can afford to store an endless amount of vehicles seized from drug dealers or other bad guys.

Middle of the road cars
Many government agencies have a policy that dictates how old cars in their fleet can be. Once they reach this point, regardless of mileage, they are auctioned off and new vehicles are purchased. These cars can be very good buys and generally have been cared for within a fleet system, so they're practically guaranteed to have all their maintenance in place. They can be very good buys for those interested in government auctions.

Older vehicles
These, too, can be found at government auction. Whether they are retired fleet or seizures, some of these vehicles can be purchased for a fraction of their real value. If you're looking for a particular type of car, or a classic, don't discount a government auction as a place to look.

Now that you understand just about any kind of vehicle can be found at government auction, let's look at the types of agencies that might host auctions:

Local law enforcement
These government auctions are favorites of those who want newer models cars. Since many states allow their local agencies to maintain some of their seizures to sell and purchase newer equipment, it's possible to get your hands on a brand new car for a fraction of its sticker price by going this route.

State auctions
These can include a combination of fleet retired vehicles and seizures. Here you can find everything from standard government issued cars to the latest sports vehicles.

Federal auctions
The many agencies within the federal government also host their own auctions or combination auctions. At these you can find a variety of different types of cars, trucks and light work vehicles, too.

Government auctions are fantastic for finding really good deals on a variety of cars and trucks. Since the agencies aren't looking to make a "profit" per say, the prices on the starting block can be more than reasonable.

Online Government Auto Auctions – Buy Cheap Seized And Repossessed Cars

Most people do not know you can buy cheap seized and repossessed cars at online government auto auctions. There are many sites available where you can bid for the cars that you want to purchase. This can also work to your benefit, like for example, you are a parent and you want to give your kid a car as a graduation gift – you can buy your gift online and there is no way your kid will ever find out about it.

Seized car sites such as Autocastle provide services like car bidding, buy and sell for free. All you have to do is fill up an online form to request the car that you want and dealers will bid their prices and it will be up to you to choose which the best deal is.

You can compare the prices and quotes and you don't even have to leave the comfort of your house. These dealers range from wholesalers, bank repo guys, and private seller. The best thing about this is that the service is free.

And if you're an individual car seller, you can also bid if there is a request for the kind of car you are selling.

Another site called Gov-Auction also provides online government auto auction services. They had great resources to seized vehicles all over the country. For a fee, you can become a member and gain unlimited access to their resources and databases.

Repossessed and seized cars are usually released by the government agencies all year round. Since it cost money and space to store and maintain these vehicles and the government agencies always have a constant surplus of seized cars, they are more than willing to let go of these cars at cheap prices.

In fact, you can buy a cheap used car at government seized auctions for more than 90% off the retail market price. Some of these cars are still in relatively good condition as well.

Used Car Buying Tips

Some of these used car buying tips won't be new to you. Often the trick is just to apply what you already know. On the other hand, when it comes to expensive areas of life like buying a car, one new thing learned can save you hundreds of dollars. Try some of the following.

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1. Make a low offer. Okay, you knew this one. A trick you may not have used, though, is to make a low offer, and then leave your phone number with the seller. Time has a way of making sellers desperate, especially after you just helped convince them that they are asking too much.

2. Be careful with car price guides. Use the "blue book" etc, but try not to pay more than wholesale. I can't think of many times when people I know have paid more than "bluebook," so these "average" sales prices are doubtful.

3. Talk to people. This is one of the simplest and effective used car buying tips. Just let friends, family and others know you're looking for a car. Quite often people would be happy to avoid the whole process of advertising and showing their car if they could just get rid of it by giving a good deal to a friend.

4. Check out the engine. Have a mechanic look at the car, and tell you what it's likely to need in the next year or so. Then make a list, so the seller can see in writing why you are offering less than he wants.

5. Auctions. See if there is a public auction in your area. If not, maybe you can go with a dealer friend and give him a $100 to buy a car for you.

6. www.carfax.com. It's around $25 to run vehicle background checks for a month - long enough to find your next car. They'll show the chain of title, accident reports for the car, and even safety and reliability scores for that model.

7. "Ugly" cars. Watch for cars that sit on the lot for months. Dealers will often sell these "ugly ducklings" at a loss just to move them. Again, you may want to leave your phone number with a low offer.

8. Rental company cars. They are sold fairly cheap when they get the new ones in. Buy at bluebook wholesale or less, because they have had many different drivers, so they've more wear than normal.

9. Repos. Credit unions and some small banks do their own selling of repossessed cars. You usually bid on paper, maybe with a $50 deposit, and then get your $50 back if you're not the winning bidder. If they don't sell their own repossessions, ask where they are sold.

10. Consider gas mileage. High mileage may be better, but maybe a car that costs $500 less will use only $400 more gas in the two years you expect to own it. Do the math.

Use the tips here the next time you are shopping for a used car. Meanwhile, why not learn a few negotiating strategies. This helps in many areas of life, and is the most important of these used car buying tips.

For more information on cars buying visit http://car-buying.am-articles.com/

Finding Bargains at a Repossessed Car Auction

A repossessed car auction is the place to be to get that dream car at a price you never thought possible. But now that you've heard that you can save big at a car auction how do you find out where they are taking place? Just by doing a simple search on the internet you can find any number of sites that specialize in finding car auctions in any area of the country.

Did you know you can buy your dream car for 90% off at repossessed car auctions?  You see, there are lots of bargains if you buy your car at repossessed car auctions.  But they, the car dealers, have been trying to keep it secret for fear people will start purchasing cars directly from the car auctions. What the dealers do is buy cars, and sell them for huge profits.  And they do it because the prices of cars at repossessed car auctions are an absolute steal.

At a car auction there are basically two types of cars being auctioned off, automobiles that have been seized because they were used in the commission of a crime or used government vehicles. Although some people may feel a little strange about buying a car once owned by a criminal, you can find great deals on luxury cars. Buying a used government car at a car auction has its benefits too, government cars usually have regular tune ups and maintenance and some have very low mileage.

Many of these repossessed car auction vehicles are practically new with very low mileage, and because the original owner would have carried the luxury tax, this is not an issue when they are sold at auction.  What you end up paying will of course depend a lot on who turns up at the repossessed car auction to join in the bidding, but with so many auctions and so many vehicles, you're bound to find an excellent bargain.