Archive for December, 2007

Car dealer auctions are a special form of auctions. Every single year millions of cars are being sold at such events and the main aspect that is to be known is that the public does not have access to them. Only car dealers can participate and this is an event that will see them acquiring most of their cars by purchasing off-lease, off-rentals, company/fleet, repossessed or trade in vehicles. In most cases the price of such automobiles will be lower than they are actually worth, thus making it possible for the used car dealer to add some percents to the price at which they will sell the cars to the general public.

At a car auction for used car dealers you will find a lot of cars that can be marketed. It is not uncommon to find late models that still have factory warranty and the listing dealers are required to disclose possible mechanical problems that can void the warranty of the manufacturer and even classify the cars as salvage, lemon/consumer buy-back, junk and so on. What you need to know is that, regardless of the source, the vehicles sold at such auctions are presented in order to get rid of them as soon as possible. This makes it possible for car dealers to purchase cheap vehicles and make high profits as the value of the car can be a lot higher than what they would end up paying for them. This does not mean that the cars will be sold at an unreasonably low price and this will only happen if there are not enough interested buyers or if the car has some problems that would make it harder to market. In most cases a seller will have a reserve price on the stock in order to avoid the possibility mentioned above from happening. Only if the reserved price is met will he have a winner of the auction and if not the car will not be sold and the seller needs to wait for the next car auction for used car dealers in order to get rid of the vehicle. As you can imagine, any seller can re-list a vehicle if it was not sold at one car auction. The entire system will protect the seller so that the loss will not be too high. They are already losing money because of selling in such auctions but the main benefit is that there is a strong possibility that everything will be dealt with quickly so that the seller gets money as fast as possible from the cars it is not using anymore.

Statistics show that around three times more people are purchasing used cars as compared to new vehicles. When attending a police car auction or any auction available, there are some things that you must do and check before making a decision. Even if the price is very low, there is no sense in buying a car if you end up paying a lot to repair it. Where is the deal in that? Let us think about what we need to analyze when buying any type of used cars.

First off we need to think about safety. Think about purchasing a car that comes with good air bags and anti-lock brakes. This will also translate in lower fees at the insurance and your car will be safer. The next step is taking a look at the mileage. It is a very good indicator of the age of the car. In most cases an average driver will use it for around 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year. We must also analyze the mechanical condition of the car. You could have a mechanic you trust do this for you. This includes everything from lights and belts to charging system and air conditioner. If all seems ok a test drive is also required as you need to feel comfortable in your new car as well as it being safe and in good condition.

If you notice an uneven tire tread wear, the vehicle might need an alignment or might have problems with the suspension. The spare tire needs to be good as well. Frame damage must be avoided. Vehicles that have suffered from serious damage can be repaired and then sold. We thus have a vehicle that is not structurally sound. Look for rust under the bumpers and fenders, doors, wheel wells and lights. If you see dents, mismatched body panels or cracks you need to start asking questions. Also, read and understand what is written in the warranty that comes with the car. Ask questions about everything that you do not understand and different hidden conditions or exclusions (usually located on the fine print) are to be avoided or properly understood. A good dealer will answer every single question and explain everything written in the warranty. You need to be prepared and contacting a friend that has some experience in used cars can be a valuable plus to bring to the table. Be sure to purchase only from dealers that come with a good reputation and analyze everything highlighted above. You will surely make a good decision.

A lot of luxury cars are purchased from government auto auctions for a fraction of the retail value. In fact, your neighbor might have some incredible cars and you might be wondering how he afforded them. The trick might have been such an event. With this in mind it is clear to see why we should attend a government used car auction as we might get a great car at an incredibly cheap price. There are two main types of such events you can go to.

The first one is a Government seized auto auction. These events are actually supplied by caught criminals. The government ends up seizing cars and you can imagine what vehicles we are talking about because criminals stands for drug dealers, pimps, mobsters and so on. They are not really driving regular cars. High end luxury cars or modified automobiles are constantly seized while a criminal investigation takes place. By attending a government seized auto auction you will get a big chance to purchase a tremendous car for really small amounts.

The second type worth mentioning stands in Government fleet vehicle auctions. These are actually retired government service vehicles and police cars that are usually replaced at a given interval of time. Almost all government used car auction out there will contain some fleet cars. The only real problem stands in the fact that they do come with high mileage although they are almost always well maintained. You can also obtain vehicle history with such a model if it is important for you.

There is also the possibility of finding government surplus autos, which is actually a combination of government seized vehicles and fleet vehicles. Such vehicles do not necessarily come with high mileage they are simply not needed by the government anymore. When any car is not needed it becomes a surplus vehicle that is to be sold so that the government gets some money back. The truth is that there are thousands of bargains available for people at such government used car auctions. It does not really matter what you want your new car for, there is a big chance you will find what you need at such an event. Whenever looking for a new vehicle you should consider government used car auctions as a good option to get something that comes with high quality and low price in mind.