"Public Auto Auctions...Government Auto  Auctions...

"Slash The Price Of  Your Next Used Car!"

 Ever Attended Public Auto Auctions? If You Are Going To Make Your First Trip To A Public Auto Auction Or One Of Many Government Auto Auctions, Get Ready To Have Your Head Handed To You If You Do Not Arm Yourself First! OK,  So It Is Time To Arm Yourself. Our Tools, Designed To Help You Survive Public Auto Auctions, Will Allow You To Turn The Tables On The Most Experienced Veterans Of Public Auto Auctions And Government Auto Auctions Around The Country!

Following, You Will Find The Knowledge Necessary To walk Away From Any Public Car Auction In The Country With A Great Deal On The Car(s) or Truck(s)You That You Decide To Purchase.

 I have spent the past 37 years of my life in the car and auto auction business. I am able to walk into any car auction in the country and confidently conduct business in a highly efficient and profitable manner. I want you to be able to do the same without the 37 year time line. First, let me say this. The wise wholesale buyer understands that the profit on auto auction cars is made when they make the purchase, not when they sell it. That thought should raise red flags even if your purchase at the public auto auctions will be for personal use. As a buyer at public auto auctions or government auto auctions, it will pay dividends if you pay heed to that.

Buy for yourself like you are going to resell the vehicle. The fact is, if you do not arm yourself with the necessary tools, (Knowledge) before attending public auto auctions, the likelihood increases that you will make a purchase which is less efficient than it would be with the appropriate knowledge. To put it bluntly, it is highly likely that you will simply get screwed by the pros lying in wait for you at the public auto auctions and the government auto auctions. You will find many of these characters at public auto auctions and government car auctions just as I have found them at dealer auto auctions.

 Before we go any further, let me tackle the myth that it is easy to get approved to buy at a dealer auto auction. Don't waste your time with the B.S. information some guys online try to make you believe. Whether it be a small 200 unit per week auction or a multi-thousand unit Adesa or Manheim Auction, you will have to present a dealers license and a financial statement to do business there. Can you find a dealer willing to buy a car for you at a dealer car auction for a fee? Certainly. However, the bottom line is, anymore, very few used car dealers are risking being banned from the auction for being caught with a buyer "on their arm" It may be difficult to find someone willing to do this. The auto auction owners are policing this practice much harder today in order to protect their wholesale dealer base.

Then there are the outfits online selling you the use of their license. Be wary of these. Many of them will put you into a contract that for remuneration from you, they will allow you use of their license. If they are banned from an auto auction, so are you. They often do not tell you that you will not be able to retail the vehicles you buy, at retail. You would be required to offer them on site at the licensed dealership. The bond costs and requirements are often too stringent for a person with little or no credit, and certainly a problem if you have bad credit. Simply put...Stay away from these "deals".

 
With those issues behind us, it is time to talk about where you can purchase vehicles at public auto auctions. Government Auto Auctions and Public Auto Auctions are held around the country. They are sometimes referred to as police auctions or municipal auctions. In the eastern part of the country there are many public auto auctions that hold their car auctions weekly. Barrett-Jackson and Mecum and other public auto auction companies are known for their highline public auto auctions that are held numerous times during the year. Government auto auctions are held on a monthly basis at some of the larger dealer auctions around the country. This venue is usually open to the public. Be aware though, at the government auto auctions, you are not allowed to drive the auction cars ahead of time.  

A Great resource to check out government car auctions can be found at Government Auto Auctions. Most of the information about government auto auctions found on the net are little more than hyperbole. In light of that, you will find real questions asked by real people, below:

Is A Vehicle That Has A Salvage Title A Good Buy At A Government Auto Auction If It Can Be Purchased For Much Less Than A Like Vehicle that has a Regular Title?

 The majority would say no. However, I think there are certain situations in which the auction car with a salvage title could be a good buy. It would be foolish though, to purchase a car at public auto auctions or government auctions that has a salvage title if you could not thoroughly and efficiently inspect it first. After 35 years in the business, I NEVER purchase cars that have salvage titles. It doesn't matter if I am at dealer auctions, public auto auctions or government auctions.  

There Are No Non-Refundable Deposits At Public Auto Auctions...Why? 

This is very simple. Before you place a bid, you agree to the rules of the public car auction or government auction you are attending. One of those rules pertain to deposits. Remember, you are not the only bidder. By winning the bid, you knocked someone else off the vehicle. If you do not pay for it, you have affected the other potential buyer, the public auto auction or government auto auction, and the consignor of the auction vehicle, if there was one. If you paid $300 in the form of a deposit, the chances are that you will complete the deal as you promised to do by bidding.  If the public car auction or government car auction would simply let you leave without completing the deal as you promised, by being the final bidder, they would be left without a sale that had been made according to the public car auction or government auction rules. Your inconsideration would have left them holding a car that would have been sold to the next higher bidder had you not reneged on your promise to purchase. The deposit helps enforce a contract that may otherwise be left undone with an unscrupulous bidder who feels they are above the rules of the public auto auction or government auction.
The owners started the public auto auction or the government car auction as a service to the people who want to use this venue for their car purchases. If you do not want to abide by the rules...don't attend.

Prepare Yourself With The Necessary Knowledge And You Will Enjoy Your Auto Auction Experience!

In a nutshell, prepare yourself ahead of time, and your trip to your first public car auction or government auto auction will be a successful one!

1. Arrive at the auction early. The entire process is much simpler when you are prepared when the vehicle you want crosses the auction block.

2. Be thorough. Carefully check the car(s)out that you want to bid on. Public auto auctions will sometimes allow you to drive them ahead of time. If they have a test track, give the vehicle you are interested in a thorough test drive. You normally will not be allowed to drive the vehicle before the sale if you are at a Government Auto Auction. This is also the situation at some public auto auctions. Be careful, you will be buying the vehicle. I personally refuse to buy any auction car sold as is, unless I can test drive it before it crosses the block.

3. Examine the body carefully. If the car has been partially painted, you can spot different finishes. A simple test dealers use to check for a full repaint or repaint of the doors, is to run their fingers inside the door jambs checking for a ridge that would arise due to a repaint stopping at that area. Check carefully for hail damage. It is easy to miss in certain lighting situations.

4. Body filler or bondo is easy to spot. Regardless, carry a magnet with you to test questionable areas. Just be aware that it will not help you identify filler on fiber glass or aluminum bodies.

5. Check the shocks, tires and wheels. Miss problems here and you will find you can have an expensive fix that you may not have otherwise planned for..

6. Check the oil. Make sure there is no blow by coming from the valve covers when you open the oil filler cap. Check the tail pipe. A carbon buildup is no problem. However, if it is smoking or you feel oil inside the exhaust pipe, you are looking at problems. When you open the oil filler cap, look inside. Is there a buildup of sludge on the stick? If so, you will have big problems on your hands with that one.

7. While the car is running, check the transmission fluid. Make sure there are no shavings or excessive burnt smell. A tranny can be very expensive to fix if it is bad. Be sure to check the shift points of the transmission if you are able to drive the vehicle you are looking at, ahead of time.

Are there any tell-tale rattles in the lower or upper engine when you rev it up? You may have a broken piston, bad rod bearings or a multitude of other problems. It could indicate a major engine rebuild or replacement is in order.

8. Check carefully for hail damage. Look at the vehicle from different angles and in different light.

9. Be sure to list the vehicle(s) you are interested in. Jot down the maximimum amount you are will to spend on any unit you are going to bid on.

10. And finally, don't get caught up in the bidding. If the vehicle you want goes past your maximum, STOP bidding. I can't tell you how many thousands of cars I've seen through the years bring stupid money because bidders got caught up in the excitement of the process. When finished, leave happy, not one who handed their head to the auto auction and more savvy bidders!