It’s easy to buy cheap used cars at government auctions and police auctions. In this article I will give you some of the best tips for beginners when it comes to using Government auctions to get vehicles at a real bargain. Then you will know exactly how to use these auctions for your purchase.
The first thing you need know is that all cars sold a government auctions are “as is”. What might seem like a deal could end up costing you money if it has a mechanical failure or major flaw. In order to avoid this, you must learn how to recognize if a car is good or not through careful inspection.
Unlike going to a used car lot, you cannot test drive the vehicles at Government auctions. Therefore it is important to learn how to visually appraise a car, or bring an expert along with you.
If you don’t already know the value of the car, you should avoid bidding on it. you can find the value of any used car in the Kelley Blue Book, or by having it appraised. Never bid “blind”!
Be sure to read the purchase contract carefully. If you are planning on reselling the vehicle, you want to make sure the purchase agreement doesn’t have a waiting period before receiving the title as some do.
Finally, remember it’s an auction. At any auction, you must know how to bid strategically. If you’ve never attended an auction, it might be wise to go to attend a few auctions to watch and learn the etiquette of bidding, and also to get a feel for it. There’s nothing worse than letting your emotions get in the way and making an illogical bid on a vehicle.
Many car dealers attend these government auctions as well. Be careful when you bid against them, as they almost certainly know the precise value of vehicles they are bidding on.
One of the best things you can do is to look at some of the online auctions. While there are many membership sites offering access to Government and Police auctions, you should use caution as some of them will simply take your membership fee and not provide complete or timely auction information.
The author is currently researching Home Wine Making brands and Family Tree Searches for upcoming review articles.