Insider’s Guide to Local Car Auctions

Do you deem local car auctions are scams or do you feel it is likely to get high-quality deals with vehicles seized by law enforcement? Like various aspects of the automobile commerce, the paper advertisements and postcard leaflets in your mailbox seem too good to be true. There is no doubt that we don’t have confidence in anyone or anything associated with the auto industry. Even so, many people have been raving about local car auctions which present reposesed automobiles from the IRS, DEA, US custom agents, police, and other law enforcement agencies. A rationale why individuals shy away from local car auctions are that they consider that the condition of the vehicles must be bad because the fee is so low.

Local car auctions present seized automobiles up for bid to citizens. These automobiles were involved in some sort of illegal activity, but that does not necessarily mean outrageous vehicle chases in the heart of New York. The worst thing is that automobiles at local car auctions have been inactive in the lot for some time. That should not be a deal breaker when you think about it, though. All automobiles sold at local car auctions are sold “as is”, of course. Yet other places may have 30-day auto warranties that you can get or some policies are available at specific local car auctions. If you compare the types of vehicles from local car auctions to other bidding events, you can see that the quality of autos from local car auctions is not bad, at all; in fact you will be pleasantly surprised. This is because salvaged autos are not offered at police seized local car auctions. And the hitch with salvaged automobiles is that they have been flooded totally and you would need to pump a lot of capital to fix it. This is the key basis why bargain hunters check out police seized lots over salvaged auto lots.

A significant hint from trained auto bargain hunters is that you should look over the vehicle in person; this fact gives local car auctions the advantage over websites similar to ebay or craigslist, in which the auto shopper is in the dark. With today’s technology, such as wireless laptops, Wi-Fi netbooks, and 3G (and now 4G) cell phones, you can bring up a vehicle’s history while you are at local car auctions for an immediate VIN background check. You can buy with confidence and security at local car auctions if you have the knowledge and information that you get from physically inspecting the vehicle and performing a VIN check.

Another tip at local car auctions: be sure not to overbid on any vehicle. Make your maximum bid 20% less than black book value and never pay retail. Remember the goal is to get the best transaction at local car auctions not to drive the bid price too high. Always exercise restraint, patience, and cleverness by waiting for the right vehicle at the right time. That is why it is important to have the right tools at your fingertips, such as a database of opportunities in your region.