Paulf
10-27-2006, 09:18 AM
5 Tips To Buying A Car At Auction
1. Arriving At The Auction
Arrive At The Auction Very Early To Give Yourself More Time To Look Around The Cars That Are Entered In The Auction.
Also Go Into The Sales Office And View The Conditions Of Auction Because These Can Differ Quite A Bit From Auction To Auction.
Most Car Auctions Offer Cars For Sale In Two Ways:
A) Sold 'as Seen'
Which Means You Buy The Car With Any Faults The Car May Have And If The Car Goes Wrong You Have No Guarantee Whatsoever.
B) Sold 'with Trial'
This Can Change With Different Auctions. Normally The Buyer Would Be Allowed One Hour After The End Of The Auction Or One Hour After The Car Is Sold To Return The Car With Any Major Mechanical Defects. I.e. Engine, Gearbox Or Axles. No Other Problems Will Be Entertained.
2. Visuals Checks
When You Have Chosen A Car That You Are Interested In, Have A Look Round The Car To Make Sure If There Is Any Accident Damage Or Bad Scratches.
Check The Windscreen For Any Cracks And Also The Tyres As These Can Be Expensive To Replace.
There Should Be A Windscreen Ticket On The Car With All The Relevant Information About The Car On There. Such As:
A) How Many Previous Owners The Car Has Had.
B) Length Of Mot Certificate.
C) The Mileage And Whether It Is Genuine Or Not.
You Can Normally Tell Whether A Car Is From A Main Car Dealer Because They Will Put A Sticker On The Windscreen Saying That The Car Is A 'part Exchange' From... And Then The Name Of The Dealer.
These Are Sometimes The Better Cars To Buy Simply Because The Cars Are There To Make Room On The Dealers Forecourt For Other Cars And Not Just Sold At The Auction To Make A Profit.
All This Should Be Done Long Before The Car Goes Into The Auction.
3) How Many People Are Interested In The Car
If You See A Lot Of Other People Interested In The Car You Want To Buy, Don't Be Put Off By This. I Always Say That Only One Person Can Buy The Car So Why Shouldn't That Person Be You?
Keep Focused On What You Are There For And Don't Be Distracted By Anybody Else.
4) Mechanical Checks
When The Car You Are Interested In Is About To Be Sold, Make Sure You Hear The Engine Start Up When It Is Cold. This Will Show Up Anything That Is Wrong With The Car Like A Flat Battery, Etc.
5) Stand In The Right Place
When The Car You Want Is About To Be Sold, Make Sure You Are Standing In A Place Where The Auctioneer Can See You. This May Sound Obvious But Once You Register Your Interest In The Car The Auctioneer Will Keep Looking Your Way For More Bids.
Try To Keep Calm At This Stage. Make A Note Beforehand What You Want To Pay For The Car And Don't Go Above That Price. Even If You Don't Buy A Car At That Particular Auction, Wait Until The One Which Is Right For You.
I Hope You Have Enjoyed Reading Theses Few Tips About Buying A Car From Auction. It Can Be A Little Intimidating If You Haven't Been To An Auction Before, But Just By Following A Few Guidelines It Can Be Made A Lot Easier.
Thanks,
Paul.
1. Arriving At The Auction
Arrive At The Auction Very Early To Give Yourself More Time To Look Around The Cars That Are Entered In The Auction.
Also Go Into The Sales Office And View The Conditions Of Auction Because These Can Differ Quite A Bit From Auction To Auction.
Most Car Auctions Offer Cars For Sale In Two Ways:
A) Sold 'as Seen'
Which Means You Buy The Car With Any Faults The Car May Have And If The Car Goes Wrong You Have No Guarantee Whatsoever.
B) Sold 'with Trial'
This Can Change With Different Auctions. Normally The Buyer Would Be Allowed One Hour After The End Of The Auction Or One Hour After The Car Is Sold To Return The Car With Any Major Mechanical Defects. I.e. Engine, Gearbox Or Axles. No Other Problems Will Be Entertained.
2. Visuals Checks
When You Have Chosen A Car That You Are Interested In, Have A Look Round The Car To Make Sure If There Is Any Accident Damage Or Bad Scratches.
Check The Windscreen For Any Cracks And Also The Tyres As These Can Be Expensive To Replace.
There Should Be A Windscreen Ticket On The Car With All The Relevant Information About The Car On There. Such As:
A) How Many Previous Owners The Car Has Had.
B) Length Of Mot Certificate.
C) The Mileage And Whether It Is Genuine Or Not.
You Can Normally Tell Whether A Car Is From A Main Car Dealer Because They Will Put A Sticker On The Windscreen Saying That The Car Is A 'part Exchange' From... And Then The Name Of The Dealer.
These Are Sometimes The Better Cars To Buy Simply Because The Cars Are There To Make Room On The Dealers Forecourt For Other Cars And Not Just Sold At The Auction To Make A Profit.
All This Should Be Done Long Before The Car Goes Into The Auction.
3) How Many People Are Interested In The Car
If You See A Lot Of Other People Interested In The Car You Want To Buy, Don't Be Put Off By This. I Always Say That Only One Person Can Buy The Car So Why Shouldn't That Person Be You?
Keep Focused On What You Are There For And Don't Be Distracted By Anybody Else.
4) Mechanical Checks
When The Car You Are Interested In Is About To Be Sold, Make Sure You Hear The Engine Start Up When It Is Cold. This Will Show Up Anything That Is Wrong With The Car Like A Flat Battery, Etc.
5) Stand In The Right Place
When The Car You Want Is About To Be Sold, Make Sure You Are Standing In A Place Where The Auctioneer Can See You. This May Sound Obvious But Once You Register Your Interest In The Car The Auctioneer Will Keep Looking Your Way For More Bids.
Try To Keep Calm At This Stage. Make A Note Beforehand What You Want To Pay For The Car And Don't Go Above That Price. Even If You Don't Buy A Car At That Particular Auction, Wait Until The One Which Is Right For You.
I Hope You Have Enjoyed Reading Theses Few Tips About Buying A Car From Auction. It Can Be A Little Intimidating If You Haven't Been To An Auction Before, But Just By Following A Few Guidelines It Can Be Made A Lot Easier.
Thanks,
Paul.