Are you looking to buy at an auto auction? Here’s 5 quick tips on How To Buy At Auto Auction.
If you need to purchase a car, you are not alone. Thousands of people every day look to buy at auto auction for many reasons. The most common reason? It’s cheaper!
You can get a very nice car for very little money but you have to have an auction license to get access. There are places that will get you into an auto auction, for a fee of course.
One of my good friends recently had unresolvable marital problems which later led to a divorce. After her husband and her got divorced, she was forced to go from being a stay at home mom to having to move out and get a job.
Her first step in all this was to find a car. She needed to purchase a car so she can start hunting for a job and be able to take her kids to school. She was on a search for a reliable, spacious and cheap vehicle that would be suitable for her and the kids. After many failed attempts of looking at worthless junk, she decided to try to find a car at the Manheim Auto Auction.
She found a company {or a guy- who knows} that had access to the auction and was able to go out and look for her ideal car. She had her eyes set on one car but ended up with something even better and the best part, it didn’t cost her an arm nor a leg!
Here are a few quick tips on How To Buy At Auto Auction:
How To Buy At Auto Auction Tip #1: Nothing Is As Good As It Looks. It’s easy to just paint over a car and polish it up to look all shiny and new. {who doesn’t like a shiny new toy?} But careful and go in there with the mindset that “Nothing is as good as it looks.”
Tweet-able: “Nothing is as good as it looks.” { click to tweet }
How To Buy At Auto Auction Tip #2: Know The Value Of The Car Before You Bid. Sounds obvious right? There are so many online resources but I prefer Kelly Blue Book. By using their search feature, you can get a general idea what the vehicle is worth. It’s always good to reference local private seller listing as well. If you don’t know about what your car value is, hire a professional. You don’t want to overpay.
How To Buy At Auto Auction Tip #3: “As Is” Means Exactly That- “As Is”. If you are a wimp who gets sick to the stomach thinking about how you will go about jumping off a bridge if things don’t go as planned, walk away now! When you buy a vehicle at an auction, you are purchasing it “as is”. For those of you who don’t know what that means, it means no warranty, no lemon law and no guarantees. What you see is what you get so you better be ready for the unthinkable!
How To Buy At Auto Auction Tip #4:Check The VIN Number. If you don’t know what that is, maybe you should hire someone who does. Always look at the base of the windshield to find the VIN number and write it down, save it to your iPhone notepad- just get it! Also, check other areas of the car where there may be a VIN number to double check if the numbers match. Which they should. If they do not match, the car may have been in a major accident and rebuilt so you’ll want to skip that one- unless that’s your forte.
How To Buy At Auto Auction Tip #5: Be Completely Honest With Yourself. You might be tempted to think, “oh, this is an easy fix!” or “oh i should be able to get this fixed by Uncle Bob”. If you doubt for one second as to whether or not you will have the ability or financial space to deal with whatever mechanical challenges may arise, don’t talk yourself into believing otherwise. A cheap fix can easily turn into a costly repair.
Once you buy your car at an auto auction, you may need someone to move it. But a story for another day.
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