been looking at getting a new motor and have been thinking about getting one from a car auction, was talking to a friend and he said he always gets his from there, last car he got was an 06 tdi audi a4 ex company car fully loaded with toys(as he puts it) and said he saved about 5k, only thing ill be worried about getting it checked over 1st.
buying cars from auctions
- Thread starter terryhnwr
- Start date
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Excellent places - if you know what you're doing as the guarantee is only a couple of hours I think...take knowledgeable people with you, look for service history and body damage...avoid driving school vehicles and rentals if you can. Visit the auction a few times before you're ready to buy...you'll spot the trade buyers so see what they are looking for and the prices they will go to. A bit nerve wracking but you could save a substantial sum.
John
John
cheers john, i can view the car 2 days before so gonna head down there to see what they have.
terry,when you go and visit 2 days before is that just a quick looksie?if not and you get the chance to sit in it etc as said take someone with you who knows about cars.that way you can then SET your limit if its the car for you,when you actually go to the auction.
dont forget thats where a lot of the dealers get there cars from,and dont do much to them at all,just an mot if needed.
you can allways get an after market warrenty on the car,internet will explain a lot more.
dont forget thats where a lot of the dealers get there cars from,and dont do much to them at all,just an mot if needed.
you can allways get an after market warrenty on the car,internet will explain a lot more.
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not sure on how much of a look i can get 2 days before but im gonna give them a call tomorrow mornig and ask the question.
Two days, blimey what auction house is that
; the large houses will do at least 3 specialised auctions a week & won’t have many of the cars on the lot 2 days before!Up until a few years ago I bought at auction on a weekly basis for myself & family, to sell on privately & on commission for others. Things have changed considerably in the last couple of years & you won’t save anywhere near as much as you could 5 years ago. Buying privately can give you equally as good a saving if not better & you might consider visiting the “Trade Centre” in London (massive stocks of everything) who cut the auction houses pretty close & give you a warranty.
I don’t know what your budget is but after many years small trading, here are some tips;
• I would never touch anything over 2 years old & certainly not unwarranted
• Only buy ex-fleet vehicles from the large leasing companies or named firms
• Only use the national “big name” auction houses (I used Manheim & BCA in the s/e) not the small trading estate independents where you can have serious problems
• Know what you’re looking at. You (or someone with you) need to have considerable knowledge about cars & what to look for but the fleet vehicles are usually pretty safe bet, it’s where the large dealers get their vehicles from!
• Listen to what the auctioneer says, once the hammer falls it’s yours unless you do a runner
I only ever viewed on the day but spent a long time looking outside & underneath while it’s locked; you need to decide within 5 minutes or so under the bonnet, in the boot & inside while it’s being driven in the auction ring queue; all very exciting, enjoy it!
my mistake i can go and collect a catalogue 2 days before but the cars will not be there until the day of the auction but they will be there at 9am and the auction is at 5
Have you checked if you can download an aution list from the their website the day before the sale, saves abortive visits if your looking for something specific but if it's all new to you, it's worth going for the experience. Problem with the evening sales is they tend to attract large numbers of the general public (because it’s generally after work) & all those other “punters” will be looking for a bargain so it pushes up the prices. The large daytime trade auctions are mostly frequented by dealers; this tends to keep prices very close to book price & gives you the edge because you’re prepared to pay just a little more than the trade will; they hate it!
Spot the dealers, they don't sit in the public areas, they tend to bid on vehicles which are not going to give them trouble selling and you can always outbid a dealer as they need to leave room for a profit, wait till the dealers stop bidding and then bid from the public area, this lets the dealers know you are Jo public and they tend not to bother bidding against you.If other bids come from public area then be aware you may be up against someone who will take bidding to stupid level, be prepared to let it go, there will be another one along in a minute.
we bought a rover 214 from stoodley's car auction in manchester a few years ago
having never been to a car auction before we went along to one before we went to buy, to see how it all runs
it was very busy, its very exciting in a strange way and its amazing how quickly the whole "show" works, what on paper looks like a huge amount of cars etc, all done and dusted in about an hour
a "programme" is helpful, many cars had mot and tax and were guaranteed, if you go to an auction beforehand you can use the prog to write down what cars went for, then compare your findings to ebay and other private sales etc
stoodley is popular in manchester, has been running for years, they have a cafe inside and the food is great!!
anyway, on the day we went to buy it was a saturday morning, we had seen the car in the store at the back and looked it over, at start time we sat then soon it was coming through and the bidding started after the auctioneer read out its details, bidding rose up quickly and my other half bagged it for about £350, based on its condition and with T&T its book price at the time was nearer £1k
We collected it on the monday and paid in full [easier if local, and you have time to arrange insurance etc or collection], it was a great car and lasted us well for about 3 years
Would definatley buy from auction again
having never been to a car auction before we went along to one before we went to buy, to see how it all runs
it was very busy, its very exciting in a strange way and its amazing how quickly the whole "show" works, what on paper looks like a huge amount of cars etc, all done and dusted in about an hour
a "programme" is helpful, many cars had mot and tax and were guaranteed, if you go to an auction beforehand you can use the prog to write down what cars went for, then compare your findings to ebay and other private sales etc
stoodley is popular in manchester, has been running for years, they have a cafe inside and the food is great!!
anyway, on the day we went to buy it was a saturday morning, we had seen the car in the store at the back and looked it over, at start time we sat then soon it was coming through and the bidding started after the auctioneer read out its details, bidding rose up quickly and my other half bagged it for about £350, based on its condition and with T&T its book price at the time was nearer £1k
We collected it on the monday and paid in full [easier if local, and you have time to arrange insurance etc or collection], it was a great car and lasted us well for about 3 years
Would definatley buy from auction again
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