Government Vehicle Auction - What You Need to Know

While it has never really been a secret that most of the local, state, and federal law enforcement agencies hold used car auctions on a routine basis, there is still a substantial segment of the population that is not really clued in about how to find and participate in these public auto auctions. Government car auctions are a terrific way to score an excellent price on a wide variety of vehicles. If you are in the market for a car, then it makes sense to learn about them.

Many people are only interested in a government car auto to get a reliable car for the family and save some money in the process. However, there are some people who turn big profits by frequenting these government auctions, snapping up all the deals they can, and then turning around and selling these same vehicles at their used car dealership for twice the price, or more, of what they paid at the auction.

Dealers who buy multiple cars from government car auctions are not bandits. One of the things that many people fail to realize when they first attend one of these auto auctions is that all of the cars are sold without any kind of warranty, or in the "as is" condition, and that all sales are absolutely final.

For the car dealer who uses a government car auction to get a number of cars for his dealership on a regular basis, this means that there will be a percentage of the cars that are in need of a considerable amount of repair work before they can be resold. Most of the time, these dealers have a staff of mechanics that can deal with these problems, so in many ways it can be better that the dealers get these cars that have hidden problems because they can handle these issues more easily than an average consumer can.

For people who have the skills and equipment to work on cars themselves, a government car auction can be the perfect way to get a car at a price that is almost a steal. But, if you don't know a lot about the mechanical workings of a car, then it might not be quite as wonderful. The car you end up bidding on and winning may be reliable, or it could be a lemon. Just keep in mind that it is the responsibility of the bidder to determine the condition of the vehicle before they start bidding on it. Once you are awarded the winning bid, you are committed and the car is yours.

You will find that you will get the most unbelievable prices at the government car auctions if you attend one that hasn't been widely publicized, since few people will be there to bid against you. Do some detective work to track down the information on the local government auto auctions, instead of waiting around for ads about the events. If you put in the time to get the car auto auction schedules, then you will probably end up saving a huge amount of money when you are ready to bid and buy.

How do I know if my new purchase comes with a clean title?
A a live auction usually the auctioneer will let the crowd know whether or not the vehicle comes with a clean title. Before the auction begins most people are given the opportunity to check over the vehicle and ask questions. If you are not sure of what a clean title is, it is when a vehicle is free from liens and has never been wrecked or at least not wrecked to the point where it is now a salvaged car. If the auctioneer does not volunteer the information then you definitely want to ask before you make the purchase. There is nothing quite like finding out that your new vehicle is still under a lien or has been wrecked to ruin the good feeling of having a new car.

What is a salvaged title?
A salvaged title is a title that is given to a car after it has been wrecked. This is does not mean that the car has had a little fender bender. It means when there has been significant damage to the point where the insurance company has decided it is irreparable. Many mechanics will apply for a salvaged title after they have restored the car to its running condition. It will have a new Vehicle Identification Number posted on the car as not to confuse it with its previous title. Most salvaged cars when restored are quite good vehicles. But there are some that are not. You are taking a huge chance when you buy a vehicle that has a salvaged title.

Where do auto auctions get their cars?
Auto auctions get their cars from a variety of sources. The cars may be from repossessions foreclosed by the lender or the bank. Some cars come from private owners who want to sell their car in an auction environment rather than through the newspaper. EBay has turned into a popular auto auction site with many dealerships selling their inventory through the website. And there are a number of specialist auto auction sites online that can get you access to a huge inventory of available cars.