Consumers that are looking for a cheap quality car might want to check out sources other than the common auto shop. One of these great sources that is getting quite popular these days is public auto auction. These auctions are held across the United States and are open to U.S Citizens and permanent residents who want to purchase quality cars for great prices. Since this auction is sanctioned by the government, they rarely ever take the time and effort to properly announce where and when these auctions will take place. This leads to a scenario where only the very well informed knew about the locations of these auctions and fully took advantage of the situation.

Repossessed cars make for an oustanding option when it comes to purchasing cars at a favorable price. It is for this reason that you tend to see owners of professional auto dealerships participating in such auctions so they can bid for these used vehicles which they can later sell again to their customers at a much higher price. The participation of such bidders is an issue that makes regular bidders be scared of losing to but experienced bidders know that they this is of no concern if an individual knows how to deal with them.

To come out a winner in car auction is to try as much as possible to fall into the category of the professional bidder instead of the amateur. Luckily it doesn’t take much to do this, just solid decisions backed with critical thinking before bidding and setting a cap as to how high you’re willing to bid before the bidding process starts. Most auctions will allow prospective bidders to inspect the cars beforehand in order to know if what they’re bidding for is any good. If you know a car mechanic, you can make him check the car before the bidding process.

Another type of government car auctions is the increasingly popular police auto auction selling sites. Procuring your police vehicles from car auctions is another way of doing it and this way you can purchase low priced vehicles at prices that make it seriously worth your while. You can get information about where such auctions are taking place from websites that make this type of information available.

Luckily while the whole world doesn’t yet know how to find car auctions where used vehicles are up for grabs at affordable prices, everything can be found on the internet and there are sites that provide great information for users that registered with them. People who want to take advantage of such information and find the best car auctions in their specific region, can utilize such websites to profit from the great deals auto dealers are so keen to hide from everyone else.

An Auction of Repossessed cars is a great source of decent used and new cars at very nice prices compared with the vehicles listed values. If you’re interested to get a great bargain but actually are not sure of how such auctions works, read the tips below.

So, what is a repossessed auction car actually?

We normally distinguish between two main types of repossessed vehicles;

- vehicles repossessed by the government
- vehicles repossessed by banks and financial institutions

Government cars
- seized cars
- surplus cars
- unclaimed cars.

Government car auctions help when the government needs to free space and get rid of their repossessed vehicles and get some income to cover administrative costs. Vehicles repossessed by bank and financial institutions are vehicles used as collateral for loans and when the loan-takers don’t pay, they simply take the vehicles and put them up for Auction.

Which Automobiles Can You Expect to Find At These Auctions?

All kinds of automobiles of all price ranges trucks, pick-ups, fast sports cars, and luxury autos. The condition of these vehicles can differ a little but most of them are little used models and are functioning well. You can be lucky and find automobiles that are practically new and cost less than half of retail price.

How Are The Vehicles’ Prices Determined?

A public auto auction starts at low prices and are then bid upwards by people who want to buy it. Some models are really hot and lots of bidders will fight to get it. In cases like this the price will skyrocket. On average the prices of auctioned vehicles are around 80 percent off the retail prices.

Auction Requirements and Rules

Like with all auctions there are requirements and rules for auctions of repossessed cars that the bidders have to follow;

- you have to be at least 18 years to be illegible to bid at auctions
- a driving license is also a requirement.
- to be able to make bids, some auctions will require a fee.

You should take a list of vehicle values, such as the Kelly Blue Book with you. It will make it easy for you to decide how much you are willing to bid on a certain car. If you don’t have the necessary knowledge yourself, take a mechanic with you to inspect vehicles you want upfront.

Where Do You Find Repossessed Car Auctions?

Auto auctions are running almost every day all around the country. You can call banks, auction houses or local government agencies to get auction schedules near your hometown. Also check the local newspaper’s ads.

However, the easiest way is going online to the auction directories. For a low one-time fee you will get access to their databases that show updated information about all auctions of repossessed cars. A word of caution: Some auction sites are trying to cheat you. You’d better stay away from them.

by Terry Carters

So you want to buy a decent auction car for as little money as possible? Then you should go to a public auto auction. At a car auction – especially at a government auction – you can get a very decent car in any range at an amazingly low price. All over the country you will find a car auction running almost any time.

There are also car auctions on the internet and if you consider buying or bidding on cars online there are a couple of things you need to be aware of:

- The description you read and the pictures you see on the internet don’t necessarily match the reality. Unfortunately not everybody is honest and it’s easy to make a vehicle appear better than it actually is.

The good thing is that there are serious online auto auction sites where cheating people are no option (for example by clicking the hyperlinks in this article). Since you don’t have the option of inspecting the vehicle before you bid on it, I feel it’s appropriate to show some caution.

- Normally a public auto auction considers a bid on a certain vehicle as a contract between the seller and the winning bidder to fulfill the transaction within a specified time.

Do Your Homework Upfront

Before you go to a car auction, be it online or traditional, there are a few things you should take into consideration.

- you must sit down and work out a budget figure or a maximum amount that you can spend freely and – in worst case – can be without.

When you have come up with a set budget you will

- already have narrowed down your options with regard to which car to bid on
- Prevent the risk of bidding too high and spending more than necessary.
- you also want to acquire sufficient automotive knowledge or update the knowledge already might have.

Another option is to bring someone with the necessary knowledge with you and trust his or her abilities to judge the vehicle you consider to purchase.

- get a list of the different vehicles makes and models, their listing values as well as their general asking prices and take it with you to the public auto auction.

With this knowledge you are in a much better position to distinguish a good auction car deal from a bad one and take advantage of it.

by Terry Carters

Public Car Auction UK

What is a Salvage Vehicle

Any car so damaged that an insurance agency has decided the auto is worth less than the cost of restoration is known as a salvage vehicle. This does not necessarily mean that the car cannot be repaired and made roadworthy. Such autos are often put up in a UK public car auction at lucrative prices and are categorized as follows:.

Category A

These autos are too damaged to be patched up in a cost-efficient manner. The worth of the car is much less than the expenditures for repair. Even buying these for components can be sketchy, so we wary of these vehicles in a public vehicle auction.

Public Car Auction

Category B

Consider buying a category B at a public auto auction strictly for the components. The components should still be in good shape in these autos. You ought to make a little income off the parts, as their sum value exceeds the car’s worth.

Category C

A category C salvage vehicle can be repaired and made roadworthy. You can find really good deals at a public vehicle auction if you are an expert in the automotive industry and feel certain you can fix the vehicle on your own.

Public auto auctions in the UK are popular ways for buyers to find reasonably priced vehicles at fair prices. It’s important to keep a clear head and not get caught up in the emotion of a public car auction. Only then will your purchase price be a fair one.

UK Car Auction

Category D

These cars can be fixed for less than its market worth. Plan on earning some money if you plan to resell the auto at a car auction or another spot.

Category X

Category X cars often have little or no damage and generally are recovered stolen vehicles. As little work is involved in fixing these up, it’s no trouble to get someone to buy them at a nice price inside live auto auctions or inside an online public car auction.

So here’s the bottom line on salvage vehicles you might find at a public car auction within the UK: Stick to category X and D if your budget allows and if you’re not mechanically inclined. Category C should be for those who understand the inner workings of a car and the extent of the work needed to earn a profit. Category A and B automobiles are shakier and only useful for parts if you’re a true car expert.