Tips for Buying at Car Auctions

Cars at auctions are usually very cheap compared to cars sold at conventional car dealerships and distributors. You can save hundreds by buying your next car at an auction. If buying a car at auction is a new experience for you, these tips can help you along the way.

Do your homework

Make sure you are fully informed about what the kind of car you want to buy is and what the car will be worth.

Arrive early

The earlier, the better. This will give you plenty of time to view the inventory and inspect the car or cars you’re planning to bid on.

Check the car

Take the opportunity to inspect the vehicle's body work from every angle. Make sure the car you're bidding on is well-maintained, and check the service history carefully. Get a vehicle history report. VinAudit provides a government-sourced VIN lookup service for less cost than Carfax.

Check the VIN

Write down the VIN from the base of the windshield for any car you're considering. Then check other places where the VIN might appear, such as door and trunk lid stickers. If the numbers don't match, the car may have been in a major accident and rebuilt. Look for more promising alternatives.

Set a budget

Don't get caught up in the frenzy of a bidding war and spend too much for a car. Set yourself a maximum budget and do not go over it. There will always be another car. Remember, you will still have to buy insurance and tax the vehicle and setting aside some money for service costs is always good practice, too.

Listen carefully to the auctioneer

The details of the vehicle will be read before starting the bidding. Be aware of its selling description. Auctioneers will often describe the cars, or 'lots', using different terms, and these are the key phrases to watch out for.