What Is the Downside to Buying a Car from an Auction?
05 February 2007, 08:48 PM
#2
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if you are buying reasonably new car from block theres bargains to be had, if you thinking ov an old banger your wasting your time, ex lease or ex mobility cars best, also ex mod worth considering but need re-registering all theres have been serviced regardless ov cost
05 February 2007, 09:20 PM
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Avoid ex MOD and police.
I have worked for both and can tell you they get hammered to within an inch of their lives, whether hot, cold, dry or wet and are serviced on the cheap.
The TD Land Rovers I used to drive in the miltary were bounced on their rev limiter all day long, and the Astras/BMWs etc. I use now spend all day being ragged and thrashed 24hrs a day!
Avoid.
I have worked for both and can tell you they get hammered to within an inch of their lives, whether hot, cold, dry or wet and are serviced on the cheap.
The TD Land Rovers I used to drive in the miltary were bounced on their rev limiter all day long, and the Astras/BMWs etc. I use now spend all day being ragged and thrashed 24hrs a day!
Avoid.
05 February 2007, 10:30 PM
#7
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The downside is as mentioned, no test-drive, no warranty and almost no comeback. No get to inspect the outside of the car at your leisure, but once the sale starts you get a few minutes to see the engine running, watch the car drive into the ring thats it, you have to decide to bid or not.
Also, auctions are a great way for car dealers or even private sellers to get rid of a car with expensive faults. There are countless tricks to temporarily cover up a huge range of problems, so you have to be very carefull.
On the upside, they are great places to get a good deal, whether its a nearly-new car or an cheap runnabout. Dealerships find that selling traded-in cars on the forecourt isnt worthwhile unless its something special, so most get put to the auction. These make up the majority of sales now.
At the other end of the scale, perfectly useable, good condition older run of the mill cars with long MOT can easilly be found for under a few hundred pounds. Amongst other auction buys, I have bought 3 different cars for £100 each, each came with a years MOT and each ran pretty much faultlessly for the year, I then re-sold or broke them for parts and always made my money back or more. Motoring doesnt get much better value than that.
Also, auctions are a great way for car dealers or even private sellers to get rid of a car with expensive faults. There are countless tricks to temporarily cover up a huge range of problems, so you have to be very carefull.
On the upside, they are great places to get a good deal, whether its a nearly-new car or an cheap runnabout. Dealerships find that selling traded-in cars on the forecourt isnt worthwhile unless its something special, so most get put to the auction. These make up the majority of sales now.
At the other end of the scale, perfectly useable, good condition older run of the mill cars with long MOT can easilly be found for under a few hundred pounds. Amongst other auction buys, I have bought 3 different cars for £100 each, each came with a years MOT and each ran pretty much faultlessly for the year, I then re-sold or broke them for parts and always made my money back or more. Motoring doesnt get much better value than that.
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06 February 2007, 07:16 AM
#8
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The downside is as mentioned, no test-drive, no warranty and almost no comeback. No get to inspect the outside of the car at your leisure, but once the sale starts you get a few minutes to see the engine running, watch the car drive into the ring thats it, you have to decide to bid or not.
Also, auctions are a great way for car dealers or even private sellers to get rid of a car with expensive faults. There are countless tricks to temporarily cover up a huge range of problems, so you have to be very carefull.
On the upside, they are great places to get a good deal, whether its a nearly-new car or an cheap runnabout. Dealerships find that selling traded-in cars on the forecourt isnt worthwhile unless its something special, so most get put to the auction. These make up the majority of sales now.
At the other end of the scale, perfectly useable, good condition older run of the mill cars with long MOT can easilly be found for under a few hundred pounds. Amongst other auction buys, I have bought 3 different cars for £100 each, each came with a years MOT and each ran pretty much faultlessly for the year, I then re-sold or broke them for parts and always made my money back or more. Motoring doesnt get much better value than that.
Also, auctions are a great way for car dealers or even private sellers to get rid of a car with expensive faults. There are countless tricks to temporarily cover up a huge range of problems, so you have to be very carefull.
On the upside, they are great places to get a good deal, whether its a nearly-new car or an cheap runnabout. Dealerships find that selling traded-in cars on the forecourt isnt worthwhile unless its something special, so most get put to the auction. These make up the majority of sales now.
At the other end of the scale, perfectly useable, good condition older run of the mill cars with long MOT can easilly be found for under a few hundred pounds. Amongst other auction buys, I have bought 3 different cars for £100 each, each came with a years MOT and each ran pretty much faultlessly for the year, I then re-sold or broke them for parts and always made my money back or more. Motoring doesnt get much better value than that.
sorry
on the serious side though, my uncle works with cars all day long, mainly valeting, also some mechanical work. he buys from auctions all the time, and gets some ridiculous bargains, runs them around, sorts out the problems/fualts as he gets parts at trade prices etc, and sells them for a few quid profit. but hes a seasoned pro at this game, so ditto the above really. if your careful, some money to be made here, if your not, some money to be lost too.
andy
Last edited by chocolate_o_brian; 06 February 2007 at 07:18 AM.
06 February 2007, 08:29 AM
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if your buying something reasonably new you can buy with no majour mechanical defects etc but it just depends if its got written on the ticket sold as seen, then its up to you and your knowledge im affraid
buy prob 30 cars a year from local auctions, to be fair a few have been total bargains the others, well they were ok price but i bet i could of got one from local paper same price with a bit haggling, auctions arent that cheap these days, well as far as i can tell down south there not lol
tend to vere towards damaged salvage lately although getting fed up with that too as each car takes a few weeks start to finished vic'd and logbook received etc
buy prob 30 cars a year from local auctions, to be fair a few have been total bargains the others, well they were ok price but i bet i could of got one from local paper same price with a bit haggling, auctions arent that cheap these days, well as far as i can tell down south there not lol
tend to vere towards damaged salvage lately although getting fed up with that too as each car takes a few weeks start to finished vic'd and logbook received etc
Last edited by apples24; 06 February 2007 at 08:32 AM.
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