Do You Think Auctioned Cars Are A Good Deal

[Bumble.Bee]

My dad has a friend that can get him a car from a auction and apparently it saves money. My dad also wants a camaro. I don't know much about auctions neither does he. Isn't an auction were dealers buy cars for their lots? Do you guys know how much you would save on a car auction? Is it worth it?

[v6sonoma]

It depends on how cheap you can get it. You could get a good deal. The only issue is you don't know much history on the car unless it's been documented.

[fbodyauto]

If the price is right go for it. Some auctions you are unable to start the car, or get hardly any details on it. Could have been a impounded car or something, who knows how those drug dealers treated it.... Usually if a dealer gets a used car thats a couple years old they will just put it on the lot, no need to go to auction (they send older cars they cant sell to auction). At least thats what I heard and have seen, could be different in other places...

[jd10013]

Originally Posted by Bumble.Bee

My dad has a friend that can get him a car from a auction and apparently it saves money. My dad also wants a camaro. I don't know much about auctions neither does he. Isn't an auction were dealers buy cars for their lots? Do you guys know how much you would save on a car auction? Is it worth it?

there's 2 types of auctions, private and public. the private auctions are only for people with dealers licenses. public auctions are for anyone.

with any auction, it's hit and miss. public auctions typically buy their cars from private auctions who typically acquire their cars from trade ins at dealerships. they then bring them back, look them over, and get them in shape to be sold, then sell them.. the problem is, because they want to make as much money off each car as possible, they put as little money into them as they can get away with. that means pretty much only fixing immediate problems, and using the cheapest parts possible. in addition to that, they are almost always sold "as is" with a very limited 30 day warranty.

[clg_98ta]

Auctions are kinda like going to Las Vegas... sometimes you win, sometimes you lose.

[Bumble.Bee]

Ok thanks. Do you think they have 2012 camaros at auctions? Or even any of the special editions?

[jd10013]

Originally Posted by Bumble.Bee

Ok thanks. Do you think they have 2012 camaros at auctions? Or even any of the special editions?

no. auctions get almost all of their cars from dealership trade in. when you trade your 10 yr old Honda civic in the dealer in turn sells it to an auto auction. the dealerships typically only keep 5-10% of the trade in's they get, and they only keep the very best. if that civic you traded was 3 yrs old and in great condition then they would keep it. so any 2012 camaro a dealer accepted as a trade in they would sell on their used lot. they wouldn't send it to an auction.

the only chance you'd have of seeing so new a car in an auction would possibly be a bank repo or something like that. but those are so few and far between you would be lucky to ever see one, and more than likely it would end up at a private auction for people with dealer licenses anyway.

[Scalded Dog]

Every auction is different. The biggest, as others have mentioned previously, is private vs. public auctions. Private (dealers/ licensed only, basically) are where the GOOD deals can be found. I attended a PUBLIC auction a while back, and watched the filthy unwashed (who apparently thought, collectively, that "This is an auction, so no matter what, I am getting a great deal!"), as they reached that "bidding frenzy." Of the cars that I knew something about, they sold for about three times actual Blue Book value.

[MiracleAces]

Remember - most vehicles are at an auction for a reason and generally not a positive one. The only vehicles we consider buying at an auction are 'off lease' vehicles. Otherwise dealers have multiple wholesalers that they can sell their unwanted trade-ins through. Auctions are generally the last choice for dealers to sell their cars because of the ridiculous fees and shipping charges involved. With a wholesaler there is neither. So I say it again - there is a reason those vehicles are at the auction.

[GroundhogSS]

You have to watch for flood damaged cars from the storm in the northeast last year. They may be trying to dump them.

[jd10013]

Originally Posted by MiracleAces

Remember - most vehicles are at an auction for a reason and generally not a positive one. The only vehicles we consider buying at an auction are 'off lease' vehicles. Otherwise dealers have multiple wholesalers that they can sell their unwanted trade-ins through. Auctions are generally the last choice for dealers to sell their cars because of the ridiculous fees and shipping charges involved. With a wholesaler there is neither. So I say it again - there is a reason those vehicles are at the auction.

usually auctions set up around the dealerships. most lease vehicles and low to mid mileage fleet vehicles go to the private auctions. that's where carmax gets a lot of their vehicles.

[jameslloyd285]

Originally Posted by jd10013

usually auctions set up around the dealerships. most lease vehicles and low to mid mileage fleet vehicles go to the private auctions. that's where carmax gets a lot of their vehicles.

I bought my Camaro from this car auction https://abetter.bid/en/car-finder/ty...t/model-camaro and I was lucky to get it cheap. It's actualy a gambling and you should always inspect vehicles before buying.

[jameslloyd285]

Wow seems liked i bumped an old thread. Maybe someone will also share some good online car auctions in US?

[ZZZTOPZZZ]

Originally Posted by Bumble.Bee

Ok thanks. Do you think they have 2012 camaros at auctions? Or even any of the special editions?

Find a dealer who regularly attends private auctions. Tell him what you want and what you are willing to pay. In my area, most private auctions deal with the later model cars. Banks and other lending institutions are also a good source for repossessed cars, and they tend to let local private auctions dispose of their repo's.