Over the past few years, it is become much more popular for people to buy cheap cars at insurance salvage auctions in Alexandria, VA. If you haven’t been to an insurance salvage auction then it is important to understand exactly what to expect from one. This will help you better prepare for the auction as well as give you an opportunity to decide whether or not this is the right type of auction for you. Here’s a closer look at what salvage auctions are and why you can buy cheap cars at the ones which take place in Alexandria, VA.
What to Expect at Insurance Salvage Auctions
Insurance salvage auctions are designed to only auction off vehicles which have a salvage title. This means that you will not find regular vehicles at these types of auctions. If that is what you want, then looking into other types of public or government auto auctions will be a better alternative. In order for a car to be given a salvage title the insurance company will have “totaled” it. There are a number of different reasons that this could happen.
When most people think of vehicles that have been told by insurance company, they imagine serious crashes and mangled vehicles. The truth is that many cars at these auctions could be drivable with a minimal investment. In some cases, cars can be totaled for something as minor as having the airbag deploy in a fender bender. The reason for this is that the price of repairing the airbag and detailing the interior of the car could be more expensive than the blue book value of the vehicle. If you know how to replace the airbag or don’t mind detailing the car yourself, then these types of vehicles can be extremely inexpensive and a smart investment.
At the same time, you can also buy cheap cars at insurance salvage auctions in Alexandria, VA which have taken serious damage. They could have been in a serious accident, fire, or flood. With this type of history, there’s a good chance that you would need to invest a more substantial amount of money in order to make the car street legal. For some people, this simply isn’t a smart investment, however if you can do a majority of the repairs yourself or at a discounted rate, then it still end up saving a ton of money.
Tips to Help You Buy Cheap Cars at Insurance Salvage Auctions in Alexandria, VA
If you’ve decided that an insurance salvage car is right for you, there are a few things to keep in mind to minimize your risk. While it is impossible to completely eliminate the potential risk of buying a car that will require a substantial investment effects, there are a few things that you can do to significantly shift the odds into your favor. The most important thing to do is research the vehicle before you bid on it. Once a cars and given a salvage title, that will be added to its car history report. By looking at these reports before you attend the auction, you can make sure that no serious damage or incident was the cause of it being totaled. If for some reason this isn’t an option, start by trying to always avoid front end damage. Substantial damage to the front end of a car can cause a number of very expensive, long-term problems. In most cases, these problems can include issues like that frames, then alignment, broken axles, damaged engines, and damaged transmissions. All of these items by themselves are inherently expensive, let alone if multiple issues exist.
If you’re going to buy cheap cars at insurance salvage auctions in Alexandria, VA then try to have a repair plan before choosing which cars are right for you. For example, if your big concern is solely how the car runs then you may be able to find several salvage cars which only have cosmetic damage. Severe cosmetic damage can quickly become extremely expensive, which is why there are always a few cars at these auctions which are nearly street legal. If you purchase one of these cars, there may be some minor repairs that still need to be made, however they will be functional. Keep in mind, that even if they are fully functional you still need to get them tested. Every state requires you to complete additional tests, such as emissions tests, before it will grant you a clean title for your car.
