Car Auction Instructions: Instructions to be successful at live car auctions

Car auctions are gaining in popularity as being one of the best places to pick up used cars. Different kinds of auctions throw up different kinds of vehicles and different rules apply to different auctions. But the main feature that remains common across all kinds of car auctions is that you get deals at car auctions that you would not get anywhere else. There are people who manage to buy cars at twenty to thirty per cent of their actual market value from car auctions, and with a little time and patience, not to say wisdom; you can also end up getting a very good car at an unbelievably low price from a car auction. Given below are some instructions that should help you find your way in and around a car auction.

Do your homework well: Remember that you are buying a used car at an auction and there is a pretty high chance of used cars turning out to be lemons. In order to avoid coming home with a useless piece of trash, spend some time in finding out all about the cars that you want to bid for. Almost all auction houses print catalogues that feature details about the vehicles being auctioned off. You can find a vehicle’s make, model, year, mileage and VIN number through the catalogue and try to find out the car’s market value through used car dealers or by doing some research on the internet. There are a number of bluebooks and black-books available in the market that can also help you determine the right price to pay at an auction since these are books that give you approximate values of used cars.

Do not miss the preview: Most car auctions hold previews a day or two before the actual auction. This is the time when you are allowed to go and check out the cars on sale personally. Check everything from the power train to the paint and the carpeting at the preview, since this would actually give you an idea about the real value of the vehicle that you plan to buy. It is advised that you take along a friend who knows all about cars to check out the vehicles to be auctioned on your behalf. If you do not know anybody who can do this for you, just hire a mechanic. His or her services can actually save you a lot of money later on.

Arrive early at the auction: Knowing the time and venue of the auction is a great help since the early bird takes the worm is quite an apt saying when it comes to car auctions. This is extremely important if you have not previewed the cars before. You might find out that a lot of people are interested in the car that you plan to bid for, but do not let this lead to your raising your pre-fixed maximum bid amount. Listen to your mind rather than your heart, and you should be able to manage a good deal.
Do not forget to run a vehicle history check: There are a number of services that provide vehicle history reports based on the VIN. It is extremely crucial that you get a complete vehicle history before bidding on any car in an auction, since this might throw up facts that might change your whole perspective about the vehicle in question.