Maryland family car auctions can be a great resource of quality autos. While a majority of auto auctions will have the types of vehicles that you are looking for, not all of them will be a good option. The key is finding out which type of auctions will give you the best potential outcome. In most cases, auto auctions can be placed in one of several categories – salvage, repo, and government (seized, abandoned, and fleet vehicles). It is important to note that while auctions will typically be in one of these categories, that doesn’t mean the vehicles will all come from the same source. For example, businesses who auction off old fleet vehicles will often place them in the next available public auction, regardless of what type of auction it is.
What is the one type of auction that you should avoid?
If you are interested in buying a quality, family car at Maryland auto auctions, then will likely want to avoid salvage auctions. In most cases, salvage auction listings will be composed primarily of vehicles which insurance companies have “totaled”. This means that the cost to fix the vehicle is likely higher than the actual value. If you are looking for a family car, then you probably don’t want to attend auctions in which most of the vehicles will need some type of serious repair before being able to drive it. Additionally, once a vehicle has a salvage title, you must make sure that it passes a variety of state tests before you will be issued a clean title. This is an additional cost on top of the purchase price and repair costs. Along with the costs, salvage vehicles tend to be less durable and reliable over the long run. The exception to this is if you can do all or most of the needed repairs yourself, which for most people is not possible since a professional garage may be needed.
Which Maryland family car auctions offer the highest quality autos?
If your primary goal is a family car that has been well-maintained and is durable, then government fleet vehicles are a great option. It doesn’t matter what level of government is holding the auction because all of them have a certain standard of care that must be provided for the vehicles that they own. At minimum, they have a maintenance schedule that has to be followed. Additionally, the overall durability of fleet vehicles are naturally tested during its normal use. This means that if there were any problems with that specific vehicle, they would likely have already arisen and been taken care of.
After fleet vehicles, it takes a little more work to choose which autos will be the best for your family. Repossessed vehicles, especially newer ones, tend to be of a higher quality because they have minimal wear and tear. The same is often true for fleet vehicles used by private businesses The key is to always do your research before purchasing the vehicle. In Maryland family car auctions, there will normally be more cars, especially sedans, than anything else. The number of SUV’s and trucks are normally fairly similar. When doing your research, you should take into consideration the history of the manufacturer as well as the history of the specific vehicle that you want.
Before all auctions, you will have a chance to physically inspect the vehicle, however you will not be able to actually drive it. If you don’t know enough to feel comfortable deciding whether or not a vehicle is well-maintained and of a high quality, it is always advisable to bring along someone who does. You can even pay a mechanic a small consultation fee to tag along with you. This is money well spent because it can save you thousands of dollars over the lifetime of a vehicle.
If you are searching through Maryland family car auctions for quality autos, then knowing how to identify quality is the key. First, you should always avoid salvage auctions because salvage vehicles are not what you are looking for. Next, try to purchase government fleet vehicles or fairly “new” or low-mileage repossessed vehicles. From there it is all about doing your research and bidding on the car that will best meet your family’s needs in terms of functionality, quality, and durability.
