Seized cars present an excellent opportunity for anyone near Fremont CA to get a cheap, reliable vehicle at car auctions. The problem most people run into is tracking down when seized car auctions take place. Due to city contracts with local towing companies there are actually multiple variables which will determine where seized car auctions are held and how they are operated.
An Overview of Seized Car Auctions in Fremont CA
There are two primary ways to get seized cars at auction in Fremont CA. The first is at government impound auctions. This is the type of auction most often associated with seized cars. If a car is seized by the police and towed to the city impound lot, the owner has a predetermined amount of time to recover the vehicle. Most people assume that if the owner doesn’t reclaim the vehicle, it is because the vehicle is worth less than impound fees. This actually occurs must less often than expected. In most cases, the owner of the vehicle cannot reclaim the vehicle because they have not fulfilled the other legal requirements they must meet. For example, they must pay all of the fines related to the incident which lead to the car being seized. Depending on why the car was seized, this could easily be thousands of dollars. Keep in mind, these payments are on top of the towing, impound, and storage fees. As a result, some owners simply cannot come up with the money fast enough to recover their vehicle.
The other way a seized car will find its way to auction is via private towing companies. Depending upon the towing companies contract with the city and the reason the car was towed, some private towing companies will house the vehicles instead of taking them to the city impound lot. If the owner does not reclaim the vehicle from the private towing company then the company has the right sell the vehicle to recoup any towing and storage costs. Unfortunately, it can sometimes be difficult for vehicle owners to even find out which towing company has their car. By the time they do find it, the storage fees have become astronomical or the grace period has already expired and the towing company can legally sell it. In most cases, towing companies prefer sending vehicles directly to auction because it is faster and requires very little effort.
How to Find Seized Car Auctions in Fremont CA
Since seized cars can end up at auction in a variety of different ways, the easiest way to find out about the auctions is via an online auto auction website. These websites track both public police impound auctions as well as auctions held by private auction houses. This means you get access to the maximum number of listings which increases your odds of finding a great deal on seized cars.
Recent Seized Cars Found at Auction in Fremont CA
2005 Toyota Camry
At a recent seized car auction in Fremont, CA a 2005 Toyota Camry was sold for less than $5,000 even though it was valued at more than $10,000. It had only 67,000 miles on it. The vehicle was a blue, 4 door sedan with a 2.4 liter, 4 cylinder engine.
2011 Chrysler 200 Limited
One of the headliners at a recent seized car auction was a 2011 Chrysler 200 Limited. It had less than 25,000 miles on it. This black, 4 door sedan was sold for less than $6,000 even though the local market value was nearly $17,000.
2010 Ford Focus
A final example of great deals at seized car auction in Fremont CA is this 2010 Ford Focus. With only 47,000 miles on it, the winning bidder is surely happy with final bid of $6,500. This 4 door sedan was valued at more than $16,000 before the auction began.