Your old car just went to pieces today and you have very little money in your pockets. Perhaps you could look at the very limited selection at one of those local car dealerships that offer financing on a high sticker price made even higher by the interest rates they plan on charging you. You could go to the bank for a loan and beg the loan officer to give you some cash at a very high interest rate. You could do either of these things but you wish there was another option. Well, there are other options and they are called car auction sites.

How Do Car Auction Sites Work?

If you want to avail yourself of this great money saving opportunity, it may prove helpful to learn a bit about car auction sites first. Car auction sites offer a wide range of vehicle choices due to their very nature. The automobiles being auctioned are usually placed up for bid by individuals or small auto dealerships so prices can range from the no reserve car auction to items that have a preset price or at least some reserve on the car where the seller has the right to refuse to sell unless the price goes higher than his stated reserve price. Thus if a seller put a vehicle on an car auction site with a reserve of two hundred dollars and the highest bidder only bid one hundred ninety dollars, the seller would have the choice of selling the car for the one hundred ninety dollar bid or refusing the sale and relisting the car thru another car auction site.

There are a few things to consider before bidding on car auction sites as well. One major consideration is the location of the vehicle and the cost and method of shipping. The automobiles sold on car auction sites are located around the globe so pay close attention to where the car is located before bidding because all bids are considered final and legally binding as contracts and if you win the bid you will be expected to fulfill your contractual obligations towards the purchase.

Another consideration before bidding on car auction sites is the reputation of the seller offering the vehicle you are looking at. Car auction sites such as Ebay Motors have a great way of making sure you know the sellers reputation. Every buyer and seller on Ebay has a rating. It is generally considered a very good practice to buy from sellers who have high ratings and good feedback. This helps to insure that your experience with car auction sites will be a pleasant one.

In the first place, long time ago, when the first car appeared and the automobile industry was born this way of transportation was seen more as a hobby. The ordinary people would still use the old ways of transportation. So the car’s utility wasn’t fully understood not until in the 20th century. Now the car is an object that is no longer thought to be a hobby but a must, it is now an utility. People can no longer imagine their world without the automobile.

Unfortunately for some of us, cars are still too expensive. Not everybody can afford to spend a lot of money on new cars. That is why the car auctions are so successful today. This type of auction is used in a lot of countries, and is now a common practice.

In the United States the number of car auctions has increased since a few years ago and is constantly increasing. There are car auctions in every city, there are car auctions in L.A, car auctions in New York, car auctions in Sacramento, and so on.

The car auction in Sacramento for example, has nothing more or less from the car auction in L.A. All the car auctions work around the same idea: used cars that people can buy for a lower price.

What are Car Auctions Really about?

For dealers, the car auction is a great marketplace, a marketplace full of opportunities and a very important part of their business. The car auction represents the meeting point where both socializing and big transactions take place.

Because we first took the example of the car auction in Sacramento let us continue with this one. Cars end up at a car auction for all kind of reasons. It’s the same here, with the car auction in Sacramento. One of the reasons why cars end up at a car auction, for example at the car auction in Sacramento, is their age.

Many dealers offer all sort of leases and other types of facilities. When returned, these “off-lease” cars will end up at a car auction. This happens because it is much easier and also more convenient for the dealership to use the car auction system instead of just trying to sell them and place them in a car lot, especially if the vehicles are well used.

Another way how cars can end up at a car auction is that their companies are trading them. The companies’ cars are usually traded after some years, and the car auction is the best place where they can be sold. That is why the car auction is the best place where you can either sell or buy a used car. It’s the same at all the car auctions, regardless of their location, and it’s the same at the car auction in Sacramento too, just in case you were asking.

Normally, in all those SUVs like vans, there is quite enough space than in any small cars, yes you may have to spend more money on fuel but still the comfort level that you get in the van is high and that cannot be ignored.

You may plan to purchase a second hand van but if only you get a low price deal. But if you don’t think the deal is in your favor, you can go for purchasing a van from government surplus vans auction.

In government auctions you may find a vehicle that is seized by the financer who was unable to get his loan money back or other government vehicles which are now off duty. These vehicles are mostly very less used and normally the history of such automobiles is very well known. This information is provides is important while you bid for it later.

As mentioned before, the vans bought from government auctions are in near perfect conditions and it not normally mandatory required to be serviced. Simply buy them and drive them.

Once you make up your mind to buy one of the vans from government surplus auctions, you may register your self and allow yourself to ignition start it, one of the best way to buy any automobile! Get into the drivers’ seat and check for the interior of the car. Check for the air-conditioner or heater, the wipers, all those switches and other electronics that it may have.

Do remember one thing that no one is allowed to take a test drive of the vehicle unless he or she wins the bid. Now, like in any auction, or a bidding event, the one who bids the highest, wins. Who knows if you are lucky and smart enough you might take the vehicle home.

Also remember there are so may people play a part in government surplus auction. Some want to use the vehicle for personal purpose and some for the business purpose. Therefore the competition is quite high when you wish to get a vehicle at very reasonable prices. Keeping another choice is helpful if you are unable to secure a dream car.

Furthermore, even if all your efforts go in vain, there is no need to get disheartened, as these auctions happen several times during each year. Just an eye on the news sections of the government websites.

But for those lucky ones who are able secure a good van must be careful about the papers and the legalities of the vehicle. Make sure you have completed all the formalities about transferring the same to yourself. The formalities can be completed there at the auction’s site or later. As sometimes officials allows you to simply reveal your social security number or with any other identification document.

With the world becoming more and more globalized, there has been a increase in business for car shipping companies to ship all types of vehicles ranging from motorbikes to lorries, trucks etc. Online car sales and car auctions have also contributed to an increase in demand for car shipping services.

As a result, today there is a wide range of car shipping companies to choose from. But how do you go about picking a car shipping service that is suitable for your car? Here are a few tips to bear in mind.

1. Enclosed Or Not Enclosed

You will need to decide whether your car needs to be enclosed in a container or not during shipping. Generally enclosed containers are more expensive but the advantage is your car will not need to suffer from wind, rain, debris etc during transportation.

I would recommend to use an the enclosed method of transportation if your car is a brand new one or is expensive. An example would be a vintage car or an expensive sports automobile.

2. Shipping Routes

You may need to check with the car shipping company whether they can deliver to your house. Some shipping companies only deliver to major cities and certain pickup locations after which you are expected to go there to collect the car.

Other car shipping companies will charge an additional fee to ship it to your house. So it is important you check with the company before hand the shipping arrangement.

3. Car Inspection

Most car shipping companies will have a car inspection checklist before and after the car is shipped. You want to go through that checklist and make sure your condition of the car is checked correctly before shipping.

You can take your time to inspect the car after it has been shipped to check for any damages to your car.

5. Car Shipping Insurance

You may want to check with the car shipping companies on the shipping insurance coverage on your car and the cost involved. Most car shipping companies include insurance in the total shipping cost but some don’t and will require an additional charge. So make sure you know the insurance coverage and the cost if needed.

Not every person who drives a luxury car is wealthy. The guy next door who drives a BMW or Mercedes may have received the car as a gift, inherited it, or won it in a bet or a raffle.

If you don’t have any rich relatives likely to give or leave you a Jaguar, or if you don’t fancy your luck in games of chance, there’s one more option for you. Get a government-seized car on auction, and you’ll be able to drive the car of your dreams without paying an arm and a leg for it.

What is a government-seized automobile? When criminals are caught, the government seizes their property, including their automobiles. The government then auctions these automobiles off.

As you might imagine, a lot of criminals drive expensive or highly customized vehicles, and these are the kinds of vehicles that end up in government-seized automobile auctions.

How do I find a government-seized auto auction? These auctions are held at frequent intervals in different parts of the country. There is likely to be one near you, but if you’re willing to travel, that expands your range of options considerably.

You can look for auction listings in newspapers or online. If you decide to look online, you can either do your own search or use an online auction directory service (for a one-time fee). If you hire a directory service, make sure you get a money-back guarantee.

How can I participate in a government-seized auto auction? When you’ve found an auction you want to participate in, get in touch with the auction administrators and ask about registration requirements. In most cases, registration is free, and a photo ID is all that’s required.

How do I pay for my purchases at these auctions? Most auctions accept cash, cashier’s check, and credit card (Visa or MasterCard). Payment terms differ from auction to auction. Some auctions will require a deposit on the day of the auction and the balance the following day.

Other auctions require immediate full payment for all purchases. Auctions that allow deposits on the day of the auction might require immediate full payment for purchases worth less than a certain amount, say, $5,000. Before you go to the auction site, find out what modes of payment the auction allows.

Are these auctions for real? It’s possible to get good deals at these auctions, but you will have to do your homework. Don’t go in there before you’ve armed yourself with information about the kind of car you want and the kind of prices such a car would fetch on the market.

The best deals at government-seized auto auctions are usually on older, well-maintained vehicles.

There are several downsides to acquiring vehicles at government-seized auto auctions. First, the selection changes all the time. You can’t specify the kind of vehicle you want. You have to settle for what’s available. And because of the constant changes in selection, you can’t expect detailed information on descriptions and prices.

What information you do get is not necessarily reliable. It would be best to check out the vehicle yourself. If the auction is far from your place of residence, you will have to travel to the auction site at least a few days before the day of the auction to inspect the goods.

Second, you won’t be able to test-drive the vehicles. You’ll be able to look the vehicle over and ask questions, though. Vehicles aren’t available for inspection on the day of the auction, but there are auction previews, usually a day or two in advance. This is another reason to travel to the auction site at least a few days beforehand.

Third, these auctions don’t offer warranties. So be sure to get as much information as you can about the car you want. Ask the auction administrators for the car’s Vehicle Information Number (VIN) and use it to get a CarFax report on the car.

The CarFax report will give you valuable information, including odometer readings and history of flood damage or accidents.

Finally, bidding can get extremely competitive, especially if the car you have your eye on is new, popular, or well-maintained. You may find yourself bidding against used-car dealers, many of whom search these auctions for bargains that they can resell in turn.

Furious bidding can push auction prices up, sometimes close to or even exceeding the actual value of the automobile. When this happens, there’s little point in acquiring the automobile at an auction. You might as well buy it somewhere else.

Not too far from the high-end auto dealerships along San Francisco’s Van Ness Avenue, some surprising faces are turning up at Bay area car auctions. Faces you’ve seen on television, on celluloid and on the playing field. And they’re all looking to save money on a used car.

Recent high-profile stories of athletes and entertainers losing it as fast and as big as they made it have made many in the upper income brackets more cautious about glitzy spending sprees that make even the biggest paychecks go all too quickly. Public auto auctions offer them a chance to get marquee brands to fill multi-car garages at a fraction of retail prices.

“Yeah, I come here a lot,” one prominent athlete who asked not to be identified said at a recent automobile auction sponsored by Alameda County Auction (ACAuction.com) in Dublin, CA. “People think that just because I make a lot of money, I don’t need to worry about how much a car costs. But I like a good deal just like everyone else.”

This particular sports figure walked away from a recent automobile auction with a late-model used Mercedes and a Range Rover “for ski trips to Squaw Valley,” both at a fraction of the full retail price.

“Word gets around that you can get used cars below blue book at auto auctions and everyone wants to get in on the action,” said Alameda County Auction Chief Executive Officer, Adel Saadeh. “People like knowing that they got the best deal on a car, no matter what their income level.”

Saadeh says that their end-of-year automobile auction, scheduled for Saturday, December 31, 2005 at 9:00 AM, will be their biggest ever. “This is when we really have a lot of people looking to save big for the end of the year, and our inventory reflects that.” [PRWEB]

In the Auto News: alameda county auction | automobile auction | public auto auctions | car auctions

Before purchasing a new or used car, you may want to consider purchasing automobiles that are seized by the Government or repossessed by Banks. The Government and Banks use an auction process selling the car to the highest bidder.

Cars often auction off with starting price as low as $100 USD and it is not unusual where you can save up to 90% off the book value of the car. Winning the auction can save you thousands of dollars or can extend your purchasing power allowing you to buy into higher class of vehicles.

All makes and models from economy to Luxury vehicles are auctioned with clean titles. Currently, CheapCarSearch.com lists over 250,000 vehicles that you can choose from. The CheapCarSearch.com Website requires a low membership fee, but considering the potential savings, it is well worth the cost.

CheapCarSeach.com provides a search engine that quickly lists the cars available in your area. You simply select the automobile make and enter your zip code and you get a list of cars by year, model, color and starting bid.

You will need to pre-register to participate in the auction. CheapCarSearch.com handles this process and provides you with the bidding instructions.

Each vehicle is assigned an auction number and a location of the auction. You should inspect the vehicle prior to placing the bid and have a good understanding of the retail blue-book value of the car.

Edmunds.com is an excellent resource for researching prices and specifications for new and used cars. The Website lists the current dealer retail prices for all makes and models. As a goal, you should limit your highest bid to about 50% of the dealer retail price.

The final bidding price of the auction is determined by competition with other bidders. Try not to get caught up in the excitement of the auction. You may even want to consider attending an auction or two prior to bidding on the car you want to get a feel for the process.

If you are the winning bidder, you will need to settle the payment with the transaction clerk. You can use cash, check or credit to settle the bid. Sometimes the Auction Company will offer financing. Terms and settlement conditions are listed in the bidding instructions. Read and fully understand the bidding conditions prior to making any bids.

After you complete your purchase, you will receive an invoice that will allow you to drive or ship your new car to your home. The Auction Company will guarantee clean title to your new car and will aid you in making shipping arrangements if you request.

Although the auction process is intimidating at first, it is well worth the trouble since you can save thousands purchasing repossessed autos though auctions.

Tags: Auctions, Used Cars