Did Anybody get their Car at Auction?

[SilverCamry02]

I was wondering if anybody got their Camry or other Toyota from an Police Auction or any other type of Auction? What were your experiences? Good or Bad?

[marc780]

Here is my two cents about auction cars - the two most important words are caveat emptor! I work for a large municipality that not only auctions abandoned cars but sells the old ones from the city fleet.

I for one would not even consider buying either of these kinds of cars. The old city cars are beat on because they are driven by a bunch of people who couldnt care less about them. they get a lot of cold starts, a lot of slamming into gear, etc. and if you were considering such a car, a good rule of thumb would be to look at the odometer (if you were even allowed to do that at the auction) and double the milage in your mind - because that is the real, actual amount of wear it has on it!
Old black and white police cars are the VERY worst cars to buy, they go 24/7, idle constantly, get lots of abuse and have usually been in at least one major crash. You could not give me one of these cars, you'd be throwing one part after another at it.

The other kind of car is the abandoned car, one that the owner never came back for and left in a lot and now the city has gotten a mechanics lien and owns it. (they are required to send registered letters to the owner of record before they do this and usually they sit for a year or more before this is done.) buying an abandoned car is a definite crap shoot - some of the cars are expensive cars in decent shape, mercedes and even bmws, but most are just clunkers that you'd never want for yourself. These cars are auctioned off several times a year, most of the buyers are used car dealers who know exactly what a car is worth and will over-bid you to death if they feel they can get it back at resale.

The worst part of the deal is, at these auctions you are not allowed to start, drive or even sit in the car before you bid on it. So the car may be a creampuff, or it may turn out that the engine is siezed up from rust and wont even crank - and you are stuck with it!
Im sure there may be some auctions out there run in a different way, maybe they are better - but i would never buy a car that i could not drive and inspect first, and that is exactly what you have to do at many of these auctions.
I'd go to a used car lot or the recycler first before buying ANY car at an auction.

If someone has had good experiences at auto auctions i'd like to read them.

[Hajoca]

I have bought cars from the dealer's auction pile... what I mean is these are trade in vehicles that are too old (like 4 model years) and the dealer would not keep that in their pre-owned Toyota Certified lot, just due to age, and not condition or milage.

These have been good buys so far for me.

My 2000 camry have been a company car bought for a project driven by a myself and a couple other co workers... but just to go from the site to the airport or to pick up building permits. So I bought it in form of a silent bid amongst bidders from my company.

[geoff5093]

Originally Posted by marc780

The worst part of the deal is, at these auctions you are not allowed to start, drive or even sit in the car before you bid on it. So the car may be a creampuff, or it may turn out that the engine is siezed up from rust and wont even crank - and you are stuck with it!
Im sure there may be some auctions out there run in a different way, maybe they are better - but i would never buy a car that i could not drive and inspect first, and that is exactly what you have to do at many of these auctions.
I'd go to a used car lot or the recycler first before buying ANY car at an auction.

If someone has had good experiences at auto auctions i'd like to read them.

I haven't personally bought from an auto auction, however I have been to a few and from the place I went to, you are allowed to inspect and I believe start the car as well prior to the auction.

[somick]

Originally Posted by geoff5093

I haven't personally bought from an auto auction, however I have been to a few and from the place I went to, you are allowed to inspect and I believe start the car as well prior to the auction.

I have also been to an auction where I could start the car and even move it a foot or two.
But I totally agree with marc780: double the mileage and have some extra dollars for future repairs.
And I have heard horror stories about transmissions dying on the way home form the auction.

On the other hand I personally know a person who buys cars at an auction washes them and then resells them making money this way.

Sam

[marc780]

On the other hand I personally know a person who buys cars at an auction washes them and then resells them making money this way.

Liken i said, a used car dealer. He buys whatever looks good and sells high, at which point it is somebody else's problem when it breaks -

[geoff5093]

Originally Posted by marc780

Liken i said, a used car dealer. He buys whatever looks good and sells high, at which point it is somebody else's problem when it breaks -

Most used car dealers are also capable of performing at least some minor body work/repairs, so if there is something wrong they don't have to worry about paying for a labor charge.

[SilverCamry02]

I think it does vary from location to location and different auctions to different auctions. I guess that gives a variety of experiences. A lot of people say good cars can be found, but you really have to know what you are doing and looking for.