In today’s economic tough times, more and more car buyers are looking at police auctions and online auctions for bargains in the used car market.
The huge majority of auction buyers report satisfaction with their cars when contacted 60 days after their purchase, but for some buyers their “good deal” turns into a nightmare.

Smart buyers avoid those nightmares by using technology to guard against unscrupulous sellers and public auction nightmares.

Armed with any sort of mobile browser, iPhone, laptop, etc., buyers can check a car’s history, determine its true market value and avoid making the mistakes that can ruin your chances of having a good auction experience.

With cars being stolen at a rate of one every 25 seconds, anyone considering buying a car at auction is concerned about the problem of buying a stolen car without knowing it and then running into trouble down the road.

There are two main strategies to avoid this problem. The first is to compare the VIN (Vehicle Identification Number) in all three locations where it is found. The numbers should match and they can be found on the driver’s side dashboard, visible from the windshield, under the hood and on the driver’s side door jam.

If you’re buying the car online, you can ask for pictures of the VIN in all three locations. If you’re buying in person, you can easily check these numbers for yourself.

Armed with a verified VIN, smart buyers then use a title search company like AutoCheck to check the history of the car and make sure it has a clear title.

This is particularly important for Police Auction Car Buyers. Smart buyers are aware that police departments aren’t required to have clear title to the cars they impound and later sell at auction. If you’re not careful, you could end up watching your dream deal disappear down the road on the back of a car hauler as the rightful title holder reclaims it. You lose the car and the money you paid for it!

Once you’ve used your laptop or smart phone to go online and get an instant car history report, you will need to assess the car’s condition. This is obviously going to be limited in an online auction, but you can still use the history report to suggest problems with the car and ask the seller for pictures of specific areas of concern.

When evaluating a car in person, you can use the same tricks professional car buyers use to find hidden damage.

•    Look for clamp marks on the frame rails under the car. The clamp marks will be holes or gashes on the frame. They are the result of a damaged vehicle being clamped into place and then stretched on a frame straightening machine. It means the car has been in a serious collision.
•    Check the bolts used to fasten fenders, doors and the trunk lid to see whether the paint is broken or the bolts are turned, which could indicate the bolts were removed for body repairs to the vehicle.
•    Peel back the fabric that lines the trunk and look for welding marks or body filler, which may indicate that repairs were made on the body of the vehicle.
•    Look for indications the car has been repainted. Signs like finding a small inconsistency in color between body parts or finding paint on the molding or gaskets. If you run your finger along the inside of the door edge, the finish should be smooth. If it is rough, that may be caused by overspray from repainting. If you find signs of repainting, ask questions to see if you can determine if the paintwork was for minor scratches and dents or to cover up more serious damage.
•    Listen for engine noise when you test drive (or test start) the vehicle. Major accidents often cause engine damage.
•    Check to see if the doors, the hood, and the trunk lid all close properly. If they don't, or if the edges don’t match well, this could indicate the use of replacement parts due to a major accident.
•    Check to make sure the odometer is working.

After carefully evaluating the condition of the car, smart buyers are turning to technology again to determine the car’s true value.
The Kelley Blue Book, the car industry standard for decades, runs an online service that will give you the value for just about any car you will encounter.

Values are divided into three classes:

Trade-In Value - Trade-in Value is what consumers can expect to receive from a dealer for a trade-in vehicle.
This is pretty much the bottom price you can expect to pay at a well publicized auction. This is the price the professional car buyers you’ll be competing against will be willing to bid up to (but not over) so be wise about this one and compare it to the Private Party Value,

Private Party Value - Private Party Value is what a buyer can expect to pay when buying a used car from a private party. This is the price you can expect to get for a car you’re selling to a private party.

It’s the difference between the Trade-In Value and the Private Party Value that represents a profit for the savvy auction buyer.

Suggested Retail Value - The Kelley Blue Book Suggested Retail Value is representative of dealers' asking prices and is the starting point for negotiation between a consumer and a dealer.

Each of these three values is based on the following vehicle condition definitions:

Excellent

•    Looks new, is in excellent mechanical condition and needs no reconditioning.
•    Never had any paint or body work and is free of rust.
•    Clean title history and will pass a smog and safety inspection.
•    Engine compartment is clean, with no fluid leaks and is free of any wear or visible defects.
•    Complete and verifiable service records.
Less than 5% of all used vehicles fall into this category.
Good

•    Free of any major defects.
•    Clean title history, the paints, body, and interior have only minor (if any) blemishes, and there are no major mechanical problems.
•    Little or no rust on this vehicle.
•    Tires match and have substantial tread wear left.
•    A "good" vehicle will need some reconditioning to be sold at retail.

Most consumer owned vehicles fall into this category.
Fair

•    Some mechanical or cosmetic defects and needs servicing but is still in reasonable running condition.
•    Clean title history, the paint, body and/or interior need work performed by a professional.
•    Tires may need to be replaced.
•    There may be some repairable rust damage.

Poor
•    Severe mechanical and/or cosmetic defects and is in poor running condition.
•    May have problems that cannot be readily fixed such as a damaged frame or a rusted-through body.
•    Branded title (salvage, flood, etc.) or unsubstantiated mileage.

Kelley Blue Book does not attempt to report a value on a "poor" vehicle because the value of these vehicles varies greatly. A vehicle in poor condition may require an independent appraisal to determine its value.

Armed with technology, smart buyers have a clear knowledge of the car’s title, condition, and true market value and they’re using that information to guarantee they get a great deal and avoid becoming one of the horror stories.

Technorati Tags: auction, Car Auction, car police auctions, public auto auction, seized car police auctions online auction auto public

Police Auctions deal in property that’s been seized from criminals, or has been abandoned or otherwise fallen into police custody. The property is cataloged and held for a specified time in order for the original owners to claim it and if no claims are made, the property is sold.

The type of goods found at these auctions varies widely and you can usually find both one of a kind unique items as well as large commercial lots of merchandise. Of course, you usually also find cars, trucks, and boats.

Car Police Auctions can be either live events or online auctions. They both have their advantages and weaknesses.

Live Auctions – On the plus side, live auctions usually have fewer bidders and they provide a preview time so buyers can personally check the condition of the cars and spot the specific cars that warrant more research. Once you’ve spotted the cars you like, you can use your cell phone or laptop to go online and check the value of similar cars at eBay Motors and various used car sites like AutoTrader.com. Sites like these will help you determine the true market value of a car as well as give you a feel for the amount of demand there is the market. It’s vital that you understand all of this information in order to determine what your highest bid should be for any given car. You must be ready with all of this BEFORE the auction starts.

Car Police Auctions usually have no minimum (reserve) bids. This means you have a chance at some very high profit deals. A live auctioneer will try to open bidding at a certain price, if no one bids, he will be forced to come down and keep coming down until someone bids.

On the negative side, car police auctions are usually not well publicized and finding them can be a real challenge. Most local police websites are not updated regularly and these sorts of sales are usually only publicized in the classified ads of a local paper. This general lack of publicity makes finding these events difficult, but it also means there is usually limited competition.

Online Auctions – These are easier to find than live auctions but the rules and methods used vary from site to site, so get to know the lay of the land first. Since you’re already online, you shouldn’t need to be reminded to do your market research first!

Please note that ALL car buyers should always check the title of ANY car they're considering, even if you're buying from a dealership. Get a FREE VIN Check from AutoCheck.

One way to find local police auctions is to call the business office of your local police station (NOT 911!) and ask about upcoming auctions.

You can also sign up to a subscription service like Gov-Auctions.org for up-to-date listings of auctions in your area.

Car Police Auctions can require some real effort to find, but the profits you can make more than justify the effort. Do your market research, know the true value of the cars involved and you will certainly find exceptional values at these auctions. Police auctions are a hidden gold mine for the smart car buyer.

Don't forget the bible of car values, the Kelley Blue Book Used Car Guide - a must-have for anyone serious about cars.

Click here for a free vehicle report on your car now - You'll be selling it soon!

Technorati Tags: seized car police auctions online auction auto public

In the course of a criminal investigation and prosecution, the assets of an individual may be seized and later sold at auction. Seized Car Police Auctions are where these cars are found. These are public auctions where anyone can bid and win these great bargains.

The variety of cars you’ll find on offer at any given auction is usually surprising, with everything from old beaters to high end sports cars and everything in between.

Don’t forget the sage advice, “Let the buyer beware!” – This is especially true when buying at auction, where you’re always buying “as is.”

That means you’re buying the vehicle as it is right then and there… warts and all and if it turns out later to have hidden warts you didn’t see, well that’s too bad.

Most government auctions are held at certain times of year at the same locations to make it easy for buyers to plan to attend. Smart buyers always take advantage of the pre-auction inspection time to carefully evaluate the cars on offer. Always take careful notes and decide well in advance of bidding what your maximum bid will be for any of the cars you’re interested in buying.

Market Value

The automotive professionals you’ll find at seized car police auctions all have one thing in common… They know the true market value of every car they bid on. It is essential that you know how much a car is really worth if you’re going to have any chance of getting a real bargain.

Use the internet to research car sales. Check out the commercial sites and, of course, eBay and other online auto auction sites. Do your research well ahead of the scheduled date of your next auction.

Always Get a Bargain

I always get a bargain because I don’t bid unless I’m getting a bargain! When you know how much to bid before the car stops being a bargain, then you know where to set your maximum bid and if you never go over that, you always get a bargain! The main thing to remember is that there’s always another fish in the sea and you can’t afford to be afraid to walk away from any given car, once the bidding goes over your pre-determined limit.

Lastly, don't ever buy or even bid on any car (even from a dealership) without first runnning a check on it though AutoCheck. Get a FREE VIN Check from AutoCheck®.

And don't forget the bible of car values, the Kelley Blue Book Used Car Guide. A must-have for anyone serious about cars.

Click here for a free vehicle report on your car now - you'll be selling it soon!

Technorati Tags: seized car police auctions online auction auto public