Buying a used car can be an arduous experience to say the least. There are so many outlets that a person can develop a headache simply by trying to decide where to look first. Between the internet, newspaper, dealerships and driving around looking for parked ‘for sale’ signs, searching for your next gem can get ugly. Some places are much more legitimate than others as there are plenty of scams floating around built with the sole purpose of stealing your money. In this edition of Forum Friday, we will dissect one outlet that can be more sketchy than the others: auctions.
There are many different types of auctions but they are split into too outlets: in-person and the internet. In-person auctions can be as prestigious as Barret Jackson or as home-grown as a weekend police repo auction. There is usually more confidence with seeing a vehicle in person, even if the starting bid is low. A careful eye is needed to spot the lemons from the diamonds as previous history is usually a must. A lot of these cars are reposed by the Police which means they could have had a previous life as a drug car. As with any car, try to get as much information as you can and if it sounds too good to be true, it usually always is.
Online auctions are where things get real tricky. The most well known interface, eBay Motors, is usually fairly sound but that still doesn’t mean scams aren’t out there. Check things such as asking price (if it’s too low, ask yourself “why?”), previous history, title status (salvaged or not), location and vehicle description. If a seller lists a Subaru WRX has having a six cylinder engine, then the history of the car is almost unknown and it could be a scam.
Other online auctions need to be checked out first before you decide to proceed with placing a bid. Companies that say they will ship are more than likely willing to lie about a vehicle’s condition. These auctions are not out to make friends but to make money and they can and will do anything to accomplish that. Simply googling an auction can turn up a wealth of knowledge about an auction site and should help you determine if it is legitimate or not. And as always, if it sounds too good to be true, it usually always is.
http://www.autotalk.com/forums/buying-leasing/auction-cars-9298/
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