Government Seized Car Auctions – How They Work for you

Government seized car auctions can work for you if you understand how they function and learn how to make use of them to buy cheap vehicles. Few people actually even know that they exist which gives you an edge over most folks. While it is really a disadvantage to the government to sell the cars at dirt cheap prices, it is great gain to you as a potential buyer.

How do Government Seized Car Auctions come about?

The government agencies are confiscating or repossessing many vehicles everyday. A good estimate puts that figure at thousands a day. These automobiles originally belong to owners who are either in debt to the government due to tax arrears, defaults or criminals at large. Under the seizure laws, there are legal provisions to seize these properties. The sheer number of vehicles being seized each day is overwhelming and the agencies desperately need to get rid of them quickly.

It is this situation that creates the opportunity to purchase vehicles at rock bottom prices. Do not be surprised to find cars, even luxury cars at up to 90% off the prices you see at the local car dealership. You can even drive home a decent branded vehicle for $100 occasionally.

Other important things to note about government seized car auctions

To participate in such auctions, you need to be at least 18 years old. Bring along your ID when you are there as verification is needed. Alternatively, get someone who meets the age requirement to represent you.

There are some auctions which are not privy to the general public. This requires the application of a license in order to be able to bid. Normally, these are for the dealers. Nonetheless, there are plenty of public auctions which you can participate in whether you are buying a car for your personal usage or for profits.

The conventional method to locate these government seized car auctions would be to check with your local government auctioneers or city council for information about the vehicles available and auction venue. Such details could be found in the newspapers and auto magazines as well. Unfortunately, a lot of this information is not always updated and real-time.

Ideally, you need to know about the venue and car listings before you even enter an auction. This gives you ample time to find out all you want to know about the vehicle details such as its car value, make, model and performance. This piece of information can be found on seized auto search directories like the one listed in my blog.

Typically, there are dozens of government seized car auctions happening at various states at any point of time. So you can actually plan your route over the weekend perhaps to drive from one to another to view the vehicles. It is always wise to list down a top 3 or 4 favorite choice you would like to bid for. At least if you miss one, you can always bid for the next.

Likewise, to do so, you need to be fully aware of where the auctions are happening as well as when and what time. They normally open early so that you can be there prior to the bidding to actually see the displayed vehicles to make your pick. This information is found in online seized car search directories.

Finally, always bring along a qualified car mechanic as he would be able to perform simple diagnostics to assess the condition of the vehicle. If you have a friend who is good at that, ask him or her along. To get started, check out my blog for an up to date listing of the current government seized car auctions.