Where Can I Buy a Car from a Police Auction
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Before you ask yourself, "Where can I buy a car from a police auction?" you should weigh all the factors involved in the purchasing process. From there, find the auctions closest to you.
Why Buy Cars from Police Auctions
You can get a great deal on a used car by going to a police auction or participating in an online auction. That's the main drive to go bid on cars that can't be tested until won. This type of auction, unlike wholesale auto auctions and insurance auto auctions (dealer to dealer), is usually open to anyone who wants to attend.
Types of Cars Available
- All of them are used, of course
- In most cases, inexpensive cars, though don't forget about the potential work you'll have to put into it if you win, plus buyers' premiums at the auction site
- Used, surplus police cars
- Seized cars
- Impounded cars, which could have been sitting still for at least a year and need lots of maintenance as a result
- Cars that won't run
- Stolen cars, which will give you title problems later, so make sure you check the vehicle history
When many people ask, "Where can I buy a car from a police auction?" they ask with hope in their voice because they think it's the used car jackpot. That is definitely not always the case. You can get a fantastic deal on a car that runs like a dream, but not without research or a whole lot of luck!
The Rules of the Game
Perhaps the biggest thing to realize is that the cars are sold as is. That means that by shopping at a police auction, you're taking a risk. You can't test drive the car before you drive it, so you won't know how well it runs at all. Your best protection against paying too much for a car that could turn out to be a lemon is to educate yourself.
Take your copy of Kelley Blue Book to ensure that you don't bid higher than a car's value. Also, take cash because the auction site may not accept anything else. Other things to take:
- Your driver's license
- Proof of insurance
- A PDA that you can use to get on the Internet (if you have one) to look up the VIN number on the car at Carfax before bidding
- A mechanic friend if you have one
Get there early to inspect the cars before they go up for auction.
Where Can I Buy a Car from A Police Auction: Starting Points
Your local newspaper should give you a listing of police auctions. In addition, your local police should be able to tell you when the next one is. If they have a Web site, you can check there for postings. There are also several online auction sites, though they require membership fees.
All Gov Auctions: This site allows you to search for local government, public, and private auctions. It also allows you to get on the National Bidders List so you'll be informed of when there is a seized car to bid on.
Seize Cars allows you to bid online. Not without a membership to the site, though. You can do the initial search based on the make of car you're looking for and your zip code, but you won't be able to bid until you pay a one-time fee between $49 and $69.95. They claim to have listings in every United States city and state.
DEA Auctions also requires a membership fee, but they claim to direct you in the right direction when it comes to seized cars from police auctions, sheriff auctions, and more. Find the auctions in your area.
Auction Pass is another site that will give you information on when and where auctions in your area will be held. The membership fee is $39.95. You'll find out the makes, models, VIN numbers, license plate numbers, and the starting bids.
Police Auctions boasts a free membership fee, but they do have other options for paid memberships. You'll have to have a full membership to view the car auctions. You will be able to find out very basic information about a select number of cars by using the free membership.
The Bottom Line
There is often at least a minimal fee involved in purchasing a car from a police auction. In addition to that, there is the "as is" clause, so you'll need to educate yourself both before the auction (what to look for, how to bid, and so on) and on the car itself (a VIN number for car history is a major key). If you do take care to do your research, you can really save a bundle on a used car by participating in a police auction.
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This page has been accessed 931 times. This page was last modified 22:15, 28 August 2008.
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