{"id":4355,"date":"2020-04-23T18:09:51","date_gmt":"2020-04-23T18:09:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/carexamer.com\/blog\/?p=4355"},"modified":"2026-02-26T23:14:26","modified_gmt":"2026-02-26T23:14:26","slug":"how-to-buy-cars-at-auction-and-tips-to-look-out-for","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/carexamer.com\/blog\/how-to-buy-cars-at-auction-and-tips-to-look-out-for\/","title":{"rendered":"How to Buy Cars at Auction (With Tips)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

<\/path><\/svg><\/span><\/span>Estimated reading time: <\/span>5<\/span> minutes<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Buying a car at auction and learning about how to do it is one of the most interesting and exciting ways to buy a car that there are. Learning the ins and outs of how to buy cars at auction, however, is where things can be a little bit daunting. Auctions have a bad wrap for being a little aggressive when in reality, they\u2019re just another way to buy. The standard procedure at a car auction is fairly simple. It does take some getting used to, but realistically, it\u2019s always a similar flow when you\u2019re buying a new car. You need to find out what\u2019s out there, what you should spend, what you can afford, what you really want, and then pay for the whole thing. Car auctions have buyers\u2019 fees but even dealerships have admin costs and commissions included. It all intertwines and becomes a very similar process. Just make sure you know it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

To help you feel more at home and get the right car (or cars)\nfor your needs, we\u2019re here to help. Whether you\u2019re buying to sell, use, or even\njust hold on to, there\u2019s always good advice out there to help if you know where\nto look for it. To give you a push in the right direction, this is ours.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 1 – Learn the Process<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Step one of how to buy a car at auction is always going to\nbe to learn how the auction process works. We have tips to help guide you\nthrough it, but make sure you learn the rules of wherever you\u2019re buying. Stick\nto the etiquette of the auction as best you can, don\u2019t make a racket, and keep\nyourself to yourself. It\u2019s a place of business after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 2 – Do your homework<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Next up is to do your homework. This pays off whether you\u2019re\nbuying from a dealership and auction, or even privately. You should always be\ndoing your homework when it comes to buying cars. It\u2019s the best way to make\nsure you know exactly what you\u2019re getting into. When you\u2019re learning how to buy\na car at auction, that can be anything from researching the auction online all\nthe way through to looking at the catalogue before the show begins.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 3 – Inspect the cars<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Reading the small print is all well and good, but when\nyou\u2019re buying a car, one of the most important things for you to be doing at\nall times is to inspect the car yourself. Always make sure you know what\u2019s\nwhat. Take a good look at every inch of the car and its workings. It’s also\nabsolutely vital that you listen to the auctioneer to hear every detail you\nneed to know, and you learn what condition the car can be in as well. That goes\nfor faults structural damage, history, or if it’s being sold as-is and you need\nto use your best judgement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

On a separate note here it\u2019s always wise to make sure you\u2019re as thorough as you can be with a car being bought like this. While any in particular defects of a car should be announced, especially when you’re still learning how to buy cars at auction, sometimes things slip through the cracks. It can often be worth paying for external checks like MOT histories<\/a>, previous owners and even financial information services to make sure you’re not getting stung. These are always fairly cheap ways to protect yourself and are available all the time.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 4 – Keep Your Cool<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Auctions are exciting places. That much we know. Buying\ncars, in general, is one of the most exciting things you can ever do. Add an\nauction into the mix and things are bound to get a little bit overwhelming. The\nbest tip anyone can give you about these is to make sure that you keep you cool.\nNever get too excited about what you\u2019re doing. Think ahead all the time, and\nmake sure you have a plan. Don’t buy for the sake of buying or you could well\nregret it. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 5 – Know when You\u2019re beat<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

On the same kind of level, it\u2019s also a smart move to know when\nyou\u2019re beaten. Bidding in an auction is a tough nut to crack, but it\u2019s\nhappening around you all the time. Don\u2019t get too competitive and make sure that\nyou know when to fold. It\u2019s not worth spending more money on a car than it\u2019s\nworth in most cases, so always try and remember what that is. Keep rational.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 6 – Don\u2019t overspend<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Another of the most valuable tips about buying a car at\nauction you could ever get is to stick to your budget. Never overspend on anything\nto do with vehicle\u2019s in an auction, you\u2019re already buying a car and paying the\nfee to do it. Make sure you\u2019re not ripping yourself off by spending more than\nthe car is worth. There\u2019s always another car out there if you don\u2019t snag the\none you want, and this is a huge money game after all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tip 7 – Make them Legal<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Lastly, remember to make your car legal at the end of it\nall. Always make sure you\u2019re fully covered to drive anything you might buy,\neven if you\u2019ve owned it for less than a day. Get insured, MOTd, taxed,\nregistered as the owner, everything you need to. It all goes a long way in\nprotecting you in every way possible.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In a nutshell, that\u2019s how car auctions work and the tips you\nneed to come out of one on top. Spot the deals, do your homework, pay the right\nprice, and you\u2019re done. The movies make auctions seem a lot more glamorous than\nthey really are, but it\u2019s always business as usual and these people almost\nalways have seen everything before. Don\u2019t panic and just do your thing. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s as easy as that, but don\u2019t get carried away. Always remember there are serious pros out there buying in bulk that can afford to take losses through bulk buying discount. You’re limited or not even aloud to obtain pre purchase inspection<\/a> usually at auctions. Play the smart game and you might just come out a winner. There\u2019s always a great steal if you know where to look!<\/p>\n\n\n\n