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Things to Consider When Buying a Truck at Auction

Buying a truck at auction can be a bit of a nerve wracking experience, especially if it is your first time buying at auction. Most of us have visited eBay and experienced the thrill of bidding for an item but more often than not, if the purchase does not turn out to be as good as you had hoped. It is not such a big issue as these purchases do not tend to be all that expensive.

Now if you happen to be a business owner or if you are charged with purchasing fleet vehicles on behalf of your company, the costs are escalated and buying a poor quality vehicle without realising it can be a costly mistake; especially to a small business.

I advise giving any potential vehicles a basic inspection, or enlisting the help of someone knowledgeable you who knows what to look for, this will minimise your risk. Remember to take enough photographs of the vehicle too as this will give you a good idea of the vehicle’s overall condition. This way, when you have a selection of potential vehicles you have some good material to refer back to. Personally, I advise buyers to ask questions and dig deep with the suggestions below:

Know your vehicle’s intended purpose. You will be surprised to see just how many people purchase a vehicle without considering how they will use it in the future. These impulse purchases are obviously money poorly spent as the vehicle will be unfit for its intended purpose. Consider carefully the needs of your business and how versatile the vehicle is as its use may be dictated by the company’s future growth. Can you change between refrigerated and non-refrigerated trailers for example? You might need something to move large loads now, but what will those large loads be like in future? Will the same vehicle be able to move those loads?

Always run a registration check. The majority of auctions go smoothly and in most cases, great deals are had and many people are made happy. Unfortunately some unscrupulous individuals will try to exploit auctions to sell stolen, damaged or questionable vehicles. To ensure that you do not buy such a vehicle it is always wise to run a registration check on the vehicle that catches your eye. The DVLA offers a free registration checking service, although other ‘paid for’ searches can include other extra pieces of information that may be useful. To use the DVLA service all you need is the vehicle registration number and vehicle model. Enter these into the site and you will be able to view the date of manufacture, vehicle colour as well as tax brackets. So if the yellow van in front of you appears on the DVLA as a blue Micra, you know that this is an auction lot you ought to avoid.

Ask questions. Mileage is always a solid indicator of usage and potential wear and tear but sometimes asking about the vehicle’s history can turn up some surprising results. Did that truck spend most of its time taking heavy loads on long journeys up mountains? Or was it used to cart light loads over short distances? A vehicle’s past usage can be a good indicator of where you can expect to see future problems arise thus giving you the chance to set aside funds for a particular maintenance job well in advance. Not only that, but an honest, personal review of an ex commercial fleet vehicle can help you make a more informed decision; sure both trucks can carry two tonnes, but which one is the most comfortable? Ask all the same questions you would if you were buying the vehicle for your own use and if you can ask the opinion of someone who would realistically be using the vehicle. Just because you like it, it does not mean to say it is the best vehicle for the job.

Do your research. Buying at auction can be an incredibly cost effective way to increase your company fleet or gain your first commercial vehicle. The best way to get the lowest price however, is to do your research. View other auction listings and get a fair idea of what your preferred vehicle type and model go for. This way you can spot the potential bargains and buy when the average price falls.
If you are already a purveyor of these habits, excellent. If not, I hope you will find these useful. The more you immerse yourself in auctions both on and off line, the quicker you will develop that ‘gut feel’ for a real bargain when you see one. Remember, ask questions and keep an open mind. Happy bargain hunting!

Government Vehicle Auctions – Find Great Deals

Did you know people everyday find great deals at government vehicle auctions? You can be one of them. They do not require any special requirements to bid on a vehicle.

There is a misconception that the cars at the auction are worn out, but many of them are almost brand new. The government keeps their vehicles in great shape. A lot of the cars were driven by government officials and some are were seized by them. Your main concern is that you get a great automobile below half price of the retail value. The auction completely checks out the vehicles and takes detailed notes about them. These are much better finds than you would get at a used car dealer.

They are some people who make a living off of buying government auction vehicles and selling them to the public. You can either use the great deal you will get for yourself or your business. Even if you are not a car dealer you can sell these cars easily on online classified sites. You will see business owners that travel to every auction available to get these automobiles for low prices. Some of these guys make a full time living off of this.

How do you find the best available deal at the auction? Your first step is locate where they are being held at. There are websites that tell exactly where all the auctions are being held, so you can find one locally. When you find one close by, you are on your way to getting the best deal you will ever find. Check out the car you want and place a low bid and you be driving the great vehicle away in no time at all.

About Auctions and Choosing an Auction Firm

If you’re planning to buy/sell merchandise, or have bought one before, you know how hard it is to snap a deal and how stressful this process can be. We all have something to learn about auctions. It makes no difference if you never attended an auction or never participated in an online auction or you are a seasoned veteran of both. An auction is not just about buying/selling merchandise, it’s about meeting your business goals. Live auctions might seem like simple affairs lasting a few short hours. But for the Auction Firm, there’s a lot of groundwork involved. So be careful while choosing an auction firm they must know about your merchandise, your market and your expected auction proceeds.

Consider the following when choosing an auction firm

· Is the auction firm experienced?

· Are they professional & ethical?

· Are they well respected and recognized in their profession?

· Have they established a large clientele of satisfied customers?

· Do they have an adequate staff of full-time professionals?

· Have they got a spacious live auction facility?

· Can they work closely and understand you better or have clear understanding of your business processes.

· Have they got a huge buyer database (with the potential to find serious buyers for every item), contacts with local businesses make for excellent word-of-mouth publicity?

· Do they provide consistent, superior service to both buyer & seller?

· Can they easily conduct an on-site auction and still offer the latest in technology?

· Do they use every possible communication technology like radio, the Internet, direct mail, newspapers, and effectively use other print media to generate your auctions.

· Are they a member of their State and National Auctioneers Association? Some auctioneers aren’t acceptable to the Associations. (Worth investigating)

· Do they attend continuing education class to better serve you and to keep up dated with what is happing in the auction industry?

· Can they produce record-breaking results and obtain top dollar for your items?

What to do during auction day

· When you register ask for a copy of the Conditions of Sale and thoroughly inspect them.

· Ask the auctioneer or the Auction Alliance team any relevant questions before the sale.

· Ask relevant questions at the designated question time.

· Watch, listen, ask and bid only when you feel comfortable to do so.

· Some auction houses are notorious for their complicated fee schedules, which make it easy to tack on hidden charges later. So discuss everything openly before hiring an auction firm.