Dave Thornton

Anybody bought a car from British Car Auctions?

I just wondered what the experience was like, and in particular what could be checked on the car before bidding.

At Brightwells (4x4 auction in Herefordshire), the cars are started up and left running for 20 minutes before they go through, and the service book etc can be checked in the office beforehand.

Dave Thornton

nobody?

scoobynutta555

Ive always wanted to knock about an auction and see what the prices go for, but Ive never gone. I did come across a few auction sites on the net where they showed you previous prices of vehicles sold, but I havent got the links anymore.

Think theres one up near Bedford too (BCA)

Scrappy9

You need to listen carefully to what is said by the auctioneer, as the car is driven in.

Some are warranted for an hour afdter the sale some longer, get the information from the auction.

Most auctions cars are unlocked, for you to check over, fetch the keys from the office and start it up.
If you dont do that stand by it as its started when its ready to go through.

Cost it carefully before it goes through, decide what you are going to pay and stick to that, dont forget the buyers premium.

I have seen cars go for more than they should because 2 private buyers get carried away with bidding.

If you are early watch the traders, usual signs CAP trade books, mobiles trying to place cars before they come thru, they also tend to check cars as they arrive on the stand, auctioneers use first names to them etc.

When your car comes thru watch them, when they stop bidding try to outbid by £100 or £200. Try to get a place where you can see the other people in the hall it is not unknown for an auctioneer to trot up the price by taking bids from non existent bidders, and the unwary bidding against them. So try and see your competition. This tends to happen earlier on when the auction can send unsold cars back through the ring later on.

If you buy at a reasonable price and the car turns out to be a dog, you can always relist it and re-auction it it may cost you a couple of hundred, but its cheaper than fixing it.

logbrog

I wouldn,t buy a car from anywere else !!!
If you kow you cars and prices,you can do it.

It also helps if you can wangle a trade card.

I buy a car every 6-9 months then sell on for purchase price or a little less.

My budget is usually 7-8k 2to3years old.

Hope this helps

TopBanana

Yes I've bought several through BCA. They only start the car a few mins before it drives into the hall. I usually phone dealerships to find out the history.

How did you wangle your trade card logbrog?

Dave Thornton

Thanks for the advice so far.

Top Banana - how do you know which dealer to phone?

logbrog - How do you wangle a trade card and what models do you go for.

I was planning on a 10k budget and going for 2.5 year old cars that are still under manufacturers warranty - something diesel and German seems sensible. Alternatively, something faster and older, but still around 10k. As long as the annual depreciation is 2k or less and I sell every 6 months I should breakeven on purchase price (assuming that 10k trade = 11k private = 12k forecourt).

Whatever car, it must be right price, right colour, right miles and right spec. That bit I can do.

TopBanana

Normally printed on the numberplates... if not, phone the local dealership and if they can't give you the service history over the phone they'll at least tell you who the right people to ring.

Buynig a car with the manufacturer's warranty is what I do too.. good plan.

I would say that you'd probably get just as good a deal buying privately and haggling these days... its still very much a buyer's market.

rr_ww

Well as long as its not a Mercedes that will work.

Mercedes OFFICIAL policy is not to divulge any information to anybody other than the person holding the V5.

The amount of people that used to get pissed off

logbrog

tried to buy and sell 6-8 cars a year but wasn't in the right area to sell.
So just use it for myself,friends and family.
Just hanging on to it by the skin of my teeth,till they take it away I have the benefit of lower commision rates and use of auctionview.
New rules would make it near impossible to get one now!!!

Cars bought for myself:
156 Selespeed
Saab 9-5
MG ZS180
Vectra 3.2
MG ZTT 190+

Be flexible buy the cars with the right condition at the right price.
Ex lease are usually best.
Not many cars are unmarked,so it shows dealers must do a lot of cosmetics before they hit the showrooms,

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

Bought my vauxhall omega from a BCA place, cost all of 380 quid fsh etc, 101k miles, sold it privately 1k miles later for 1k
You can get some serious bargains, but most of it depends on who's after what, i did see a 99v vw passat with 66k on the clock go for a measly 4.8k (book at 2k more than that!).
Some are sold as seen, some have a 1 hour warranty (after the auction finishes for the day).

Tony

Petem95

Ive been to a fair few auctions, and the general impression I got was that the prices arent as low as you'd expect. Yes you get the odd bargain, but as has been said you can often get as good a deal buying privately and haggling.

Also quite a lot of the cars seemed to be due a service or MOT, so you need to add those costs on too.

TonyBurns

iTrader: (3)

This is true, there was an N reg 306 DTurbo (3 door) model with 97k (diablo red) up for sale when i got my omega, scrape down the side near the wheel arch, damaged front bumper (wasnt sitting right and was cracked so front end shunt) and that pulled 1400 quid a private good one would have been cheaper.
Depends what your after though.

Tony

rr_ww

Exactly. The trade buy from Auctions and they will only ever pay Trade. So if you want a car, you have to pay more than that. Every car has a value to the trade, so invariably if you do buy something you've paid more than its actually worth