Are you ready to buy a new vehicle? Whether you are looking for a car, SUV, or truck, there are some things you need to know before you start shopping.
Since the start of the pandemic, the prices of used cars have risen. Part of this is due to the limit of new cars—which drove up the price of used ones.
There are several ways that you can shop for a used car without going to a dealership. Car auctions like SCA, Manheim, or IAAI offer a variety of choices at wholesale prices. Auto auctions are more popular than you might realize. The names “Barrett Jackson” or “Mecum” might be familiar to you from their televised collectible car auctions.
Dealer-only auctions are reserved for those who hold dealer licenses. These auctions help the dealerships buy and sell cars for their lots. If you want to buy and sell cars, then you need to apply for a dealer’s license from your state.
Public auctions offer non-dealers a place to sell cars, trucks, motorcycles, and RVs. Even boats can be sold at a public auction.
When you see a car with a spotlight, but no distinguishing marks, it is possible that it was once a patrol car. It is not unusual to see government vehicles at a public auction. They also use these auctions to sell impounded vehicles.
Because these auctions are posted in the legal section of the newspaper, there is a lot of interest in them.
Banks and insurance companies use salvage auto auctions to sell bank repossessions, salvage vehicles, and high-mile vehicles. Since public auctions are varied, you never know what you will find for sale. It could be an exotic car, an RV, or any other mode of transportation. Sometimes you can find cheap cars that you can use for parts.
The auctions do not offer warranties; so, you’ll want to do your due diligence before bidding. Know what the car is, what it might be worth, and what reviews say about that make and model before committing to buy.
Used salvage car dealers have tons of high mileage vehicles for sale.
SCA Auctions offer a variety of trucks, cars, motorcycles, and more. It is the #1 online insurance auction site in North America. You can register for free and do not need a dealer’s license. With over 165 SCA locations across the US, there are more than 300,000 vehicles to choose from. They sell salvage, clean title, and parts-only vehicles. It is also easy to filter the live and upcoming auctions on the site by using the dropdown search box. They hold daily auctions, so you can get your new vehicle as soon as you wish.
BSC America Bel Air Auto Auction runs auctions every Thursday night on 10 lanes. They have a variety of vehicles as well as grades from low-grade, cheap cars to high-grade dealership trade-ins. They are located in Belcamp, MD and handle sales for dealerships, government agencies, charitable contributions, and more.
Speeds Towing Auction runs every Tuesday morning, and they require a cash deposit on all wins. They handle repossessions, wholesale cars, and donation cars from private parties. They offer online and in-person bidding at their auction in Portland.
Bellingham Auction sells cars, heavy equipment, ATVs, RVs and commercial vehicles. The auctions run a week long, and you can pay online. If you cannot make it to one of their in-person auctions, they offer online bidding as well.
There are many auto auction sites to choose from besides the ones mentioned here. It should be easy for you to find the vehicle you want at the price you want to pay. Keep these tips in mind as you shop, and you will likely get the best deal.