Repo car auctions are an excellent place to acquire a vehicle that is of good quality, at an undervalued price. Many people realize this; car auctions are a great place to buy a car, especially if you are not in a hurry to purchase. Part of the appeal is that repo auction allow you to eliminate the unnecessarily high cost of new cars, as well as the necessity of dealing with slippery used-car dealers. However, there are certain techniques that allow you to maximize the value you gain from the auction. Usually, only regular attendees of these auctions, such as repo car speculators, are aware of these techniques – but they are compiled here for your benefit. Read on.

1) Choose your auction carefully
A general rule is that the larger the auction, the harder it will be for you to gain any kind of advantage. The smaller auctions are usually better. By carefully choosing your battlefield, you drastically improve your chances of getting a better deal. It always pays to do your research.

2) Examine the product
Beware of “lemons”. Examining the car that you are about to buy is an absolute necessity, particularly since repo cars can look deceivingly functional from the outside while actually possessing serious mechanical damage due to lack of maintenance or substandard parts. In fact, the best way to avoid this is to have a mechanic accompany you. It may seem like an unnecessarily complication or an expense, but in the long run it pays to take no risks. You may not realize it but there are also many repo boat auctions to choose from as well!

3) Look like an expert
Car auctions are frequently attended by regular speculators and car dealers. These people are so experienced that they will notice if you are a newbie, and will correspondingly use aggressive bidding tactics to make you bid unnecessarily high for a product you do not want, thereby eliminating you from the remaining auctions. Dressing reasonably well can make you seem like someone who knows their business and should not be underestimated.

4) How to bid
There are several techniques to bidding. The aim is to make yourself seem experienced and professional. Your initial bid should always be made by raising your catalogue; once you’ve done this, you have the auctioneer’s attention, and a simple nod of the head will be enough to place subsequent bids. Always stand with the regulars (the professional dealers) if possible, rather than sitting with the private bidders. If you take a friend with you, make sure not to bid against them – this actually happens quite frequently, and results in the price being inflated unnecessarily. Decide who will be the “primary bidder” for each auction before it starts.

I hope you’ve found this article useful, for information on saving money on your next set of wheels visit the repo cars guide.