# Im stoked to buy at auction. Anyone get an auction car?



## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

Any stories to tell?


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a7185/10-tips-for-buying-a-car-at-auction-6390099/If you're looking for cheap transportation, don't let it become expensive repairs.
https://www.carbibles.com/tips-when-buying-at-car-auction/


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## SHalester (Aug 25, 2019)

omg. I need to have a nice ride to do RS; not some caca laca vehicle......


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

OldBay said:


> Any stories to tell?


Ive got a few of them.

I like Govt. Vehicles best.
Well maintained.
They sell due to age or mileage.

I got a chevy colorado with 27,000 miles on it.
Aged out.

Also, govt. Sells a LOT of Hybrid & CNG vehicles.

Picked up a Nice Ford Escape Hybrid for my son.

You can get some deals.
You just have to analyze what you buy.

C.N.G. vehicles are always LOW MILEAGE.
No one wants them in motor pool because they are harder to fill up.

You could get a 2006 Honda Civic C.N.G. with 40,000 miles on it for as low as $600.00 sometimes.

Las Vegas sells a BUNCH of Hybrids & Dual Fuel C.N.G. vans and full size Ford trucks.
Dual fuel has a gasoline tank AND compressed natural gas. You can switch back & forth.

Drawback on C.N.G. is the tanks expire.
They are expensive to replace.

( dont buy from the rust belt. Road salt kills cars !)

You can buy " confiscated" cars for as little as $1.00 sometimes.

You may not get a clear title.
You may not get keys ( pop a lock)
No history on vehicles.

Never buy car with bullet holes marked " bio hazard" or anything on back lot against fence in chicago police lot.
Those had decomposed bodies.

Motor & transmission will be good.
You want Nothing from interrior.
( Most states will only provide paperwork that says " scrap only". Some states Dont.)

Also, a police SUV may be totaled, but come with a " clean" title.

i have even seen a classic G.T.O.body for sale at a California auction.
A few classic El Caminos.
Some nice old school straight 6 jeep cherokees . . 
Dirt cheap.

And the little towns
With fire support vehicles
Like a 1950's truck
With 36,000 miles all waxed and original.


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## Cold Fusion (Aug 28, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> Ive got a few of them.
> 
> I like Govt. Vehicles best.
> Well maintained.
> ...


Excellent insight, Very comprehensive ?
Thx U


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## Roadmasta (Aug 4, 2017)

I purchased two Lincoln Town cars on eBay. One was local the other was about 200 miles away. They both worked out well and were a bargain. I used CarMax the last time around.


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## The Gift of Fish (Mar 17, 2017)

tohunt4me said:


> Ive got a few of them.
> 
> I like Govt. Vehicles best.
> Well maintained.
> ...


Not here. Ex government go for top dollar; near retail. I.e. Ford Fusion Hybrid 2010 with 60,000 miles, $6500.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

The Gift of Fish said:


> Not here. Ex government go for top dollar; near retail. I.e. Ford Fusion Hybrid 2010 with 60,000 miles, $6500.


Well
Ive seen a few cheap ones at auction in San Francisco.
Buried in multi level parking garages. Not run in years.



The Gift of Fish said:


> Not here. Ex government go for top dollar; near retail. I.e. Ford Fusion Hybrid 2010 with 60,000 miles, $6500.


I want a police Harley.
One from a snow state.
They can only run them 1/2 a year up north.

Dont want to pay over$4,000.00



The Gift of Fish said:


> Not here. Ex government go for top dollar; near retail. I.e. Ford Fusion Hybrid 2010 with 60,000 miles, $6500.


Transit services sold a bunch a while back.
$2,500.00 - $3,700.00

Also crew cab 4 wheel drive pickups with wheels that allow travel on train tracks also.

I also eyeball aluminum, copper, brass bulk scrap auctions.

Nasa uses power cable only 1 Time. Testing rocket motors.
Reels of copper cable for a few dollars if no one else bids.

I regret not buying cardboard bailer out of atlanta 
Could have got for $100.00
( didnt have trailer to transport it)
Could have handled removal with chain falls & come alongs.

Could have made $6,000.00 off it just last year bailing scrap cardboard where i work.
Same unit was $20,000.00 on ebay.

Chicago also auctions diesel 4 wheel drive vans.
A Rare oddity.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> Well
> Ive seen a few cheap ones at auction in San Francisco.
> Buried in multi level parking garages. Not run in years.
> 
> ...


Bout 15 years ago I had a cardboard baler custom built to crush vehicle gas tanks in to bales. Back then it cost me about 18K.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

observer said:


> Bout 15 years ago I had a cardboard baler custom built to crush vehicle gas tanks in to bales. Back then it cost me about 18K.


Ive done hydraullic work.
Halliburton, Schlumberger, Amoco.
I could do bailers, forklifts, garbage trucks.

Good money in " commercial sanitation".
Trucks and dumpsters also at auctions 
My pizza franchise owners have 35 stores.

Could " cut a deal".

Hell ive refurbished cranes, built new ones at Applied Hydraullics, built farm & harvest equipment at John Deere. 
Also heavy equipment at auctions.
A front loader, a dump truck, a trailer . . . you have a " spin off "business to put a high school graduate in.

Throw a crane on a barge and you can dredge private slips for a " Harbor Community"
Construction.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> Ive done hydraullic work.
> Halliburton, Schlumberger, Amoco.
> I could do bailers, forklifts, garbage trucks.
> 
> ...


We never did much hydraulic work but our welders were top notch. We'd have new equipment sent in and after a while of use things would start to break. Our welders would fix it and the OEM would fly their "engineers" out from Wisconsin to see how we fixed their equipment. They would then upgrade future versions of their machines with our designs.

My biggest custom project was a scratch built four car carrier that we built for my familys transport business. We basically looked at a Jerr Dan wrecker body, improved all the weaknesses in it and built it. That thing was very solid. It's still out there somewhere in Riverside working.


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## whiskeyboat (Oct 14, 2017)

What kind of auction are you asking about?


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## NOXDriver (Aug 12, 2018)

tohunt4me said:


> Never buy car with bullet holes marked " bio hazard"


I was at the junk yard looking for parts and saw a crashed car with "Biohazard" written on the window.

HARD PASS.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

NOXDriver said:


> I was at the junk yard looking for parts and saw a crashed car with "Biohazard" written on the window.
> 
> HARD PASS.


Good choice.

That could also have meant needles inside. We used to charge to get rid of those cars. They wouldn't be put in yard at all. As soon as the paperwork cleared it was sent straight to the crusher.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

observer said:


> We never did much hydraulic work but our welders were top notch. We'd have new equipment sent in and after a while of use things would start to break. Our welders would fix it and the OEM would fly their "engineers" out from Wisconsin to see how we fixed their equipment. They would then upgrade future versions of their machines with our designs.
> 
> My biggest custom project was a scratch built four car carrier that we built for my familys transport business. We basically looked at a Jerr Dan wrecker body, improved all the weaknesses in it and built it. That thing was very solid. It's still out there somewhere in Riverside working.


I worked on a 1914 page crane.

There were no parts!
You built it.
You machined it.
You made it work.

Oilfield had Big Toys

America USED to Lead.
Used to 
M.A.G.A.


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## mbd (Aug 27, 2018)

OldBay said:


> Any stories to tell?





Cold Fusion said:


> https://www.popularmechanics.com/cars/how-to/a7185/10-tips-for-buying-a-car-at-auction-6390099/If you're looking for cheap transportation, don't let it become expensive repairs.
> https://www.carbibles.com/tips-when-buying-at-car-auction/


Most of the small car lot dealers buy from the auctions. For Uber/lyft no, since pax in the backseat. For personal use, no problem with a auction vehicle. 
Few of the pax's that got vehicles from the small lot dealers had bad experiences. Transmission blown , head gasket gone etc etc 
They pay 600/month, use it for 6 months and return it due to issues with the vehicle or not able to pay 600/month.


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## charmer37 (Nov 18, 2016)

I been buying all my cars at various auctions over the last 7 years, I use public, Dealer and salvage auctions.


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## OldBay (Apr 1, 2019)

charmer37 said:


> I been buying all my cars at various auctions over the last 7 years, I use public, Dealer and salvage auctions.


Can we use salvage for RS? I figured not.


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## UbaBrah (Oct 25, 2019)

I generally only buy locally from Craigslist, those are the best deal provided you check out the car properly and are quick with your cash. I wouldn't buy from Ebay anymore (bad experiences with shady sellers). They rely on distance to keep them safe. I would also never buy from Carvana, Carmax etc. Literally all their vehicles are overpriced. I'd be curious to check out an in-person auction though as I've never done it before.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

OldBay said:


> Can we use salvage for RS? I figured not.


No salvage.
Some " salvage" titles are recovered theft vehicles never wrecked.

Some " Totaled" govt. Vehicles come with" Clean" titles.


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## TomTheAnt (Jan 1, 2019)

I buy cars and trucks from auctions all the time. Not for RS, but to flip them. I follow all kinds of auctions: insurance, charity, estate, liquidation, impound etc. auctions. Just wish I had more time and room... LOL! :roflmao:


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

Over the years, I've bought thousands and thousands and thousands of cars (mostly for work) at police auctions and insurance auctions. Most of these cars are too old for rideshare but are good for parts or to resale to make a few bux.

A couple months ago, I worked for a car dealer that bought newer cars 2004-2014 at an auction that specializes at getting rid of trade ins and repos. It may have had something to do with Autonation, not sure. Very nice looking cars at good prices. Except almost every vehicle had problems. I'd say 90% had something wrong with them.

Yes, you got them at good prices but you also risked getting a vehicle that needed thousands of dollars of work. FYI, stay away from Dodge minivans, every one we bought had a defective engine.

Ya know what we did with them? What all other dealers did, cut their losses and put them back in the auction again.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

TomTheAnt said:


> I buy cars and trucks from auctions all the time. Not for RS, but to flip them. I follow all kinds of auctions: insurance, charity, estate, liquidation, impound etc. auctions. Just wish I had more time and room... LOL! :roflmao:


YOUR NEIGHBORS LOVE YOU.
I ONLY HAVE 5 CARS IN YARD NOW.

6 T OTAL.
THIS WEEK.



observer said:


> Over the years, I've bought thousands and thousands and thousands of cars (mostly for work) at police auctions and insurance auctions. Most of these cars are too old for rideshare but are good for parts or to resale to make a few bux.
> 
> A couple months ago, I worked for a car dealer that bought newer cars 2004-2014 at an auction that specializes at getting rid of trade ins and repos. It may have had something to do with Autonation, not sure. Very nice looking cars at good prices. Except almost every vehicle had problems. I'd say 90% had something wrong with them.
> 
> ...


THE Prime vehicles go on Dealers Lot.


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## observer (Dec 11, 2014)

tohunt4me said:


> YOUR NEIGHBORS LOVE YOU.
> I ONLY HAVE 5 CARS IN YARD NOW.
> 
> 6 T OTAL.
> ...


Yuppppp, that's the auction.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

observer said:


> Yuppppp, that's the auction.


Man.
Ive got the " Itch" to get another car.
Also have a line on 7,500.00 spring nuts for $200.00
They wholesale for 80 cents a piece !
100 to a box. In factory boxes.
I know 3 electrical construction companies who would probably buy most of them.( properly discounted & delivered)
If they were stainless, i could move 5 times that amount !
Could probably sell all in a few days @ 20 cents each.
Now if i could only find uni strut to go with it. Package deal !
Turn my $200.00 into $1,500.00 in a week.
Few phone calls. Then a few hours in pickup delivering.

I know which pumps, valves, pipeing, conduit etc. To snap up for oilfield.
Know enough contractors to move it.

* Hint . . . sherriff offices sell boats too.
They may have dragged for " floaters" in the past" "Rescue Boats".
But they work fine for fishing.
Also, enough Commercial Fishing here to justify keeping an eye out for big diesels.
Also surplus allison transmissions.
( useful on oilfield mud pumps)


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## calimade (Apr 13, 2017)

If its your 1st auction car just goto Manheim hone in on 3 makes/models that you want and inspect them and buy. Dont buy any cars that are salvaged or noted with frame damage for RS.


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## TomTheAnt (Jan 1, 2019)

tohunt4me said:


> YOUR NEIGHBORS LOVE YOU.
> I ONLY HAVE 5 CARS IN YARD NOW.
> 
> 6 T OTAL.
> THIS WEEK.


Hence the wish I had more room. LOL! And time... &#129335;‍♂

Living in an HOA neighborhood has its challenges when you like to do this stuff, but I manage. Can't really have too many of them sitting around. Three car garage helps, but still...


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## ANT 7 (Oct 14, 2018)

I was a dealer for 22 years. Bought thousands of cars at auctions

The only vehicles you want to buy are manufacturer's lease returns (Toyota Financial Services, Chrysler Credit, etc) or ex-rentals being sold by directly Hertz, National, etc.

Buy nothing else, unless you are in the business, and have had about 5,000 vehicles pass thru your hands already while working as a sales manager. If you don't know your stuff, you are the perfect mark.

Good luck.


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