# Anyone bought from a GSA auction?



## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

If so, how was the experience?
Any problems?
Any hidden problems with the car?


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## BikingBob (May 29, 2018)

I haven't - I bought my truck from a police auction though. It had a few issues that I picked up on. But I have never bought a car strictly online without looking at it first. How are you going to get it? Shipping?


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## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

BikingBob said:


> I haven't - I bought my truck from a police auction though. It had a few issues that I picked up on. But I have never bought a car strictly online without looking at it first. How are you going to get it? Shipping?


We have a local one here next month. You can view them the day before or the morning of. From what I understand GSA cars are government fleet and are well maintained. Most seem to have under 50,000. They have a few 2011 Ford Fusion hybrids. Was just wondering if one went really cheap if it would be worth it.


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## fumbl3 (May 11, 2018)

I'm looking for a Fusion around that year, just started looking a couple weeks ago into what was possible and ended up on Ford Fusion. Looks like a nice roomy vehicle that gets 42mpg, I hadn't thought about looking at auctions. Good luck to you.


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## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

fumbl3 said:


> I'm looking for a Fusion around that year, just started looking a couple weeks ago into what was possible and ended up on Ford Fusion. Looks like a nice roomy vehicle that gets 42mpg, I hadn't thought about looking at auctions. Good luck to you.


Did you consider the Prius? What swung you to the Fusion?


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## fumbl3 (May 11, 2018)

TBH I'm still kind of torn between the two. The prius is winning me over on sheer number of folks saying 300k+ is pretty much expected. The prius that I drove as a loaner 5 years or so ago seemed good, but the doors and other things didn't seems as solidly built as I'd like to see, and the cabin was really awkward. I know ford has its issues, but I've owned Ford, dad owned Ford, and we've been extremely lucky to not have the transmission problems and other stuff people report having... (we did stay away from first year models, and watched for recalls, good maint that sort of thing)

The Fusion is bigger or seems so anyway, and this guy's blog had a pretty good write up on it. therideshowguy dot com Blogger got one from ford to test rideshare with test with, good article and comment discussion on there.

But, now I'm reading all sorts of great stuff about Prius, and may have to overcome my dislike of its aesthetics because I'd love to have a low maint 45 mpg car that'll almost certainly good till 300k or more. I am also hesitant because they are a few thousand or more for the same model year etc.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

SamuelB said:


> If so, how was the experience?
> Any problems?
> Any hidden problems with the car?


Dont buy used secret service stuff !
Heavy abuse.
Missing headlights tail lights due to built in hidden flashers.
Butchered electrical systems.

Dont buy anything from primate testing labs. Bio warfare is illegal. Producing same weapons grade pathogens to produce " antidotes" is not.

Dont buy from nuclear testing facilities.

Dont buy from area 54. Little green men may recognize car & do a driveby on it.

P.$.- Ak. = Alaska
Ar.= Arkansas
BIG shipping difference.



SamuelB said:


> If so, how was the experience?
> Any problems?
> Any hidden problems with the car?


I like the bullet proof cropdusters & surplus Blackhawk helicopters.


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## BikingBob (May 29, 2018)

It's good that you can view them in person too. As mentioned above avoid some fleet vehicles because you know workers aren't treating the car nicely; it's not their car.

For me, I bought what I assume to be a drug dealers truck. It wasn't a fleet vehicle and stuck out like a sore thumb. It was slightly older but I knew the previous owner babied it. Spray in bed liner, a few upgrades to the interior of the car, a sound system (doesn't matter to me). But look for abuse and think about who drove it.


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## tohunt4me (Nov 23, 2015)

I like the padded soundproof vans for surveillance.
19,000 miles.
Its actually Amazing how MANY are for sale.
Got a Lot of watchers out there.


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## SamuelB (Aug 29, 2018)

fumbl3 said:


> TBH I'm still kind of torn between the two. The prius is winning me over on sheer number of folks saying 300k+ is pretty much expected. The prius that I drove as a loaner 5 years or so ago seemed good, but the doors and other things didn't seems as solidly built as I'd like to see, and the cabin was really awkward. I know ford has its issues, but I've owned Ford, dad owned Ford, and we've been extremely lucky to not have the transmission problems and other stuff people report having... (we did stay away from first year models, and watched for recalls, good maint that sort of thing)
> 
> The Fusion is bigger or seems so anyway, and this guy's blog had a pretty good write up on it. therideshowguy dot com Blogger got one from ford to test rideshare with test with, good article and comment discussion on there.
> 
> But, now I'm reading all sorts of great stuff about Prius, and may have to overcome my dislike of its aesthetics because I'd love to have a low maint 45 mpg car that'll almost certainly good till 300k or more. I am also hesitant because they are a few thousand or more for the same model year etc.


I started Uber with Prius (I still haven't figured out the plural of Prius) that I rented from a company that I think was part of Toyota. They use off-lease cars that are ~2105 base models. The reviews I have read mention the biggest downside being cabin noise. I noticed that and the ride being a little rigid. It wasn't bad and I don't think it turned me off to them. I really noticed it after driving all day in the Prius and then getting in my Toyota Avalon. I too am looking at their dependability, longevity, gas mileage, and low maintenance. I should have $12,000 saved by January and hope to find the sweet spot of year/model/miles/price on one. If I see something irresistible at the auction I will have a real decision on my hands. If a good enough deal I can try and snag it and can then continue saving to get a better Prius than I would have originally got.


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## AllGold (Sep 16, 2016)

If you're using it primarily for rideshare, I wouldn't put any more money towards a "better" car, Prius or otherwise.

By the way, the generally accepted plural of Prius is Prii.


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## osii (Aug 21, 2014)

people tend to overbid at these auctions.


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## fumbl3 (May 11, 2018)

SamuelB said:


> I started Uber with Prius (I still haven't figured out the plural of Prius) that I rented from a company that I think was part of Toyota. They use off-lease cars that are ~2105 base models. The reviews I have read mention the biggest downside being cabin noise. I noticed that and the ride being a little rigid. It wasn't bad and I don't think it turned me off to them. I really noticed it after driving all day in the Prius and then getting in my Toyota Avalon. I too am looking at their dependability, longevity, gas mileage, and low maintenance. I should have $12,000 saved by January and hope to find the sweet spot of year/model/miles/price on one. If I see something irresistible at the auction I will have a real decision on my hands. If a good enough deal I can try and snag it and can then continue saving to get a better Prius than I would have originally got.


Yeah, if I see something that's a good deal that might be the decision maker between the Prius and another hybrid. I just wish the market wasn't so saturated with drivers where I am, I'd feel better about justifying the purchase and feel more comfortable about the changes uber and lyft make on the fly about pay, conditions, and PT/surges. As others have pointed out not a great idea to spend boatloads if you can on a ride share rig you are going to drive the crap out of, but I'd like to be comfortable in it though since I'll spend a lot of time in it. Some cars I find my back starts to hurt after a few hours, some don't; I have to actually drive them for a while to see. All the smaller cars have horrible cabin noise, especially with the shitty roads where I'm at where the cables, chains and other traction tires tear up the roads every year.


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