Car auctions and you?

[tec0]

Yes we know they exist and for good damn reason, the second hand car market is basically just a collection of overpriced vehicles and for most of us owning a second hand vehicle is like owning rabies...

So I did what every respectable person would do, I went to find me-self a good deal on a second hand vehicle that is acceptable AKA “as cheap as you can get it� Now to my shock and utter dismay I found that this is indeed not the truth and lifeblood that drives the car auctions “or at least the one that I did go to�

Now you look at a little car with some potential but the bumper is broken and the bonnet looked like if it was used by tap-dances. So naturally you would expect to pay anything from R30000 to R40000 because it is a good little car and it is “relatively fixable�

Well not so because this little ruined car was marked at R62000 and unannounced to us is that the asking price is also “the reserve price� and my research showed that the exact same model of car “in better shape� will set you back R72000.

So for your R10000 discount you get to fix the paint on the car the bumper and whatever other faults there is yourself. And because it is an auctioned car you don’t get a warrantee and or any assistance other then someone pointing you to the front door.

At the auction itself, the car will start at R8000 more or less under the asking price then if the car gets bid on the price will go up to the asking price and perhaps over the asking price but there will be a no sale if the car’s reserve aka asking price is not met! So you end up spending a lot of time trying to get something cheaper that is just NOT cheaper!!!

It is in my opinion that car auctions is actually a good place to buy very expensive car “over R100000� for a bit less but if you are looking for that elusive cheap small car I am sorry to say you are better off just going to the car dealer because it is exactly the same thing when it comes to small cars... “Meaning a small car at auction will cost you more!!! Then a standard second-hand car�

So when you are at an auction you can get lucky but!!! It has been my experience that you will probably spend a LOT more to fix the damn thing up then the R10000 you have saved on your deal “on a small car�

What about big expensive cars?? Well yes you can get a nice expensive R300000 for R200000 or only a R100000, however go do your homework. These big expensive cars use big expensive parts that will add to the total price and it can escalate in a very dramatic fashion. “Also remember that most of those big expensive cars need their main service done on them�

So my advice is DO YOUR HOMEWORK!!!!