Auctions

red_hotxr6 · 23-07-2007, 08:20 AM

Any of you guys ever bought a car through the auctions.? As i miss my xr6, i really want to get another one or an ef/el fairmont.?Is this a good move and if it is what are the protocols, how does it work.?

J.C. · 23-07-2007, 08:34 AM

A friend of mine assisted his parent in purchasing a car from an auction yard. He pushed them to get an AU3 Futura. From memory, it had very low k's (40000 I think). To this day it has over 120000kms and still going strong with no fault recorded. They love it and prefer to drive it over the BF company car which is provided for his father.

So, in mentioning the above example, you can get good motor vehicle through auction yards. Just check them out along with service and warranty history (if possible) before hand.

That's my limited experience with auctioned vehicles. Hope it helps some. Cheers.

King Nothing · 23-07-2007, 08:43 AM

I bought my car from the auctions last year, an 04 BA Futura with 38,000km for $13,600. My opinion is if you want a cheap newish car, go the auctions. Personally though I think you are running a risk if you buy something without factory warranty as you can't test drive the car. Newer cars are normally ex government, older cars are more likely to be repossessed or trade ins that dealers don't want, so are more likely to be in ordinary condition. Saying that, you can still get a bargain on older cars, you just need to be really careful.

J.C. · 23-07-2007, 08:48 AM

Oh yes, I failed to mention that they have inspection days before the auction and vehicles are sold unregistered.

red_hotxr6 · 23-07-2007, 09:04 AM

Thanks for that info but what are the procedures, like from the time i walk in until i leave, do i carry cash into the place.?

King Nothing · 23-07-2007, 09:46 AM

Ah ok. Well the way I did it was check out the cars I was interested in on the weekend before the auction. You can either buy the auction list from the location (waste of money IMO) or if they have it on the net just print it off. The auctions will start at maybe 8ish? You need to register to bid, there is a form to fill out. When you hand it in you will be given a card with a number on it so you can bid.

Depending on the auction house they will either walk/drive from car to car, or drive each car onto the auction room floor, I like this option cause you at least have a chance of hearing or seeing something wrong when the car is moving. They will start the bid at whatever price, then you bid!

If you are lucky enough to win, you will need to go and see someone at a desk or something like that. They will take your bidder number, and your details. Then you will probably go see a cashier to finalise the transaction. I didn't have the ability to hand over the money myself so my parents put in on a credit card and I paid em back that arvo.

You will need to organise insurance. At the end of the auction there will be somewhere where you can collect your car, you will give the details to whoever and then thats it! As far as I remember anyway. Look at the auction websites, they will probably have instructions on them, or ask someone when you go to look at the cars.

EDIT: My advice is to try and wait for cars towards the end of the day. The earlier cars will go for more $ as there are more people bidding. Helps to weed out the overly keen people. I was the highest bidder on another car for around $15,000 but it fell under reserve so I had no obligation to buy. I waited for my later car, essentially the same km, model, but for $1,400 less!

Also attend a couple of earlier auctions, try to figure out who the used car dealers are. They wont want to buy rubbish, and will not pay an excessive amount for a car. If you beat a dealer later in the day, its a fairly safe bet you have got a good car.

dannyxm · 23-07-2007, 10:40 AM

I guess not all auction houses are the same, though i picked up a 1994 Ford LTD for $1300 at auction and couldnt be happier with it.

See my post (713) - Link:

http://www.fordforums.com.au/showthr...&page=29&pp=25

I wondered in the day before auction and i looked right over the car and checked everything. Its a great car.

All the best with your car hunting

:

V3RSAC3 · 23-07-2007, 10:52 AM

as king nothing said ... look at who the dealers are, my dad owns a car yard, so were at the auctions all the time ... so look for the dealers, and bid on what they do, because they have inside information from the auctionere on cars that are dodgy!!! ...

in the auctions u will also buy the car for cheaper, as the dealer will want to put a few grand ($$$$) mark up on the car, so they won't pay too much for it!!!

dannyxm · 23-07-2007, 10:57 AM

Oh and btw as for procedure,at the particular Auction house i went too, there was an 'Administration fee' of either $500 (for a car over $2500) or $250 (cars under $2500) that the buyer pays when they purchase a car. This is on top of the price of the car.

You may leave a deposit on the day of auction and pick up the car a few days later with the full ammount, or pay in full and drive away after the auction is finished.

falzoony · 23-07-2007, 11:04 AM

Yeah, My Mum got her 05 BAMKII Futura with 40,000k's through the auctions for $15,000 + $300 auction charges. it's a great car. I go to the auctions nearly every week just to check out what they have and every week there is between 10-20 ba xr6's so if your in the market for one of them it's good.

I don't know if this has been mentioned yet but at the pickles auctions I go to on the saturday somecars will have a "buy iy now" price so you can just pay what they want and you don't have to wait for the auction, sometimes cars go for more then this price, sometimes they go cheaper, it's your gamble.

XPcoupe · 23-07-2007, 11:13 AM

I think you will strugle to find a EF/EL at the auctions these days they are normaly newish cars there. It took me 5 months to find a good EL Fairmont I got is for $4k which was about the right price not the crazy price some people are asking for EL's.

falzoony · 23-07-2007, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by XPcoupe

I think you will strugle to find a EF/EL at the auctions these days they are normaly newish cars there. It took me 5 months to find a good EL Fairmont I got is for $4k which was about the right price not the crazy price some people are asking for EL's.

Yeah, when I was looking for an ef/l I found that most of them were stolen and recovered. The cars have been thrashed and most of the good bits have been nicked, so be careful and look very close at every car.

charles_wif_xf · 23-07-2007, 12:49 PM

Those of you that frequent the auctions, have many non XR BA and newer MANUAL XT's popped up? If so, what prices have they fetched? I work 10-6 5 days a week and have no time to go to the auctions other than on the weekend inspection days.

falzoony · 23-07-2007, 12:54 PM

I haven't seen any but check here:
http://www.pickles.com.au/

King Nothing · 23-07-2007, 02:34 PM

I was looking at cars for about 2-3 months, never saw a manual that wasnt an xr, even then they were as rare as hens teeth. Pickles I find is a bit expensive, try www.governmentauctions.com.au

5.0failane · 23-07-2007, 02:48 PM

Iwent with the old man back in 99 to look at a fairlane at the auctions here in Perth. He had already spoken to the auctioneers prior to the auction but being from the country hadnt had a chance to see the car prior. Anyway we glanced over the car before the auction started and it was a bit rougher than described for a 97 so 2 years old and they neglected to tell us the previous owner used it to two horse floats. so we waited till the auction started to see what it would go for and were suprised at some of the prices with fords going cheaper than equivalant holdens. A 1 yr old loW km Stato we for 38 so we though low 30's for a 2yr old Fairlane ghia would be about right, when next car up was a 98 LTD with 26,000 on the clock, ex premiers car. To cut the story short we picked it up for $32,000 with out so much as looking it over when yard value was 43,000. He drove it 500kms home that day and still has it nearly 10 years later.

XR8AU2121 · 23-07-2007, 02:59 PM

If you go to www.pickles.com.au you can log on as an observer an watch the auctions on-line in real time. You can also log on a a bidder and lodge bids on-line, if you want after say inspecting them on the weekend. There are sales in every state, every day.
Pickles Sydney Fleet and Semi-government sales starts at 3pm today with a number of xr6's and monaros, etc.
I am just about to log on and watch what they go for today.
Just go to the on-line catalogue and follow the links.