Search out your dream car with Auction View

The average price of a used car in the UK is £6,278, but why settle for average? British Car Auctions has a special online product, Auction View, that allows anyone to search for the car of their dreams from the 10,000 or so consigned for sale at BCA at any one time.

For a small fee, potential buyers can log on to auctionview.co.uk and search for cars that are being offered for sale at BCA from the comfort of their home PC. The specialised search engine can sort cars by a range of criteria – age, mileage, make, model even the location they are going to be sold in – and you can even set up special alerts for the system to email you when the type of car you are looking for is available.

And because these are cars being sold at auction, Auction View is a treasure trove for buyers looking for a good value car.

Average doesn’t have to mean practical. Instead, motorists looking for some fun motoring rather than a family runabout could grab a 2000-registered Alfa Romeo Spider for under £6,000 at 60,000 miles. And the UK’s favourite sports car - the Mazda MX5 – can be bought within the ‘average’ budget at a similar age and mileage. That really would put the “zoom, zoom” into a trip to the car auction.

But if your sports car has to be British, then a 20,000 mile 2004-registered MG-TF could be yours for £6,000. Or for something different, how about a Ford Street Ka Luxury convertible? They are currently averaging just under £6,000 at BCA for a 2004 model around 25,000 miles.

The car auction is also the ideal place to pick up a first car for students who are trying to save money. A 5 door example of Peugeot’s iconic 307 can be bought for under the average budget at three years old and 25,000 miles. Alternatively a four-year-old VW Golf Match Hatchback at 40,000 miles could be yours for £6,000. Admittedly it breaks the budget a bit, but early Mini Coopers are increasingly affordable and currently sell for around £6,500 for a 2002 model at 60,000 miles.

When it comes to a family car, there’s plenty of choice - a 2004 Vauxhall Vectra 1.9 CDTI 16V 150 Club will be in budget at 60,000 miles (the 150 refers to PS or brake horsepower!). As will a top-spec 2003 Ford Mondeo 2.0 TDCI 130 Ghia or a high-mileage 2003 Honda Accord 2.0 VTEC saloon.

But for the family that needs to fit in the dog, luggage and the neighbour’s kids, an MPV might be in order. A 2004 Citroen Picasso 2.0 Hdi Desire at 30,000 miles will be in budget, as will a 50,000 mile Vauxhall Zafira 1.8 Elegance from the same year.

BCA spokesperson Tim Naylor commented “With so many different models and specifications available in the marketplace, there’s a car for every taste and budget at auction. Whether it is a convertible that only comes out on sunny weekends, a family workhorse or a new driver’s first car there’s plenty of choice for everyone.”

BCA’s top 10 tips for buying a car at auction:

Don’t buy on your first visit

Most first time auction goers find the process baffling and the speed of the auction intimidating. They can’t see who is bidding and the auctioneer keeps using terms they don’t understand. For these reasons alone, don’t buy on your first visit – sample the atmosphere, get used to the pace and attune yourself to the environment. Once they get used to it, many people find the auction dynamic fascinating and get hooked.

Do your homework

Know what you want to buy before you come and have a good idea of what the car is worth. Subscribe to BCA’s online stock locator and catalogue service - Auction View – to get ahead of the competition. (auctionview.co.uk)

Terms and conditions

Remember that when you buy at auction you do so under the terms and conditions of that particular auction house. These will explain how you can buy (and sell) with that particular company, what the fees are, and what you need to do if things go wrong. Make it your business to know what they are so you don’t get surprised later on.

Don’t rush

Arrive in good time and look around. Get a catalogue, walk the line-up and examine the stock on offer. Take time to examine the vehicle that interests you.

Do ask questions

If you are unsure about anything, ask the auction staff. They will be happy to help and point you in the right direction. The same goes in the auction hall – don’t be afraid to ask the auctioneer any relevant questions when the car you are interested in is being sold. Be quick though – the whole process can take less than a minute.

Check the car

Remember that it is up to you to check the car's overall exterior visible condition - paintwork, trim, tyres - and the interior - seats and carpets, for example - prior to sale. All these factors are 'sold as seen', so take every opportunity to examine the car in the line-up prior to entering the auction hall. When the car is driven into the auction hall, follow it in and listen to the engine running.

Budget

Set a limit on what you are prepared to pay. Don’t go over it in the heat of the moment and remember you will have a Buyer’s Fee to pay. Set aside some funds for a post-sale service and consider that you may need some minor repairs carried out.

Flexibility

Don’t get too possessive about a particular vehicle (see budget!) or overlook some obvious faults just because ‘I like the colour’… if you miss your first choice, go and look again or walk away and come back another day.

Auctioneer’s description

The auctioneer’s description is legally binding, so listen carefully. Listen for such phrases as ‘sold as seen’ or ‘sold with no mechanical faults’. The mileage should be declared as ‘warranted’, ‘not warranted’ or ‘incorrect’. These terms – and variants of them – will be explained in the Terms & Conditions of the auction company.

Bid clearly

Don’t try to be clever by winking at the auctioneer or tapping your nose. Bid clearly by raising your hand or catalogue – once the auctioneer has taken a bid from you he or she will return to you to see if you wish to continue. Equally, don’t wave frantically at your partner who’s just returning from the cafeteria with a cup of tea…