Car auctions more attractive thanks to crunch
Vehicle auctions are receiving a surge interest as savvy motorists look to secure their next motor at a bargain price.Over the last thirty days, CarAndVanAuctions.co.uk’s traffic has grown by 5,000 extra users, a growth of 58.8 per cent on the same time last year while page increases have grown 48.3 per cent. This is astonishing for the time of year, usually traffic to motoring website sees a decline after September new registrations and the period leading up toward Christmas is notoriously quiet within the industry. CarAndVanAuctions.co.uk has completely bucked the motor industry trend.
Marketing manager of CarAndVanAuctions.co.uk, Richard Lawton says; “This is brilliant news for auctions houses across the country and demonstrates the ingenuity of British motorists who have realised that they can secure a high quality vehicle for a reasonable price through motor auctions.
“As the largest website of its kind and a complete directory to all the motor auction houses across the country, CarAndVanAuctions.co.uk is really a litmus paper for the industry. More traffic to our website means more people visiting auction houses.”
Vehicle auctions can be a fantastic way to find a vehicle in good condition at a low price. Many ex-fleet vehicles make their way to vehicle auctions, these vehicles tend to be well-maintained and aged three years or under. In addition, if you have specialist interests such as classic cars, there are specialised vehicle auctions to meet your needs.
While this sort of buying process can be intimidating for those who are not accustomed or knowledgeable about motors, auctions represent a very appealing and even exciting prospect for others. Auctions are also a fantastic way to view a lot of vehicles at once. They appeal to car buyers across the spectrum from the buyers of the rare and highly valuable collection of vehicles at a RM Auction in London a couple of weeks ago which included the sale of a McLaren F1 supercar for a staggering £2,530,000 to those buyers of more limited means who bought the abandoned and storm battered vehicles of Hurricane Katrina.*
To help those tempted to try the auction processes, CarAndVanAuctions.co.uk has some advice;
CarAndVanAuctions.co.uk top tips
Register as a buyer beforehand otherwise you will not be able to bid. Consider going to a couple of auctions just to watch and look out for the sort of vehicle you want and observed the prices the vehicle fetches.
Weekdays, during the day are usually best as weekend and evening auctions attract a lot of private buyers who can push up the prices.
Consider the whole buying process beforehand; remember the price may not include the auctioneer’s commission. Look out for Indemnity fee too which is additional but it is worth paying as it will protect you for longer if the car is not suitable. Consider the cost of delivery too, because the car will need to be taxed, insured and may not have a current MOT certificate meaning that you can’t drive it home.
Read the entry form attached to the vehicle beforehand and note down the auction number of the vehicles you are interested in.
Look out for main dealer part-exchanges, these are often good buys.
If you do not know much about motors, take someone with you who does. Take a price guide with you too, maybe a copy of Parkers.
Don’t buy a car without a service history. Read the full description on the car.
Take payment with you ready.
Don’t buy a car which is pushed into the auction!
Be wary of a car which is kept locked until it is taken into the auction hall.
Check out the auctioneers terms and conditions beforehand. Some auctions give the purchaser a limited time to try out the vehicle and reject it if it is not suitable, but as this may be only a matter of hours, so it is worth familiarising yourself with these terms before the auction.
As with any auction, try not to get swept along with the process. Have a budget in mind before the event and stick with it. Consider in advance what car you want, the size, the make and model and stay with that.