Brits miss out on auction bargains
British motorists are missing out on great deals because they’re wary of buying a car at auction, research by Manheim Auctions has revealed. 85% have never considered visiting an auction, with over half believing it to be an intimidating experience due to a lack of understanding of the auction buying process. But 75% of those who have bought at auction thought they had a great experience.
The research commissioned by the world’s largest vehicle auction company showed a general misunderstanding about buying a car at auction. Fearful Brits expressed concerns about the history of cars, the lack of warranties and the unfamiliar environment. But a quarter of those who had experienced an auction thought it was a better way to buy a car than more traditional methods. 22% even preferred auctions, as the process is much quicker leaving them more time to enjoy their car.
“It’s a common misconception that an auction is an intimidating place to buy a car. People mistake the auction environment as a shady place where shady deals are done and many consumers have never even considered buying a car at auction,” commented Craig Mailey, Client Services & Marketing Director, Manheim Auctions.
“At Manheim Auctions we have fully trained and helpful staff always on hand to welcome members of the General Public and explain how the auctions work. We have plenty of parking and café facilities at all our auction centres and in order to help dispel the myths surrounding auctions and educate consumers on the benefits of auction buying we’ve created our public buying guide - with hints and tips to make buying at auction easy. With a large variety of makes and models from all the big name brands we welcome consumers to come along to one of our 19 auction centres to experience a live auction for themselves.”
Some ‘Top Tips for Buying at Auction’ include:
Find details of vehicles you may be interested in by registering free of charge at manheimremarketing.co.uk
Before you buy a car, van, truck or motorbike come along to the auction centre simply as an observer first, to see for yourself how the auction process works.
When you arrive, get a catalogue which lists all the vehicles entered in the auction. Arrive before the auctions starts to view the vehicles you are interested in.
Listen to the Auctioneer. He will include vehicle details e.g. whether it has V5, full service history, road tax and if the mileage is warranted (or verified).
Stick to your budget! Don’t get caught up in the frenetic bidding action in the auction hall.
Manheim Auctions has 19 auction centres across the UK. For details of your nearest centre and to find out more about buying at auction visit manheimremarketing.co.uk.
