I'm thinking of buying a car at auction via a third party.
Can anyone give me an idea of how much cheaper a car which retails at £6k to £7k would be at auction (I'm looking at mainstream diesel estate cars)?
I'm just trying to work out whether it is worth doing by the time I've paid the fees and gone through the additional hassle of selling my current car rather than p/xing it.
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Steve,
Saving should be around £1,000 to £1,500.
NO need to do research use an auction buyer.
The difference between a trade buyers premium and a punters buyers premium should just about cover his fees so your really getting his expertise for free.
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Thanks. I'm planning on using Joe Dowd, but he's on holiday at the moment so I can't ask him!
That sort of saving can soon disappear once you've paid the buyer and auction house fees plus paid for the car to be transported (as it may not have an MOT and probably won't have tax).
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> paid for the car to be transported (as it may not have an MOT and probably won't have tax).
Book an MOT and drive it there - but not half way across the country.
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A £6/7K car at auction with neither MOT or tax would be a very rare beast indeed and an indication that someone had money to burn.
The only people I know who would do this are the cops who just don't seem to care about resale values, not that I'm advocating buying ex-cop cars, I am not.
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I recently bought a 2005 Renault Grand Scenic 1.6vvt with 22k miles at auction. MOT just done and full service history. (No tax)
We paid £3,525 including auction fees. Autotrader etc had similar cars on dealer forecourts at £5,250 and above.
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I'd say the saving can be much larger than £1,500. I for instance bought an 18month 1.8tdci focus with 38,000 miles for £6,650 including fees and delivery. This was a car that had a list price of £15,000 new. On autotrader, it was retailing for 8-9k.
2 years and almost 100,000 miles later, it hasn't missed a beat. I'd probably run it till it dies as the torque and drive is still like the first day I bought it.
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I've bought numerous cars at auction over the years and have had no problems, however I think the savings to be made are less than they used to be, due to a higher number of private buyers now aware of auctions as a place to buy. Seeing cars for sale in Autotrader at a specific price and comparing that price with what one has paid at auction is not a reliable guide to price savings. What you need to know is the price they actually sold for ( if they sold), not what they're advertised for.
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Thanks guys.
So would a car pulled out from a fleet at 3 years old (or 2 years and 364 days) normally be MOT'd before it gets sent to auction?
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Never, or at least none of the big leasing companies will put an ex lease car through an MOT before it goes through the block.
Most cars are leased for three years, then its straight to the auction house.
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Our ex Motability car had had it's MOT done just before the end of the lease.
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I'm going to check out BCA at Belle Vue Manchester next wednesday, when they have their ex-MoD sale. I rang to enquire and they said that ordinary cars on 04 plates go for about £2000, "posher" ones a bit more. Might go for a general's old motor!
Not buying on first visit, cos I haven't been to the auctions since I was a kid.
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So would I be right in thinking then that the 'unfashionable' cars (Koreans, Nissans, Citroens, Fiats), which are already pretty darned cheap to begin with, are ridiculously so in the auctions?
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As per HJ's report : BMW 520D M Sport, 2005/55, 41k miles £13,500s
I really fancy one of these as my next car. Wonder how low they'll go?
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I obviously got rid of my 535d at the right time this time last year - judging by this week's performance on the exchanges, they'll be even cheaper in a couple of months - that is a pretty good price.
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Find the bloke who bought yours PU and make him a silly offer......... would be a bit of a result provided it had been cared for............ Go on you know you want to.....
( Sits on shoulder twirling trident and swishing tail.........)
;-)
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