No matter what government department or agency, you will always be able to locate auctions near you. If you don’t want to be faced with excessive bidding competition and are looking for quality vehicles at bargain prices, city public auto auctions are the way to go. It should be a vital part of a larger auction strategy to find that quality auto.
Federal and State auction events are huge and frequent. Cities not so much as they are much smaller in size. This has its positive aspects. Auction announcements and the actual event takes place with way less bureaucracy. It’s difficult to say how often these city car auctions are held, but on average not more than 6 times a year.
Countrywide more and more cities are starting to use the internet to donduct auctions online. Obviously this leads to an easier auction process. The majority of cities still believe that they don’t need to fix what’s not broken and therefore still stick to live events.
It is the exception rather than the rule for city auto auctions to be exclusively for a small number of eligible bidders. To be eligibile you need to provide proof of identity and be at least 18 years old – even 21 years in some states. It’s considered a rare event when the city administration only allow registered dealers to participate and keep private bidders at bay.
In step with their intention to promote participation ‘across the board’, the fee for entry at the auction will be very affordable. The range can be between just a couple of dollars up to $25. The fee wil be different from for example, Las vegas to Seattle and Houston.
These city car auctions tend to have a more relaxed, local feel when compared to federal and State auctions. City departments have two options – outsource the auction to a private auction house or take care of the disposal themself. You need to follow the same guidelines. I casually refer to it as the guaranteee to auction riches, and it involves knowing the value of the car and performing accurate research beforehand. Never overbid, stick to your price and you are guaranteed to pick up a bargain.