Bristol Manheim Auctions

[Fordy62]

Anyone got any tips for buying at the auction?

Are there better venders to buy from? 

Any tips would be most appreciated. 

[Fiale]

I have not been to a car auction, but have bought a few things at auction before. The biggest thing is to remember you have to pay VAT and Auction fees on top of your bid, so make sure you calculate these in..

[BigTone]

23 minutes ago, Fiale said:

I have not been to a car auction, but have bought a few things at auction before. The biggest thing is to remember you have to pay VAT and Auction fees on top of your bid, so make sure you calculate these in..

Also very easy to get carried away when bidding so be strict with yourself

[Major Isewater]

Do your homework in advance.

Shortlist what models you are interested in and the price they normally fetch .

Go and look around them in the parking lot . 

Check the body work for ill fitting panels , take a magnet to see if there is filler .

Look under the bonnet if you can , check for oil leaks and " mayonnaise " in the oil filler .

Check for uneven tyre wear .

Check in the glove box for the papers , service records etc .

Follow the car into the auction Hall , you can see if she's burning oil , if she starts easily and if there are any weird noises .

Try and find out who is selling and why .

Many carhire firms dispose of their cars early on to keep their fleet values up and these cars represent good value , low risk buys.

However , reposessions may have been badly serviced or abused by disenchanted ' owners ' so be careful .

If you have a mechanic buddy take him with you .

Go to at least one auction before you buy , familiarise yourself with the environment.

Have a laugh , it's fun but don't buy without having examined the car and never exceed your budget .

Remember there are thousands of cars out there .