Online Car Auctions: A Guide

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Online Car Auctions are Easy When You Know What You're Doing
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If you’ve tried to buy a car recently, you may have found yourself overwhelmed. Global supply chains, chip shortages, and delays have made it almost impossible to find a good deal on a car. Some people are spending as much on a used car as a new car and waiting months for a new car to arrive. It’s not easy and it feels like there’s nowhere to go. This is why many have turned to online car auctions to find their next car. Here, you can still get some great discounts and pay pennies on the dollar for your next car. However, there are some things to look out for.


Are Online Car Auctions Safe?

Online car auctions are safe as long as you know what you’re doing. Just like anything new, it’s important to make sure you’re comfortable dipping your toe into the online auction world. There are some issues that arise when buying a car like this. The main issue is that these cars are not of the same quality as you’d find at a dealership. They don’t have the one-hundred point inspections, dealer-backed warranties, or even clean titles. Most of these cars couldn’t go to dealerships and therefore found their way to the car auction. Needless to say, they need some work done. Don’t think you need to be a certified mechanic to get a deal. It’s just going to take a little more work on your part.

Research Your Research

Since we know that these cars may need some work, it’s time to do the work. It’s a good idea to know what kind of car you’re looking for at the auction. Be as specific as possible. This is because you’re going to want to know a few things about your potential car. Things like, what are some common issues other people with this car have? Also, it’s a good idea to know the important milestones that this car requires maintenance. Take a trip to the mechanic and get some quotes on general maintenance issues. Like we said, these cars will need some work, so it’s important to know how much that work will cost. If this model quickly goes through brakes, then you can assume that the car will need new brakes. Your mechanic can tell you a great deal about the car model, but that will only be a piece of the puzzle. To get a full understanding, make sure you get a VIN report. There are tons of online tools to research a VIN. This can give you things like accident reports, vehicle history reports, and more.

Set Your Max Bid

Now that you know the car you want and roughly how much it costs for a detailed tune-up, so you’re ready to set a max bid. This is the most you’re willing to bid on a car. Remember to save some money for repairs. Setting a max bid is important because auctions can get crazy. You may follow a car for several days and just know that this is the one for you. Then, with only a few minutes left, the bids start doubling and you get caught up in the craziness. Don’t let this happen to you. If a car bids higher than expected, just let it go. There will be another soon. You don’t want to overspend on a car and put yourself into a financial pitfall. There are some great deals at an online car auction, but overbidding can turn a great deal into a problem.

Learn About Online Car Auctions

Now that you know the car you want and you have your budget and max-bid, you’re ready to bid, right? The most important thing you can do at this time is take a look at some other bids and follow along. Get an idea of how these car auctions work. An online car auction is an experience unlike anything else. You’ll want to familiarize yourself with this world. Figure out how often people bid and by how much. Are they bidding nice round numbers? Or do they bid odd numbers that weave around other people’s bids? Do people bid throughout the auction, or do they wait until the end? How fast do these bids rise at the end of the auction? Understanding the process will help you from overbidding or worse, losing out on a car by just a dollar or two.

Don’t forget about Getting it Home

The one peril of an online car auction is that they’re hardly ever in your backyard. You may be able to travel to the car and drive it home, but oftentimes the car you just won may be in another state. Finding ways to get it home could be tricky. However, with Omaha Car Transport, it’s never been easier to ship your new car home. They offer door-to-door transport services and free instant quotes. This means that you can even get a quote or two before you even bid on the car to help set your budget. Then, they can use door-to-door transport to deliver the car right to your driveway. The best part is that they include industry leading insurance right there in their quote, so you don’t have to worry about registration and insurance until after your car arrives.

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