The Best Place To Buy A Car Is At A Government Or Police Auction

June 27th, 2008

by Isabel Childs

Check out a government or police auction the next time you buy a new/used car. It doesn’t matter if you’re looking for a car, truck, or SUV, you can find them all there at super discounted prices.

Previously, it has been very hard for the general public to be able to take part in these auctions. Today though, you can gain admittance to public car auctions fairly easily, although the “dealer only” auctions are still closed to us. You can also use one of the online public auctions as surprisingly it really doesn’t cost too much to ship a car - especially if you have saved a lot on the car purchase.

If you are wondering if people are going to these auctions in droves you might be surprised by the answer. A common misconception by the public is that all you will find there are old, delapidated cars which is definitely not true. Also, people still haven’t got used to the idea of these auctions now be readily found instead of some closely guarded secret.

Are you wondering just where all these vehicles being auctioned off came from? Well, some of the vehicles are seized by government agencies such as local and state police, the FBI, IRS, DEA and ATF for various offenses. Still others come from government agencies that are trading their vehicles in for newer ones. Even though these are top quality cars, trucks and SUVs, they still need to get rid of them.

Save yourself thousands and go to a car auction. Here, you can buy a car much cheaper than you could if you had to pay the regular going rate. If you keep in mind what you are looking for, you will be able to find just the car you want and in tip-top condition to boot.

If you are considering purchasing a vehicle at one of these government or police auctions, make sure to give it a mechanical inspection before bidding on it. If you’re buying a later model vehicle, it should come with whatever Manufacturer’s Warranty still remains on the vehicle. Regardless, even if the vehicle is still under warranty you are still wise to check it out.

There are a few simple tests that you can perform yourself and if the prospective vehicle doesn’t pass these tests with flying colors, find another car! Start by placing your foot on the brake, and then putting the car in drive and reverse several times. Make sure the car doesn’t lunge at all or make a clunking sound when you shift into another gear. Take a moment to check for any leaking, spots, or stains under the car, and take a pass on any car where the oil is thick to the point of being pasty.

Before you take in any government or police auction, make sure you know what kind of car you have in mind and its’ approximate retail value to ensure you are getting a good deal. Mechanical inspections, either done by yourself or by a pro, are a must. One thing to always keep in mind is that the police and other governmental agencies really don’t want to have an inventory of used cars on their hands, so they are only too happy to sell them for a remarkably good price. This truly is the easiest way to buy a new vehicle as you will never have to deal with haggling or back and forth negotiations again.is no more stressful negotiating or haggling that you have to be a part of.

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How To Sort Trash From Treasure At The Auto Wrekers

June 20th, 2008
by Steve Sharp

If you have ever had to do work or had someone else do work on your vehicle then you know how costly parts can be. While it maybe cheaper to do the work yourself, it can be a difficult job. Other times it is nice to shop for second hand parts, but it can be hard to find what you want. When sitting down to make a decision on how best to fix your vehicle you need to ask yourself a few simple questions.

The first is whether or not you need to get a new part. For moving parts and electronic equipment getting used parts can be a risky endeavor. However if you are looking for auto body parts, then getting used can be a very viable option.

Choosing and Buying Second-Hand Body Parts

The trick to getting good prices on used body parts is persistence. The first thing you need to do is research on what junkyards and auto parts places are nearby. After doing that you can begin calling them to see if they have the part you are looking for in stock.

If they do ask them how much they want for it and make a note of it. Now is not the time to haggle about price, keep good records to do that later.

After you have developed a list of local retailers that have the part you are looking for set aside some time to go out and talk to them. Depending on how many have the auto body parts you are looking for you may need multiple days to get this done. You are definitely going to want to look at as many parts as possible as there will most assuredly be differences in the quality of the different parts.

While used parts may have a little wear and tear to them I would avoid purchasing parts with significant wear and tear as more than likely you will just end up having to buy them again. If the part looks up to scratch and of solid quality see if you can haggle down the price.

More than likely unless it is a very strict junkyard you should be able to haggle them down a bit. If the price is still unsatisfactory, just politely inform the owner that you have a few other locations to check out. Even it is the price is good this is pretty solid strategy for getting them to move on the price or at the very least test them to see if there is room to move.

Once you have purchased the product now it is a simple matter of installing it. If you can do this yourself than go for it, otherwise take the part with you to a mechanic and see what they can do.

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Picking The Correct Specialty Car Insurance For Your Needs

June 19th, 2008
by Richard Brown

Making a choice of a car insurance company for your specialty car can be a hard thing to do. The car insurance industry gives you sometimes conflicting information about policies and coverage. Specialty insurance coverage can be had for a lower rate over a normal insurance policy, but you need to understand its limitations. It’s important to do your homework to make sure you’re getting the best deal possible.

Some of the important things you need to know about choosing car insurance:

  • Do I want to drive my classic car every day?
  • How many miles do I plan on driving each year?
  • What’s my acceptable risk in the case of a claim?
  • How difficult is it to find parts in the case of a repair?

Mileage is an critical point for collector car insurance companies. They offer coverage for your classic car at a reduced rate because they require that your usage is limited. The average specialty insurance company allows for a cap of 2,500 miles per year driving for their insurance plans. The limited driving means a limited amount of exposure for the insurance company. Some companies, such as Grundy, offer unlimited driving privileges but impose other limitations, such as no driving to work or daily driving uses.

Specialty Cars Are Risky To Cover

Standard insurance coverage typically pays for repairs based on the industry standard prices established for your vehicle. This rate assumes the parts are readily available and can be purchased by standard processes. They are unable to guarantee that your 1969 Ford Mustang will be repairable with NOS parts, as these are only available in limited quantities. To ensure your collector car is covered completely for any damage is to purchase stated value insurance. Stated value insurance allows you to set a price to the value of your car, and in the case of a claim you can be sure that your vehicle is covered for damages up to that amount. This is ideal for rare vehicles or cars that are of special value.

 

Insurance companies that cover specialty car typically ensure that you have another vehicle to drive on a daily basis. They do this because they don’t want you driving your collector car to work every day. This is because they mitigate their risk by limiting your mileage. Many companies give you a clear limit to how many miles you can drive. Others simply have rough guidelines.

Classic Cars are Expensive To Insure

Some vehicles are collectible because of their rarity. Standard insurance policies will not cover sourcing original New Old Stock (NOS) parts for a specialty car. They’ll only use generic replacement parts. This may effect the value of the vehicle when it comes to resale value.

Be certain you understand the importance of picking the right insurance company for your vehicle. Sites like Classic Car Insurance Reviews and Classic Car Insurance Tips are great places to start your research. Find out what’s the best choice for your needs before you take to the streets this summer.

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