Can you really get a good car at Government Auctions?

Is an Auction worth it for buying a car? There's info on Google yes,
but I'm curious for current first hand experience. Any experiences
good or bad? I already know the basics of not to buy if title isn't
available, to not pay more than bluebook (duh) and to do a search on
the VIN. Otherwise, can you *really* get a good deal at an auction?

I do not want to buy a new car until I have the cash to buy it up-front
and/or lease for no more than 1 year MAXIMUM. Maximum.

There are a lot of scams out there, and my gut instinct is to say it's
too good to be true, why doesn't everyone do it? But then again, not
everybody runs and lifts weights. These are two websites I browsed a
little:

http://www.topsitereviews.info/auctions.html
http://www.cheaporfreecars.com/preview.html

 

Actually I am interested in this answer too.

Here in Ontario, I was told that they have "dealer auctions" where only
dealer can go and bid on lease returned vehicles. Almost all the small
independent dealers get their vehicles from there. Some dealers here
even make customers by showing them vehicles before the auction and set
the maximum price they can bid on customer behalf. If they win it in
auction, dealer charge $500 as commission.

The auctions have three categoris red, orange and green. red means some
problem with the car and will be sold as is. orange means no major
mechanical or body work and green means its a good car with a few days
of warrenty.

Is it worth buying from there?

 

Yes, you can, but it's probably not going to be as great a deal as you
think. There are usually no lack of used car dealers at these car auctions
who will knock the price of the cars up quite a bit. Still, every once in a
while, you'll get an excellent value. My ex-gf got a less than 1 year old
fully loaded Jeep Grand Cherokee for about 16K, but her dad is a car dealer
and she has asked the guy who goes to the auctions for him to keep an eye
out for that particular model.

 

If you go to a police or sheriffs auction you might be able to find some
nice riced out Honda or Toyota that they seized in a drug bust.

Scott

 

WTF is "riced out"? How is an Asian car hotrodded with American speed
parts "riced out"?

nb

 

You might, but I have heard that most of the cars sold at government
auctions are used up government fleet cars, usually the base trim
version of whatever model was the lowest bid for that year.

 

i went to an impound auction, and all the cars were abandoned beaters.
almost all were under $1000, and looked it.

 

Dude...those are the fun ones! Wish I could find a car that runs ok
for a couple hundred bucks! Buddy of mine had a Cutlass that he bought
from some old lady for $75. It ran fine. Oooooooooooooooh the shit we
did to that car...lol

 

WTF is "riced out"? How is an Asian car hotrodded with American speed

It simply refers to the practice of taking a small Asian car, and doing
the modifications to make it either look or go fast. It is not
considered to be a racial term at all, although it is used as a
perjoritive one by people opposed to the practice.

Some people think it is just stupid to put a 5-inch exhaust on a Civic
that can be heard for four blocks, but doesn't go any faster. If this
nonsense is getting anybody laid, I will start supporting it. Just let
me know.

 

uh-huh.

 

kinda like any japanese bike is a 'rice burner'.