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Belfast city auctions
irishminx
Posts: 40 Forumite
Hi looking a bit of help please, am looking at a few cars on Belfast city auctions website, has anybody ever bought from here? And how does it work? Do I get a test drive???
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Hi looking a bit of help please, am looking at a few cars on Belfast city auctions website, has anybody ever bought from here? And how does it work? Do I get a test drive???
From their website
Sold as Seen:
All vehicles of any age, make or model are offered on a 'sold as seen' basis therefore you must inspect the vehicle you purchase prior to bidding. There is no comeback whatsoever on the vehicle purchased.Dave0 -
Any auction whether car or any other type are a minefield for a novice,with cars its essential you bring someone who has a knowledge of mechanics as you may end up with a lemon.
You may get a bargain but thats very rare,second hand dealers are always there,they know to the last £ how much a cars worth to them and will go to that limit and not a penny more.
So many times I saw tyre kickers seeking a mercedes car for mini money caught up in the bidding when common sense should have told them to leave well alone,its very easy to keep going "one more bid" and end up paying well over the odds.
If you do want to buy at an auction go a few times before attempting a purchase to see how it all works (and how fast its all sold),go early and have a good look around (in daylight,the darkness hides a lot of horrors in this case).
Then if you want to bid set a limit and dont be tempted to go over it as then you start into the "just another tenner",if you dont win the bid dont worry theres lots of cars next time,good luck.0 -
Hi looking a bit of help please, am looking at a few cars on Belfast city auctions website, has anybody ever bought from here? And how does it work? Do I get a test drive???
Genuinely, if you understand that little about auctions and how they work - and more importantly WHY the cars are there - then you are extremely likely to get badly burned.
As a motor trader i buy from there and wilsons, but i know exactly what i'm looking for, exactly what cars to avoid, and i have a method that (usually) works for me that i stick to rigidly.0 -
I am the unlucky owner of a car from said auction house. The ex had a bee in his bonnet about having to have a 7 seater car but he went to the auction with a list of half a dozen cars that I'd be willing to drive (he would be taking my Civic as it was better mpg for driving to work).
So what did I end up with? The auction guff stated all the damage that was on the car but by the time the ex brought it home, it came with bonus damage that he was happy to pay for. This included dubious stains on the drivers seat and the drivers side wing mirror being held together with gaffer tape.
Unless you really know what you're doing I'd avoid it. Within weeks of getting the car it needed new tyres all round and a new alternator cable. I am officially driving the end result of someone who pretended he knew what to look for but in the end was drawn into buying the first car that came along as it suited his budget regardless of the new & undeclared damage.
I should add that I'm driving an ex-motibility car which in the ex's eyes meant it was better as it would have a full service history. That doesn't mean the car is well looked after and all the dents, rust, broken bits (wing mirror, aerial and the interior of the boot lid) and stains can attest to that :eek:0 -
ex-motibility car which in the ex's eyes meant it was better
This is a common misconception0 -
If you do get a mechanically minded friend to take along and decide to bid on a car, don't forget you need to pay significantly less than the retail price. If you buy from a dealer, you can take it back if the engine blows up the next week. If you buy from a private seller, you get a chance of a test drive and a more thorough inspection than you can get in an auction scenario. In an auction, it's just sold as seen, once the hammer falls it's your problem!
In my experience some of the evening auctions are so full of private punters looking for a bargain, the cars go for near retail money, so not worth the additional auction risk.0 -
If it had been an ex-motability car in very good/pristine condition the price tag would have reflected that.I should add that I'm driving an ex-motibility car which in the ex's eyes meant it was better as it would have a full service history. That doesn't mean the car is well looked after and all the dents, rust, broken bits (wing mirror, aerial and the interior of the boot lid) and stains can attest to that :eek:0 -
If you do get a mechanically minded friend to take along and decide to bid on a car, don't forget you need to pay significantly less than the retail price. If you buy from a dealer, you can take it back if the engine blows up the next week. If you buy from a private seller, you get a chance of a test drive and a more thorough inspection than you can get in an auction scenario. In an auction, it's just sold as seen, once the hammer falls it's your problem!
In my experience some of the evening auctions are so full of private punters looking for a bargain, the cars go for near retail money, so not worth the additional auction risk.
I always go for slightly left of field stuff. For example, there was a 2000 tired looking Passat with 180K miles went for £750 recently and they were practically fighting over it, but two cars behind it i bought a 2004 Laguna, long MOT, 80K miles, one owner, FRSH for £400.0
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