car auction advice

united777

As family keeps increasing I need a larger car than my yaris.

I have decided that a citreon xsara picasso will best fit my needs and budget of no more than 6K.

What I am trying to understand is what savings I could make by buying at auction as opposed to dealer i.e. evans halshaw.

There is a manheim auction centre (leeds) 30 miles away so not to far to travel.

So any advice of merits/saving at auctions would be appreciated.

lil_me

Check the auction fees. Check what payment is due and when , Manheim is quite expesnive IIRC and is on their website.

Go to view at the viewing time and check EVERYTHING! No rose tinted goggles. If you can take someone with you for a non biased and hopefully (if you know a mechanic) a proffesional opinion.

Check what comes with the car, inc MOT

You won't get a warranty with the car so this is always worth working out what that would be worth to you

Manheims website has a list of market prices etc on there

If you are going for a Picasso and buy a petrol I would personally avoid the 8v engine, yak!

Ex mobility cars can be a good buy, they are serviced etc free so usually have been looked after and rarely thrashed but check for damage.

Don't pressume it's a bargain because it is at an auction, many more private buyers are buying at auction, after much shopping around we got a Zafira for £1,100 less than they were selling at auction (cheapest price we seen one at when we went for 3 weeks before buying the car) with much less milage, the garage did all the cosmetic touch ups it needed inc respraying half the car, did full MOT inc 2 new tyres. Take a list of prices with you, or even a recent adtrader/autotrader.

If you're taking out a loan to buy the car be aware that sometimes car finance can be cheaper than loans, we got offered 7.9% which is cheaper than any loan offer we'd had.

FannyHill

My cars from auction houses tend to be 4 years old or less.

Once you get it make sure the spare wheel hasnt been stolen by the auction house workers.

vansboy

http://www.honestjohn.co.uk has great advice on auctions, as well as everything motoring!

Leeds as you mention, has regular Motability auctions, with the car you mention being a popular choice for Motability users.

You'll have a good chance of saving inthe region of £800-£1200, compared to retail prices. But you won't get a warranty, although this is available on line http://warrantydirect.co.uk

Best go along to the sale, WITHOUT your £$£$, have a look & see what YOU think.

Then go back next week, with your debit card as your deposit & then make your bid!!

It's unwise & the auction doesn't want it, to carry real £$£$£ with you.

Have fun!

VB

lil_me

Be careful of private warranty schemes, know of several horror stories from companies going broke to them just having way too much small print and not being worth the money.

Very good point about not taking cash with you, getting a feel for it can be a good idea aswell, might help stop you getting caught up in the whole thing.

goldspanners

auctions are good and bad places,you really need to know what your looking at and looking for,even then things go wrong,my mate bought a rover 200 at auction a few years ago,it seemed a bargain he got it for £600 when list price should be double that at the time,got 2 mile down the road and it chucked it,head gasket had gone,but we got that fixed along with a few other things for £350 so it was still a saving made compared to buying one private or at a stealership.
the car is still going strong 3 years after this incident BTW.


auctions are my second favourite day out after a good days rumaging round the scrappys! :j

Happychappy

Hi U77

There are a number of Xzara Picasso going through Brighouse which is not far from you, it is worth going one day with this list and a pen and paper just to have a look and compare prices, but sit on your hands and watch

43 items. 1 2 3 4 5 10 20 50 rows ordered by Make Location Registration Lot Price Mileage Sale Date Source in Summary Detail Pricing view

CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 HDI 92 DESIRE MPV, WICKED RED METALLIC, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 18078 Miles, Margin.
KU56XVB Registered 18-09-2006Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM127 Avg:£7970 19K 5+New:£15047Ret:£9995Cln:£8225Avg:£7750Blw:£7150 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 HDI 92 DESIRE MPV, BEIGE, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 15634 Miles, Margin.
KU56XVW Registered 18-09-2006Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM161 Avg:£7970 19K 5+New:£15047Ret:£10095Cln:£8325Avg:£7850Blw:£7275 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 EXCLUSIVE 16V MPV, BEIGE, 5 Doors, Automatic, Petrol, 15429 Miles, Margin.
KU56YDO Registered 14-09-2006Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM169 Avg:£7975 15K 5+New:£16647Ret:£10350Cln:£8175Avg:£7600Blw:£6925 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE 2 MPV, GREY, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 66013 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
LE04HLF Registered 01-08-2004Brighouse
18-10-2007
Lo:£5329Avg:£4709Hi:£4002 30K51K74K 15+20+15+New:£14217Ret:£6095Cln:£4400Avg:£4000Blw:£3575 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE 2 MPV, SILVER, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 46399 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
LG54JXD Registered 04-10-2004Brighouse
18-10-2007
Lo:£5918Avg:£5471Hi:£4938 21K33K50K 10+20+5+New:£14217Ret:£6995Cln:£5250Avg:£4850Blw:£4350 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 LX MPV, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 77333 Miles, Margin.
MJ51WTD Registered 09-11-2001Brighouse
16-10-2007
New:£12105Ret:£3250Cln:£1750Avg:£1525Blw:£1275 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 40834 Miles, Margin.
NA02XUW Registered 17-04-2002Brighouse
15-10-2007
Avg:£2575 57K 5+New:£12805Ret:£4795Cln:£3150Avg:£2825Blw:£2475 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.8 DESIRE 16V MPV, Hurricane Grey(metallic), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 61848 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
NG04MMV Registered 18-05-2004Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM173 Avg:£4335 31K 5+New:£13687Ret:£5095Cln:£3400Avg:£3025Blw:£2625 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE MPV, ARCTIC STEEL (METALLIC), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 26151 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
NL54VCW Registered 01-09-2004Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM153 Avg:£4733 58K 3+New:£14317Ret:£7375Cln:£5800Avg:£5375Blw:£4875 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, RED, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 45612 Miles, Margin.
NX02TYT Registered 04-04-2002Brighouse
15-10-2007
CP044 Avg:£2575 57K 5+New:£12805Ret:£4675Cln:£3025Avg:£2700Blw:£2375 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE MPV, ARCTIC STEEL (METALLIC), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 65726 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
PG04UKM Registered 30-07-2004Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM184 Avg:£4845 46K 5+New:£14217Ret:£5950Cln:£4325Avg:£3925Blw:£3500 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, GREY, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 41073 Miles, Margin.
SK03OGL Registered 26-03-2003Brighouse
15-10-2007
CP033 New:£13305Ret:£5175Cln:£3525Avg:£3200Blw:£2825 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, SILVER, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 43750 Miles, Margin.
WL51CFD Registered 07-12-2001Brighouse
15-10-2007
PEN006 New:£12805Ret:£4375Cln:£2725Avg:£2400Blw:£2075 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, SILVER, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 79565 Miles, Margin.
X712UAG Registered 29-09-2000Brighouse
16-10-2007
New:£13635Ret:£3425Cln:£1775Avg:£1500Blw:£1250 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 LX MPV, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 91682 Miles, Margin.
X727CET Registered 27-09-2000Brighouse
16-10-2007
New:£12910Ret:£2850Cln:£1350Avg:£1125Blw:£930 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.8 SX 16V MPV, BLUE, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 85792 Miles, Margin.
X787ANW Registered 28-02-2001Brighouse
16-10-2007
New:£13105Ret:£3475Cln:£1775Avg:£1525Blw:£1275 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 59304 Miles, Margin.
X948OHD Registered 17-10-2000Brighouse
16-10-2007
New:£13635Ret:£3795Cln:£2125Avg:£1825Blw:£1550 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.8 EXCLUSIVE 16V MPV, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 44529 Miles, Margin.
YB52WRG Registered 22-01-2003Brighouse
15-10-2007
PEN034 New:£14605Ret:£5950Cln:£3975Avg:£3575Blw:£3150 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE MPV, ARCTIC STEEL (METALLIC), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 18474 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
YD55ONX Registered 01-09-2005Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM138 Avg:£6633 24K 3+New:£14697Ret:£8595Cln:£6950Avg:£6500Blw:£5975 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 1.6 SX MPV, GREEN, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Petrol, 57606 Miles, Margin.
YG51GUF Registered 11-09-2001Brighouse
16-10-2007
New:£12805Ret:£4095Cln:£2425Avg:£2125Blw:£1825 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI SX MPV, RED, 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 79306 Miles, Margin.
YK03LZL Registered 01-03-2003Brighouse
15-10-2007
PEN069 Avg:£3633 73K 10+New:£14335Ret:£4950Cln:£3350Avg:£3025Blw:£2675 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE MPV, ARCTIC STEEL (METALLIC), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 19921 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
YK55UCB Registered 01-09-2005Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM141 Avg:£6633 24K 3+New:£14697Ret:£8525Cln:£6875Avg:£6425Blw:£5875 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE MPV, MEDITERRANEAN BLUE (metallic), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 10802 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
YK55UCC Registered 01-09-2005Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM176 Avg:£6633 24K 3+New:£14697Ret:£8875Cln:£7250Avg:£6800Blw:£6275 CITROEN XSARA PICASSO 2.0 HDI DESIRE MPV, Iridis (metallic), 5 Doors, Manual Transmission, Diesel, 24925 Miles, VAT Qualifying.
YK55UCX Registered 09-09-2005Brighouse
15-10-2007
MM189 Avg:£6633 24K 3+New:£14697Ret:£8295Cln:£6650Avg:£6200Blw:£5650

mouthscradle

I'm a car novice but have bought both of my cars at auction. One thing that I know has helped me get two fantastic cars is doing weeks of research beforehand.

Knowing the exact make and model you're after helps alot, the thing to do then is go on as many sites as you can and find out as much information as possible. A good place to start is to read up on all the different specs available and choose the one that has everything you're looking for. Next up, have a read around for details of all the problems which are common to that particular car. There are tons of sites that do owner reviews and list the main niggles of each model.

Have a look on the autotrader website for an idea of prices they are currently going for on there, and have a look in Parkers or similar, make a note of their recommended values and then go and watch a couple of practice auctions to get a comparison of prices. Find out the auction fees and remember to factor those in.

Use these auctions to practice having a look at the cars all over (the honest john site mentioned earlier has a good list of things to check, as well as your list of possible faults from your research), if you don't have the luxury of a mechanic friend to help you, as I didn't, find out beforehand how to check certain things if you don't already know, such as oil and signs of headgasket problems, how to spot signs of accident damage, where the spare is kept etc.

Then when it comes to finding cars to bid on, as someone else has said go for Motability or similar, check the service history, find out about what tax/MOT is included and so on. Some of their cars have very low mileage and very regular full main dealer service history.

Whenever I've been I've seen some that just looked dodgy, but just as many really lovely cars. Both of my buys have given me no trouble whatsoever, and I'll probably buy my cars from auctions for many years to come. The last one we bought was 4 years old, 19k mileage, saved about £1500 after fees on what similar cars were selling for privately or at dealers.

Good luck!

harveybobbles

But beware at auction centres - when the auctioneer notices a member of the public bidding on a car, they often bid them off against the wall. Which to us dealers is quite amusing...

FannyHill

So how do the dealers know that the auctioneer is upping the price with non existant bids against the novice ?
Does he give the dealers a sly wink.

harveybobbles

Lol, nah, its down to experience. And usually its the same auctioneer that pulls this trick lol.