In the market for a used vehicle? There are a lot of used cars at automobile dealerships, where you can find one, but savvy deal hunter knows vehicle auctions offer the lowest prices. We aren’t just talking cars either. You can find auctions on cars, trucks, SUV’s, motorcycles, RV’s, and more. Below I’ll share where to find local auto auctions, tips for bidding, what to expect at an event, and share my experience with the vehicle auctions near me.
Map of Vehicle Auctions Near Me
For “Vehicle Auctions Near Me” or “Auto Auctions Near Me”, see below for locations…
How to Find Vehicle Auctions Near Me
There are tons of vehicle auctions across the US, they vary in auction type as well as vehicle type. You can find police auctions that have various automobile classes, years, and models or you can find super niche auctions like a classic car auction or a motorcycle auction. The key is, knowing where to look to find these events.
Here is a list of free resources that I use to find vehicle auctions near me:
Google Search and Yelp Listings
One of the fastest ways to find like automobile auctions is to do a quick Google search. I like searching for the class of vehicle I’m interested in and then “auctions near me”. So for example I recently searched for “car auctions near me”. Yelp is another good place to search because there are auto auction houses that list their businesses. Even better you can read reviews and testimonials from their participants. Note there are two different types of live auctions you may find: public and dealer, you are looking for public unless you have a dealer’s license.
Pro Tip: One of my best secrets is using Google “Events” to find auto auctions in my local area. Most auto auction hunters don’t do this and they typically look for bigger events. Google Events is going to list what I call “pop-up” auctions. These are not at auction houses, these are auctions by smaller companies. What this means is that they are less marketed and therefore have lower bidding competition. If you have any experience bidding on autos, you can be the pro at these venues.
Try Google Events here: Auto Auctions Near Me This Week
Government Listings
Federal, state, and local governments post their auction information online. You can even ask your local chamber of commerce about how to find these open up. These government auctions are live public auctions that you physically get in on the bidding action.
These vehicles have been seized or are government autos they are expunging from their fleet. On the following links, you can find where these are in your state and view the available vehicles.
Here are two great resources for finding government auctions:
Automobile Dealer and Trade Magazines
Auto dealer magazines and trade will list used vehicle auctions. Some are free and others require a subscription. Even a standard car magazine you might pick up at your local grocery store will have live auto auctions listed in the classified section in the back of the mag. You may even want to check your local print newspaper which might have listings for public auto auctions in the classified section.
Two great resources to consider for Auto Dealer Mags:
Local Auto Shows and Meet Ups
If you have a local car show or meet-up, there is often a table out with flyers for vehicle auctions in the area. Local to me, there is an auto meet-up and a motorcycle meet-up, where the local auction houses come out and pass out flyers announcing their upcoming vehicle showcases. Sometimes these events are called “Cars and Coffee”, you will find a huge community of people with many of which go to public auto auctions.
How Do Live Vehicle Auctions Near Me Work
When it comes to automobile auctions there are really two types of live auctions: Public auctions and Dealer auctions. If you want to acquire one used vehicle you are looking for a public auction. A dealer auction requires you to possess a state-issued dealer’s license.
One of the qualifications to get one is that you must trade a certain amount of automobiles each year. It’s possible to get a dealer’s license, but it takes a while and there are requirements you must meet.
Public Auctions
Public auto auctions are huge events where you can bid on various autos. At a general auto auction, the conditions and quality of the vehicles you start bidding on will vary. Some may need repairs or not even run, You may also find vehicles with salvage titles, which means they were junked and rebuilt. While sometimes that presents a great opportunity to get a vehicle cheap, you need to be very mindful of what you are bidding on.
Pro Tip: The pre-inspection period of a vehicle auction is critical to attend. You should carefully inspect the vehicles and bring a mechanic with you to assess autos you may be interested in bidding on. Try and access the value and figure out your highest wager. It is helpful to reference the Kelly Blue Book price to frame your bid.
Many of the vehicles at these events are on consignment. This means the vehicles are consigned to the auctioneer from various owners who have agreed to sell them to the terms of the auction. The auctioneer will make a percentage of the final price, sometimes up to 30%.
Flow of the Event
Most auctions will consist of a pre-inspection (sometimes the night before) and registration period. You need to register in order to bid. Once the event starts the auctioneer explains the rules and describes the first vehicle. To bid, you simply raise your hand or paddle. Bidding enters you into a legally binding agreement, so don’t bid if you aren’t serious about buying it.
Pro Tip: Know Your Limits – Have a strategy and only bid on the inventory of vehicles you pre-inspected. Once bid, you are entering a legally binding agreement. If the auctioneer says “Sold” you are on the hook to buy the auto.
Many of these events have a lane with the dealers and crowd on both sides of it. The vehicle on the block pulls up and pulls off after a winner is declared. The auctioneer is usually stands on higher ground and manages the event. Some places will have a large screen that displays the current bid on the vehicle.
Pro Tip: Do Not Hesitate – Raise your paddle with conviction and make eye contact with the auctioneer. If you hesitate towards the end of bidding, they may shout “Sold”, while you are still contemplating on bidding. An Auctioneer does not wait for slow bidders.
if you are the highest bidder, when the auctioneer says sold, you are now the owner. To officially claim ownership though you must pay the freight and have the title signed over to you.
Tips to Bid on Used Autos at an Automobile at Auction
While we covered a few basic tips above here are some of my very specific tips for auto auctions:
- Read the catalog carefully before the auction.
- Go to the event, do not proxy bid.
- Register early to avoid long lines and bring proof that you can pay.
- Inspect the vehicle with a mechanic’s eye, look for rust, leaks, smoke, funny engine sounds, etc…
- If the owner is there ask questions…try and get facts not stories!
- Find out the schedule of when the vehicles cross the block, and mark all the times for your prospects.
- Set a bid price in your mind and stick to it. Stand where the auctioneer can see you and don’t hesitate to bid.
- If you win don’t drive the vehicle home, let them ship it to you.
There is a great article on Car & Driver with more tips here.
Online Auto Auctions vs Public Auto Auctions
While I prefer to find automobile auctions near me, there are great benefits to online vehicle auctions. An online auction offers you more selection, and convenience of bidding from home or even from your phone. When you bid on online auctions, the site actually functions as a proxy for you to play your bid. Many of the disadvantages are similar to public auctions such as you will find vehicles with questionable quality that need repairs.
It’s important if you do participate in online vehicle auctions you consider the reputation of the auction house. Read reviews and testimonials from their past participants, both winners and losers. You also want to carefully read all of the specs, details and descriptions of the vehicles you plan to bid on.
The thing I like about live public auctions is the pre-inspection period. The ability to physically touch and inspect the vehicle is so important to estimating it’s value. Many sellers online take really good pictures that don’t tell the whole story about what is wrong with the vehicle.
You can certainly take pictures of an engine that hides corrosion in the shadows or angle the shot so it isn’t shown. Same with rust on the body and frame and that’s some of the worst stuff to deal with. I want to look at an automobile, inspect the most valuable components of it, see the condition of the parts, and verify the owner’s description vs what my eyes and senses are telling me.
Maybe I’m just old school, I know a live auction isn’t as convenient, but I would rather carefully evaluate what I’m bidding on with my own eyes and not rely on the word of the seller or the auction house. There are companies like Copart, however that do online auto auctions, but you can visit their facilities to inspect the vehicles.
What Kind of Vehicle Auctions Near Me Are There?
Some vehicle auctions are really general. This means you will find various types of vehicles from cars to trucks, motorcycles to boats, and everything in between.
Here are some auctions that will have multiple vehicle types:
Then there are auctions which we call niche auctions. These get much more specific to one type of vehicle class or type heavy equipment. These tend to be more focused and in my experience have more competitive bidding:
- Antique Car Auctions
- Car and Lite Duty Truck Auctions
- Semi Truck and Heavy Duty Truck Auctions
- RV Auctions
- Boat and Watercraft Auctions
- UTV and ATV Auctions
- Motorcycle Auctions
- Box Truck Auctions
- Golf Cart Auctions
- Lawn Mower Auctions
- Tractor Auctions
- Van Auctions
- Aircraft Auctions
- CAT Machinery
How to Get Your Vehicle Sold in an Auction?
Getting your vehicle into an auction is often as simple as contacting an auction house. The benefit of auctioning your vehicle is that you don’t need to worry about losing money on a trade-in or dealing with the public if you are selling privately. With an auction, you have the opportunity to get your vehicle in front of a huge market of thousands of interested buyers.
The key for an auction house is that your title must be in your name, free of liens. When you call, they will inquire about make, model, year, mileage, and your asking price. They may also ask you to provide photographs of specific elements and send them via email.
If they take your vehicle, you will consign it to them, which means you are giving up a percentage of the final sale price. While that may not sound like a good deal, they are handling all of the advertising, email, phone calls, logistics, etc. All you need to do is consign the vehicle and wait to find out how much you are collecting.
Most auctions have limited numbers of spaces available, so you want to contact them right away if you want to get your vehicle in an upcoming event. Some places run two or more events per week and you may also opt to sign up for a live or online auction event.
Vehicle Auctions Near Me
Live public vehicle auctions are a lot of fun, but not for the faint of heart. You need to go in understanding what you are bidding on and what your limits are. You should bid with your head and not your heart. There are many different places you can find vehicle auctions in your local area.
These places offer the best opportunity to find a used vehicle cheaper than you would at a used car dealership. While we prefer public auctions, there are certainly good opportunities to explore with online auto auctions as well. This is what I have learned from the vehicle and live online auto auctions near me.