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The mkiv Supra Owners Club

Car auctions


Paul372

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Don't forget your sheepskin coat and trilby hat! :D

 

Joking aside, I've read an online guide that recommended you stand near when the cars you're interested in are started up and driven into the arena. Watch out for the usual warning signs.

 

yep i was told the same when i went to my first auction, as this is usually the only time your going to see and hear the car start up and move.

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I've been to plenty over the years and bought 3 cars from auctions. My advice is go to a few before you buy, get a feel for the process and the quality of cars and the auctioneer's patter. Go early and take a torch and a magnet and have a good look round the stock. Earmark those you're interested in and mark a price on the stock sheet you'd be prepared to pay. Watch them go through and watch the prices. Don't be afraid to get on the auction floor like the dealers, open doors, inspect etc. Also, never buy at your first auction and never get drawn into a bidding war - it might be the owner bidding up his price. Might even be the auctioneer pushing the price to get a better commission! Have a budget and don't go over it. There's auctions every week and 1,000s of cars available - you'll find a good one eventually.

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I agree with Ellis, go to at least 6 to 10 auctions and just watch. You can easily end up bidding against yourself, or getting carried away. A good auctioneer can get six or more bids off the wall without 90% in the room knowing anything fishy is occurring. Assume everyone from the auctioneer down is bent and you won't go too far wrong. Don't be surprised to see the same car go through again at the next auction when you thought it was sold, even good auctioneers shoot themselves in the foot and blow it. If you are new to auctions the dealers and the auctionerr will know it just as if you had "newbie" emblazoned on your jacket. Being a genuine burger eating fat sleaze ball that isn't going to have his pants taken down takes a lot of practice :)

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Took your advice and I didn't end up bidding on anything, just stood back and took it all in. I wrote down the hammer price of every car so I got a record of what sort of prices different makes and models motors are selling for. I quite enjoyed the day, I will definitely try and get to another one before xmas

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Aren't you getting abit old for a track car H? :D

 

Ceeky Chunt. I am 41 and just getting going...!!

 

Looking for a 330i that myself and a couple of others can drive on track without being upset when it gets binned. Not going overboard but will upgrade the brakes and put some light weight wheels on. A decent NA manual may do the trick but they aren't coming up much.

 

H.

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Ceeky Chunt. I am 41 and just getting going...!!

 

Looking for a 330i that myself and a couple of others can drive on track without being upset when it gets binned. Not going overboard but will upgrade the brakes and put some light weight wheels on. A decent NA manual may do the trick but they aren't coming up much.

 

H.

 

I'm only messing young chap! Sounds like good fun :) all the best!

 

- - - Updated - - -

 

Don't you want a convertible so you can feel the wind in your hair? :sly:

 

He has a convertible now! :D

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Took your advice and I didn't end up bidding on anything, just stood back and took it all in. I wrote down the hammer price of every car so I got a record of what sort of prices different makes and models motors are selling for. I quite enjoyed the day, I will definitely try and get to another one before xmas

 

Bet it was an eye opener. I went to one lasr week and always really enjoy it - off again next week just for a laugh. Were you surprised by the prices?

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I went to one and was underwhelmed. I was looking for Mondeos, so hardly something esoteric. I noted several on the website I wanted a look at, and hunted them down to inspect in the flesh. Nowt particularly wrong with the cars, but the prices they went for weren't that special. It sounded good until you added on tax and the gopping great "private buyer" fees that bump it up to basically what you could buy them for off autotrader - only with Autotrader you get the ability to test drive, inspect, and have some comeback. Disappointing, I was hoping for a bargain.

 

Certainly takes a few minutes to get used to the speed of the auctioneer's voice though :)

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