Talk to me about car auctions...

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Since we're in Cornwall, our options are limited to local, small-scale auctions, which generally contain shiz. I've bought four auction cars locally over a 20 year period, and each time the motors have been constantly crap. I started with a crispy 'W' plate Metro in mustard, followed up with a 'Y' plate Mitsi Colt Mirage (the funky one with two gear sticks), then a 'D' plate faded burgundy Mk2 Astra in the late 90's, and finally an 'R' plate Honda Civic coupe 6 years ago. All of them were shit. I still liked the Colt though - it was this shape, which seem to have vanished off the face of the earth.

 

If anyone has genuinely bought a proper barg from a car auction, and then made good money on it, I'd be intrigued to know.

[sierraman]

Is the auction at Penryn still going?

[Dick Cheeseburger]

Is the auction at Penryn still going?

Long gone, I believe. My nearest is St Austell motor auctions, which is overpriced crap-tastic. A mate who used to used up North reckoned that some of the big name auction houses used to sell some half-decent trade-ins for reasonable prices, but eBay/Dumbtree have taken off massively since then.

[Andrew353w]

I'm on an email list for this lot, who have a classic car auction on 28th Feb.

 

http://classicscentral.co.uk

 

Where there's a lovely little car that interests me greatly...("can you guess what it is yet?") Called them up & the guy's already emailed me a load of photos of the car-very helpful & interesting! It's just the mechanics of the actual auction thing that browns my pants! Surely you HAVE to be there in person to see the car? If you register a telephone bid how do you know that the auctioneer won't just "happen" to find your maximum bid of £1,000 just made the deal, whereas in reality there were only 3 real bidders & no-one else bid higher than 3 shirt buttons & a dead rat. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I can see a huge brick being dropped my those not "in the know."

[New POD]

I am working across the dual carriage way from BCA derby. I thought about going and having a look but CBA.

[New POD]

 how do you know that the auctioneer won't just "happen" to find your maximum bid of £1,000 just made the deal, whereas in reality there were only 1 real bidder & no-one else bid higher than 3 shirt buttons & a dead rat. Maybe I'm too cynical, but I can see a huge brick being dropped my those not "in the know."

 

Fixed that for you.

 

As a penniless student I sold a mini at Coventry auctions that was worth about £50. The auctioneer clearly took pity on me, because "I had all 3 walls bidding on it, but with only one person interested, I could only get you £150, son"

[martybabes]

I am working across the dual carriage way from BCA derby. I thought about going and having a look but CBA.

 

BCA is just over the road and you CBA, it's as easy as ABC surely!  If the car is not as described, try the CAB for advice.

[SiC]

Auctions are very exempt from consumer rights.

 

I've been to BCA blackbush a couple of years ago. Prices were only 2-5% from trade but after fees, much more. So not worth it.

 

The cheap fees of Cannock feels very appeal though!

[Spottedlaurel]

Since we're in Cornwall, our options are limited to local, small-scale auctions, which generally contain shiz. I've bought four auction cars locally over a 20 year period, and each time the motors have been constantly crap. I started with a crispy 'W' plate Metro in mustard, followed up with a 'Y' plate Mitsi Colt Mirage (the funky one with two gear sticks), then a 'D' plate faded burgundy Mk2 Astra in the late 90's, and finally an 'R' plate Honda Civic coupe 6 years ago. All of them were shit. I still liked the Colt though - it was this shape, which seem to have vanished off the face of the earth.

 

If anyone has genuinely bought a proper barg from a car auction, and then made good money on it, I'd be intrigued to know.

 

One of my scans?!

 

The last time I saw one of those was at the splendid auctions they used to have in Ipswich:

 

1984 Colt Mirage Turbo (Ipswich Car Auctions, c.1996/97) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

1984 Colt Mirage Turbo (Ipswich Car Auctions, c.1996/97) by Spottedlaurel, on Flickr

 

Used to see some great stuff go through there in the '90s.