A Guide to Los Angeles Public Car Auctions

If you want to live or work in Los Angeles, it is essential that you have a car. Sure, there is public transportation, but unless you are going around downtown, it is just too slow and inconvenient for getting about the huge metropolis. Pretty much everybody in LA owns a car. That makes Los Angeles a great place to find public car auctions.

There are numerous public car auctions in Los Angeles, and it is fairly easy to find out about them. One of the best places to start is with the official police garages or OPGs. These are city garages that have official responsibility over the towing and holding of impounded cars in LA. Several hundred thousand vehicles are impounded by the LAPD every year. Of these, around two-thirds are redeemed by the owners, but the rest of the cars become city property and are divested through public car auctions. The OPGs hold these auctions, known officially as lien sale vehicle auctions, once a week. You may contact your nearest OPG to find out when the public auctions take place. The auctions help the city of Los Angeles to recoup unpaid fees while offering an opportunity to the public to bid on and purchase cars at low prices.

Auctions

There are also a number of firms in Los Angeles and its outlying areas that hold public car auctions. A search for "auto auctions" on an online search engine turned up 26 firms around LA that hold regular auctions. A few of these firms specialize in certain types of vehicles. For example, Spectrum Auction Co. in North Hollywood and Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctions specialize in auctions of classic and luxury vehicles. Other firms hold auctions specifically for towed or repossessed cars.

A Guide to Los Angeles Public Car Auctions

Public car auctions are open to everyone, but it is important that you register beforehand. To register for a public auction, you need to provide proper personal identification. You may also need to pay some nominal registration fee. When you have registered, you will be assigned a bidding number, which must be presented to the auctioneer when you make a bid. Only people with bidding numbers are allowed to participate in the auction.

The cars at public auctions are sold "as is" and therefore a potential bidder must possess a "let the buyer beware" mindset. However, there is usually an inspection period prior to the auction, that make take place a day or two or even a few hours beforehand. You should take advantage of the inspection period to see what is being offered and get an idea of the vehicle's quality.

A Guide to Los Angeles Public Car Auctions

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Buying Cheap Impounded Cars at Police Auctions

Police auctions are practical places to look for a good-condition car for a fraction of its value. Lots are usually a mix of some middle-aged cars and some newer models, most of which were impounded due to some violations committed by their drivers.

A lot of people who go to police auctions prefer impounded cars because they are somewhat assured that these vehicles were running right before they were seized by the police. Cars are usually taken off the road by police due to driver infractions. If you want to buy a decent car at a cheap price, police car auctions that include impounded cars are a great place to start.

Auctions

How to participate:

Buying Cheap Impounded Cars at Police Auctions

First, call your local police department and find out when the auction will be held. Some of these impounded car auctions are advertised in newspapers or posted on the internet and most police auctions are done every month. If you're buying from a registered auction houses, these hold auctions almost every week.

You'll need to register to get your bidder number. Only bids coming from registered bidders are recognized. While some auctions offer free registration, most require a nominal fee.

Give yourself time to check the impounded vehicles, so better arrive early. Bring a mechanic or a friend with you to help you inspect the vehicles if you're not confident enough. Bidding usually starts at around 10 a.m., so you'll have time to go around and inspect the lot before making your choices.

Bring your driver's license and insurance proof, just in case you intend to drive the car home after winning a bid. You will also need a temporary permit. Check with your locality since regulations regarding temporary permits vary.

Bring a price guide for used-cars. This can guide you in figuring out your bidding numbers through trade-in value information. If you have a wireless laptop or a PDA, run the car's vehicle identification number (VIN) through Carfax to check its history. Remember, this is a police impound car auction. You'll want to know what exactly it is you're getting.

Advantages of Police Impound Car Auctions

No, impounded cars are not violent criminal's cars. They're usually cars seized because of a DWLS (driving with license suspended) or a loan payment default. Or, they could be the property of individuals or companies engaged in fraud, which means they are either newer models or in very good condition.

Impound car auctions are also a great place to find some really good branded cars, which would otherwise cost more at regular auctions.

Disadvantages

You can't know for sure how long the impounded cars have been sitting in storage or in a garage without maintenance. They could be there for a year without getting checked. They also do not come with any warranties.

The 'as is, where is' clause means that what you see is what you buy and what you buy, is exactly what you get. Since you can't bring the car to a mechanic or test drive it, you basically accept it in its present condition and cannot hold the auction house responsible for any defect you might find later on. If you find out later that you bought a piece of junk, then you have no one to blame but yourself.

Impound car auctions attract a lot of people, not only because of the good price, but also because of the possibility of buying a good-condition, road-worthy vehicle. In fact, you could be competing with some experienced and professional bidders. The best way to survive a police impound car auction is to do your homework and come prepared. Who knows? You could be driving with the car of your dreams when it's over.

Buying Cheap Impounded Cars at Police Auctions

For listings of cheap impounded cars, please visit http://www.auto-car-auctions.info/.

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