tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-82551210900525495292024-03-13T08:48:07.944+01:00Car AuctionsThe Truth About Car Auctions, A balanced view of the realities of car auctions and how they work with tips and advice from a motor trade professional.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.comBlogger22125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-65787594777412246052012-04-28T13:30:00.001+02:002012-04-28T13:30:11.302+02:00Volatile Prices Continue at the Car AuctionsThe National Association of Motor Auctions have announced that average prices achieved at auction in March fell by just over 3%, whilst Manheim's report focused on the dealer part - exchange sector which rose by 4.6%. What both reports agree on, however, is that increased volume is putting pressure on prices.
So what does this mean in the real world? Well, the dealer part - exchange sector typically includes much older vehicles, so the prices are most likely being propped up by the private buyers. This is reflected by the number of later vehicles not selling, and the fact that many franchise dealer groups reporting that they are heavily over - stocked.
At first view, this may appear to be an ideal opportunity to grab a bargain on a sub - 3 year old vehicle, but there are several factors to consider before rushing down to the local auction centre. Firstly, the downward pressure on prices is likely to continue, as dealers will only be buying selectively, and less desirable vehicles will attract fewer bids. This will then be compounded by the trade guides slashing values to give more accurate indications.
Furthermore, overstocking at dealers and the continued slower retail demand, as well as the constant pressure to achieve new car registrations is likely to result in aggressive pricing and deals to clear over age stock. Obviously, this would, in turn affect trade values again, and force auction prices lower still.
The experts are playing all this down, reminding us that this usually happens in registration months, it's a short - term situation, and that April's forecast is "stable".
However, talk of a shortage of supply only really applies to premium stock and particularly well - specced vehicles, and when supply is greater than demand, price is always affected.
In conclusion, again, the canny buyer will probably get a fantastic deal on a main dealer forecourt. Any auction buying, as ever, should be carefully researched.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-16185464200406277942011-11-29T22:29:00.000+01:002011-11-29T22:29:07.712+01:00Premium Rate ScamPremium rate scam texts are doing the rounds at the moment. The SMS comes from 80777 and reads as follows:<br />
<br />
80777<br />
29 Nov 2011 20:48:29<br />
You have 2 offers for your vehicle ad online, reply or text the word NOW to 80777. Compare offers and get the best deal.<br />
<br />
If you should respond to this text, you will indeed receive 2 texts, and be charged £5 each for them.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-48774327204709384912011-11-03T22:16:00.002+01:002011-11-08T17:54:28.086+01:00Where and How to Report Online Fraud and ScamsIf you have been targeted by a scammer, firstly, please post as many details about them as you can in the comments section. This will help others who google names, email addresses and telephone numbers to see if they are being scammed. <br />
<br />
Below are some helpful contacts to whom you may wish to report report scammers:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/report_fraud">Action Fraud</a>, this is a UK government department specifically set up to fight fraud.<br />
<br />
Paypal; forward scam emails to spoof@paypal.com. If you find a fake Paypal website, report it to <a href="https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_contact_us">Paypal Customer Service Team</a><br />
<br />
Gumtree; email Tony or Dave at gumtreefraudbuster@gmail.com<br />
<br />
eBay; forward fake eBay communications / phishing emails to spoof@ebay.co.uk. <br />
<br />
Autotrader; forward fake Autotrader emails and phishing attempts to mailto:phishing@autotrader.co.uk. Forward fraudulent ads and advance fee emails to mailto:reportthisad@autotrader.co.uk<br />
<br />
Western Union; Call 1-800-448-1492 to report fraud.<br />
<br />
Beware also Ukash - there are many reports of scam attempts using ukash as a payment method. The <a href="http://www.ukash.com/uk/en/alerts/security-tips.aspx">ukash</a> website has no facility to report scams, but does recommend reporting them to <a href="http://www.actionfraud.org.uk/report_fraud">action fraud</a>.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-15323200971008807072011-08-21T19:46:00.009+02:002012-05-01T17:53:20.858+02:00Gumtree, Paypal and Other Phishing AttemptsI received this email recently, which is obviously an attempt to gain personal information. Funnily enough, the link doesn't actually go anywhere, so pretty pointless!!<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<i>Your ad has been flagged for removal<br />
<br />
Gumtree.com donotreply@gumtree.com to me <br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
show details 13:41 (5 hours ago) <br />
<br />
<br />
We have flagged your ad, we believe to be in violation of Gumtree guidelines:<br />
fraud - violates Gumtree Terms of Use or other posted guidelines.<br />
spam/overpost - posted too frequently, in multiple cities/categories, or is too commercial<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You will need to Verify your identity!<br />
<br />
<br />
or click on the link bellow:<br />
http://gumtree.com/form.cgi.htm<br />
<br />
You won't be charged for your confirmation but if you don't do it your ad will be removed and your ip address will be blocked from Gumtree.<br />
<br />
Thanks for using Gumtree and good luck with your ad!<br />
<br />
Copyright © 2005-2011 Gumtree.com</i><br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<i>Today I received a text apparently from Gumtree:<br />
<br />
Hello<br />
Gumtree is giving away £500 Argos Gift Cards. Your phone number was elected as winner. Enter www.gumtreegiftcard.com to receive it.<br />
Gumtree Team.<br />
</i><br />
<br />
The address goes to a webpage that looks very similar to a Gumtree page. Even the links redirect ot the right pages, however, the whois data for the site shows it as being registered in Russia. The page requests personal information. I have reported it to Gumtree and am awaiting their response, but it is definitely another phishing attempt, so please do not be tempted to enter your details.<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<br />
www.gumtreegiftcard.com was taken down very quickly, but I have today received another attempt at a Gumtree Phishing Scam. Again, the sender displays as Gumtree, which covers the sms number 4868733. The text reads as follows:<br />
Hello,<br />
Gumtree is giving away £500 Argos Gift Cards. Your phone number was elected as winner. Enter www.gumtreeoffer.com to receive it.<br />
Gumtree Team<br />
<br />
Again, a blatant phishing scam - do NOT be tempted to enter any details. A whois check shows Russian registration again - updated today! Registered to Hector Bonam.<br />
<br />
Whois details below:<br />
REGISTRY WHOIS FOR GUMTREEOFFER.COM<br />
Domain Name: gumtreeoffer.com <br />
Updated: 6 hours ago - Refresh <br />
<br />
Registrar: REGIONAL NETWORK INFORMATION CENTER, JSC DBA RU-CENTER<br />
Whois Server: whois.nic.ru<br />
Referral URL: http://www.nic.ru<br />
Status: clientTransferProhibited<br />
<br />
Expiration Date: 2012-11-05<br />
Creation Date: 2011-11-05<br />
Last Update Date: 2011-11-05<br />
<br />
Name Servers:<br />
ns1.gratisdns.dk<br />
ns2.gratisdns.dk<br />
ns3.gratisdns.dk<br />
See gumtreeoffer.com DNS Records<br />
<br />
Information Updated: Sun, 6 Nov 2011 06:21:28 UTC<br />
GUMTREEOFFER.COM SITE INFORMATION<br />
IP: 92.38.226.4<br />
IP Location: Moscow, Russian Federation<br />
Website Status: active<br />
Server Type: nginx<br />
<br />
GUMTREEOFFER.COM WHOIS<br />
Updated: 6 hours ago<br />
% By submitting a query to RU-CENTER's Whois Service<br />
% you agree to abide by the following terms of use:<br />
% http://www.nic.ru/about/servpol.html (in Russian)<br />
% http://www.nic.ru/about/en/servpol.html (in English).<br />
<br />
Domain name: GUMTREEOFFER.COM<br />
Name Server: ns1.gratisdns.dk<br />
Name Server: ns2.gratisdns.dk<br />
Name Server: ns3.gratisdns.dk<br />
Creation Date: 2011.11.06<br />
<br />
Status: DELEGATED<br />
<br />
Registrant ID: HEMLZCB-RU<br />
Registrant Name: Hector Bonam<br />
Registrant Organization: Hector Bonam<br />
Registrant Street1: 56<br />
Registrant City: Limavady<br />
Registrant Postal Code: BT490SW<br />
Registrant Country: GB<br />
<br />
Administrative, Technical Contact<br />
Contact ID: HEMLZCB-RU<br />
Contact Name: Hector Bonam<br />
Contact Organization: Hector Bonam<br />
Contact Street1: 56<br />
Contact City: Limavady<br />
Contact Postal Code: BT490SW<br />
Contact Country: GB<br />
Contact Phone: +44 783968486<br />
Contact E-mail: @gmail.com<br />
<br />
Registrar: Regional Network Information Center, JSC dba RU-CENTER<br />
<br />
Last updated on 2011.11.06 11:21:28 MSK/MSD<br />
<br />
Information Updated: Sun, 6 Nov 2011 06:21:29 UTC<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Latest Gumtree phishing text, exactly as above, but using the web address www.gumtreewinner.com<br />
<br />
Hello,<br />
Gumtree is giving away £500 Argos Gift Cards. Your phone number was elected as winner. Enter www.gumtreewinner.com to receive it.<br />
Gumtree Team<br />
<br />
<br />
Whois record:Registration Service Provided By: GOSSIMER<br />
Contact: +1.8889024678<br />
Website: http://www.gossimer.com<br />
<br />
Domain Name: GUMTREEWINNER.COM <br />
<br />
Registrant:<br />
Martel Verstapel<br />
Martel Verstapel ()<br />
23 Essex road <br />
Boda Kyrkby<br />
Ballymoney,BS6 5BU<br />
GB<br />
Tel. +44.743059305<br />
<br />
Creation Date: 23-Nov-2011 <br />
Expiration Date: 23-Nov-2012<br />
<br />
Domain servers in listed order:<br />
ns1.gratisdns.dk<br />
ns2.gratisdns.dk<br />
ns3.gratisdns.dk<br />
<br />
Administrative Contact:<br />
Martel Verstapel<br />
Martel Verstapel ()<br />
23 Essex road <br />
Boda Kyrkby<br />
Ballymoney,BS6 5BU<br />
GB<br />
Tel. +44.743059305<br />
<br />
Technical Contact:<br />
Martel Verstapel<br />
Martel Verstapel ()<br />
23 Essex road <br />
Boda Kyrkby<br />
Ballymoney,BS6 5BU<br />
GB<br />
Tel. +44.743059305<br />
<br />
Billing Contact:<br />
Martel Verstapel<br />
Martel Verstapel ()<br />
23 Essex road <br />
Boda Kyrkby<br />
Ballymoney,BS6 5BU<br />
GB<br />
Tel. +44.743059305<br />
<br />
Status:LOCKED<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
This one's really convincing!!<br />
<br />
SMS text came from 4636, with the display name INFO. According to microsoft, as well as requesting information, the website also contains malware that can harvest personal information.<br />
<br />
INFO<br />
<br />
Dear Customer, for your own security your credit card have been blocked, to unlock please go to:<br />
www.cardprocedure.com and follow the necessary steps.<br />
<br />
<br />
Whois information:<br />
Registrant:<br />
Domain Discreet<br />
ATTN: cardprocedure.com<br />
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1<br />
Funchal, Madeira 9000-039<br />
PT<br />
Phone: 1-902-7495331<br />
Email: <br />
<br />
Registrar Name....: Register.com<br />
Registrar Whois...: whois.register.com<br />
Registrar Homepage: www.register.com<br />
<br />
Domain Name: cardprocedure.com<br />
Created on..............: 2011-12-03<br />
Expires on..............: 2012-12-03<br />
<br />
Administrative Contact:<br />
Domain Discreet<br />
ATTN: cardprocedure.com<br />
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1<br />
Funchal, Madeira 9000-039<br />
PT<br />
Phone: 1-902-7495331<br />
Email: <br />
<br />
Technical Contact:<br />
Domain Discreet<br />
ATTN: cardprocedure.com<br />
Rua Dr. Brito Camara, n 20, 1<br />
Funchal, Madeira 9000-039<br />
PT<br />
Phone: 1-902-7495331<br />
Email: <br />
<br />
DNS Servers:<br />
a.ns.interland.net<br />
b.ns.interland.net<br />
c.ns.interland.net<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Another one from INFO, this time posing (badly!) as Paypal:<br />
<br />
<i>Dear PayPal Customer, for you own security your credit card have been blocked in order to unblock please go to www.paypaluk.co and follow steps.</i><br />
<br />
The would-be scammers are obviously not very clever at HTML, though as the link actually goes to the genuine Paypal website!<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Latest INFOSMS:<br />
<br />
<i>Dear customer, for you own security your credit card have been blocked. In order to unblock please go to www.security-cc.net and follow steps.</i><br />
<br />
Again, the link doesn't go anywhere and the website is not recognised. It would appear that these are the type of spam SMS texts that are designed to get you to respond, either charging you a premium rate for the reply, or verifying that your number exists to sell on to other spammers who will bombard your phone with the usual PPI, accident compensation claims etc. Whatever you do, just delete them - DO NOT REPLY!<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Today, I received the following SMS:<br />
<br />
Barclays<br />
<br />
Barclays Alert: You have one alert regarding your Barclays account.Please click the link bellow to read it: www.barclays.mobi.login-ran.com<br />
<br />
<br />
Please note the spelling is exactly as per the text!!<br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-85218181644173361092011-06-04T13:35:00.039+02:002012-03-06T17:56:04.902+01:00Paypal / Moneygram / Western Union Scams on Gumtree and AutotraderIt seems that many of you are finding this blog through searches relating to scams, so I have decided to publish details of any future attempted scams to help people identify scams quicker. If any readers have scammers' email addresses that have not yet been listed, please post them in the comments section. I'm sure this won't shut them down, but if we can help just a few people avoid giving these thieves their hard-earned money, it will be a step in the right direction.<br />
<br />
Here is a link to Gumtree's Blog on Paypal scams: <a href="http://blog.gumtree.com/paypal-scam-alert/">http://blog.gumtree.com/paypal-scam-alert/</a><br />
<br />
I have also come across contact details for a dedicated team on Gumtree who you can report scams to: Tony or Dave <a href="gumtreefraudbuster@gmail.com ">gumtreefraudbuster@gmail.com </a><br />
<br />
Here's another great site I found with tons of info on scams: <a href="http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/index.php">http://www.scamwarners.com/forum/index.php</a><br />
<br />
Most recent ones I have had:<br />
<br />
parkerdorothy21@yahoo.com<br />
mattewscottb001@globomail.com<br />
lesfield1@gmail.com<br />
wlspd@yahoo.co.uk<br />
shane.wood001@gmail.com<br />
<br />
I will add any new ones as I receive them!<br />
<br />
kmpmaximum@hotmail.com <br />
AHOFFER71@GMAIL.COM <br />
diana cole dianacolly3@gmail.com<br />
charles.mcentire1950@gmail.com <br />
turbo_se1@hotmail.com<br />
pino.russo@y7mail.com<br />
colekendra11@yahoo.co.uk <br />
baskinderek6@gmail.com <br />
jadeosborn205@gmail.com<br />
an000fr@gmail.com<br />
davidhopkins007@gmail.com <br />
davidhopkins026@gmail.com<br />
micconne103@gmail.com <br />
missmonirabegume@yahoo.co.uk<br />
katherine henderson kathend01@gmail.com <br />
davidtermi@yahoo.co.uk<br />
jane kelly janebriggs07@gmail.com <br />
Kelly O'Connel kellyconnel@gmail.com <br />
Zeeshan Mehmood zee.shan_9@hotmail.com <br />
Henry Bright henrybright99@yahoo.co.uk<br />
johnlucasm2@yahoo.com<br />
cleosteve101@hotmail.com.au<br />
angela.grant97@yahoo.com<br />
paulwellton@gmail.com<br />
larry james larryjames4030@yahoo.com (freesmscraze.com)<br />
bruce whikler<br />
Mary Williams marywilliams02@zipmail.com.br<br />
Thomas Cole tmascole@yahoo.com<br />
Scoffy Williams scoffywilliams1999@gmail.com<br />
Ron Harries ronharries999@gmail.com<br />
Calvin Williams calvinwilliams999@gmail.com<br />
Mary Williams mrsmwilliams@mail.kz <br />
I have been receiving texts through a service called freeSMScraze.com, asking for a reply via email.<br />
<br />
Numbers so far: +12032607237 ( 012032607237 )<br />
+19546435314 ( 019546435314 ) +13122034474<br />
<br />
Scammers also now seem to be trying to get sellers to dial premium rate numbers!<br />
<br />
Ansen Donald justansen2001@yahoo.co.uk<br />
<br />
+447031837370 (077031837370)<br />
rudolphdelprado@gmail.com<br />
Ricky Jack jricky04@gmail.com <br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Here's an amusing one - sent in response to a CARS WANTED ad!<br />
<br />
Dear Sir/Ma, am very pleased to inform you that am interested in your product and i wish we could transact business for a long time.please kindly send more details about your product to me. Here is my email address kmpmaximum@hotmail.com .<br />
<br />
Please, respond to my email ASAP bcos we need it urgent<br />
<br />
Thanks and hope to hear from you soon.<br />
<br />
Robert Daniels<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Obviously, be very suspicious of any emails claiming to be from Paypal,<br />
this is currently a common address: service@intl.paypal.co.uk®<br />
<br />
If you are doing a transaction via Paypal, always log in to your account and check your balance yourself!<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
I was feeling a little mischievous the other day, and curious as to whether the scammers actually read replies, so when I received this:<br />
<br />
<i>Hello the seller, <br />
I seriously have interest in buy this your good for my first son and want to know your final selling price and is the condition of the item is work perfect just let me know on time. </i>, <br />
<br />
I responded with:<br />
<br />
<i>Hi Bastard,<br />
<br />
The car is a non - runner with major accident damage at the rear. <br />
<br />
Price is £299,999</i><br />
<br />
( Real price was £2,995! )<br />
<br />
To which came the reply:<br />
<br />
<i>Hi Seller,<br />
Thanks for the mail, I'm seriously interested in buying this for my son and am okay with your selling price, I'm a (Oil Engineering) and currently offshore i really want this as a surprise gift for my son so i won't let him know anything about this until it get delivered to him. You can mail me back with your PayPal email address so i can make the payment to you right now and if you don't have an account with PayPal you can set up an account today as it's secured and reliable visit their website on www.paypal.co.uk... i will be responsible for the payment fees/charges on this transaction. Do not worry about shipping or picking up as my pick up agent will come and pick it up from you once have made the payment to you and i will also need your full Name,address and phone number.<br />
Looking forward to read back from you asap...<br />
Kinds.<br />
Baskin.</i><br />
<br />
Seems like the answer is that they don't read them! I'm a little disappointed, though as there now seems little point in replying for fun!!<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
This one appears to be changing tack slightly:<br />
<br />
<b>hello,i am relocating to the UK for a job,i want to buy,kindly get back to me <br />
From: jessica<br />
Telephone: +18326710898</b><br />
<br />
When I responded, I got:<br />
<br />
<b>Hello<br />
Thanks for your prompt response.am okay with it and i want to buy right away,I currently stay in the USA,I am relocating to the UK from Atlanta (USA),My mode of payment will be through a UK Bank certified check ,My new employer in the UK will be the one responsible for the payment,i will arrange for the pick up as soon as you have the payment so that it can be delivered to my new apartment before my arrival.<br />
My Employer Request for the Set Of Information To Send Out The Payment To You :<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Your First name,Last name------------<br />
Street Address-----------------------<br />
City, State,Postal Zip Code-----------<br />
E-mail addresses---------------------<br />
Phone#:(cell & home)-----------------<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Waiting To Read From You</b><br />
<br />
I've sent some fictitious details to see what happens next. I suspect there will be some "emergency" and the buyer will need to use Paypal and a shipping agent paid via WU or Moneygram. I will post updates as and when they happen! <br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
Another SMScraze.com text:<br />
<br />
+13476494533<br />
<br />
do you have the CAR ?pls replyme to jeanjoy500 at yahoo.co.uk and the total cost<br />
Powered by:<br />
freeSMScraze.com<br />
<br />
----------------------------------------------------------------------------neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-19098213612417500482011-03-20T19:32:00.000+01:002011-03-20T19:32:43.719+01:00Auction Values Continue To RiseFor the first few months of this year, the trade guides have reported many increases on trade values. Glass's reflecting high demand for 4x4, and late, low mileage stock of virtually all desirable models.<br />
This has been evident in auction prices, and will continue to be so - despite book values increasing, prices achieved continue to be close to, or over guide values. The disparity between the two main guides - Glass and CAP, underlines the increased potential for error when buying at auction. <br />
Meanwhile, modest new car registrations are likely to lead to shortages in supply of good quality used stock, and convertibles are about to start their annual value increase as dealers prepare for higher demand with the promise of better weather. <br />
BCA recently reported that average values achieved in the nearly new sector had reached a record level.<br />
Interestingly, though, the increases still do not seem to be filtering through to the retail market. Massive price competition, fuelled by "part-time traders" selling the odd car off their driveways or local streets means that smaller dealers are having to be extremely competitive on price. <br />
Buying a car from a reputable dealer who prepares cars properly and offers a quality warranty represents fantastic value at the moment. As for buying at auction, it's as risky as ever. There are still plenty of good vehicles to be found, but as always, solid research is imperative. Check retail prices thoroughly, and go through the vehicle checks like a ritual!neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-89647160816168040672011-01-27T21:37:00.000+01:002011-01-27T21:37:58.264+01:00Government Auctions - Do They Really Exist?Everywhere you go online these days, you seem to be bombarded with ads for "secret" directories of government and police auctions. But do these auctions actually exist? Well, yes is the simple answer, but before you start paying your subscription in the hope of bagging some "amazing bargains", do a little research first.<br />
These auctions are far from secret, in fact, a good place to start looking is the <a href="http://webarchive.nationalarchives.gov.uk/+/www.direct.gov.uk/en/hl1/help/yourquestions/dg_10014697">Direct.gov website</a>. There are two categories of items that will be disposed of by the police - confiscated stolen goods or lost property that cannot be returned to it's owner, and ex-police vehicles. Most forces send these items either to their local public auction, or sell them on <a href="http://www.bumblebeeauctions.co.uk/XcAuctionPro.asp">Bumblebee</a>, a kind of online auction similar to eBay. <br />
The government, particularly the MOD use <a href="www.mod-sales.com">www.mod-sales.com</a>, and <a href="http://www.edisposals.com/is-bin/INTERSHOP.enfinity/WFS/Disposals-Public-Site/-/-/-/Default-Start">eDisposals</a>. <br />
So there you have it - a 10 minute Google search and the real government auction sites for FREE!neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-2253550973785701742011-01-17T19:01:00.000+01:002011-01-17T19:01:24.050+01:00Gumtree / Paypal Scam UpdateIt appears the overpayment scam is evolving. I had an email response to an advertisement, much the same as usual, but this time the "buyer" wanted to use Paypal. I strung him along for a while, and was shocked by the events that unfolded. At first view to an inexperienced seller, the emails from "Paypal" could easily seem genuine. I find it particularly worrying, given that Paypal is considered a very safe way of transferring money. Having done some research online, it would appear that many people are falling for this. Below are some, but not all of the emails. Please note, I provided the scammer with a genuine email address, but not one attached to a Paypal account.<br />
<br />
<b>Hi there neil, you have received a reply to your Gumtree posting "BMW ... from Mattew <mattewscottb001@globomail.com>:<br />
<br />
DEAR<br />
MY TWIN BROTHER CALL ME ATTENTION ON YOUR ITEM ON GUMTREE,I WANT TO KNOW IF<br />
YOUR ITEM IS STILL AVAILABLE FOR SALE?</b><br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
<b>Thanks for getting back to me about this item and i can only make the<br />
transaction Via PayPal been a secure way and my agent will handle the<br />
title transfer and the pickup because i won't be available for the<br />
inspecting and picking up of this item due to my Tight schedule as i<br />
am a marine engineer and due to the nature of my work, phone calls<br />
making are restricted,so you can send me your PayPal email account so<br />
that i can send the payment at once.. i will be responsible for the<br />
pick up charges<br />
<br />
Note: i'll also include the Shipping company's fee<br />
<br />
so kindly Get back to me with your PayPal email account so i can<br />
proceed with the payment asap..<br />
<br />
Thanks</b><br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
I duly forwarded him some fictitious details, and almost immediately received the following:<br />
<br />
Notification of an Instant Payment Received From Mattew Scott on Transaction ID:(5EY44452T24691006)<br />
<br />
<br />
Inbox<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.paypal.com/images/paypal_logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="35" width="117" src="http://www.paypal.com/images/paypal_logo.gif" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
Reply<br />
|<br />
Service@PayPaI.co.uk<br />
to neil<br />
<br />
show details 6 Jan (11 days ago)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.paypal.com/images/paypal_logo.gif" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="35" width="117" src="http://www.paypal.com/images/paypal_logo.gif" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear neil@################,<br />
<br />
This email confirms that you have received an Instant payment of £1,750.00 GBP from Mattew Scott (mattewscottb001@globomail.com) via PayPal Payment Service.<br />
<br />
View the "NOTE" of this pending transaction below<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Payment Details<br />
Item Amount: <br />
£1,300.00 GBP<br />
<br />
Agent Charges:<br />
<br />
Extra Charges:<br />
<br />
Total:<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
£400.00 GBP<br />
<br />
<br />
£50.00 GBP<br />
<br />
£1,750.00 GBP<br />
<br />
Transaction Id: <br />
5EY44452T24691006<br />
<br />
<br />
Quantity: <br />
<br />
1<br />
<br />
Unit ID: <br />
BMW #################################################################<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
PICK-UP AGENT INFORMATION<br />
<br />
<br />
Address: <br />
<br />
Name:Lawal Nurudeen<br />
No 24 Adeniyi Street Eleweran,<br />
Abeokuta<br />
Ogun State<br />
Nigeria<br />
100011. <br />
<br />
<br />
Address Status: <br />
<br />
Confirmed https://www.paypal.com/us/cgi-bin/?cmd=p/pop/confirmed_address<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
NOTE: This is to confirm to you that the said amount has been successfully transferred by Mattew Scott and has been deducted from his PayPal account,which is ready to be credited into your account,been that this Payment has been subjected to be a Payment for an (Goods) purchased from you we reserve the right to make sure this transaction is safe and secured also to verify the legitimacy level on this transaction because of the high sum of funds involved.<br />
<br />
<br />
The above sum has included the transport charges and taxes as we and the Transport Company quoted for the buyer (as per PayPal Policy ). You will receive a Message from the PayPal Customer Verification Department Shortly informing you on how to send the shipping charges and taxes to the transport company with the above details as soon as possible.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
You may contact the PayPal Customer Verification Department and Quote the Above Transaction ID for quick recognition of this transaction at: PP30945@mail2consultant.com.<br />
Sincerely,<br />
PayPal<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
PayPal Email ID PP30945.<br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
When I messed him around a bit, this came through, along with some from him:<br />
<br />
***Collaboration Complaint From PayPal To NSY **LEGAL ACTION***<br />
<br />
<br />
Inbox<br />
X <br />
<br />
Reply<br />
|<br />
Service@PayPaI.co.uk<br />
to neil<br />
<br />
show details 9 Jan (8 days ago)<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/19/article-1194051-05649F77000005DC-731_468x332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="332" width="468" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/19/article-1194051-05649F77000005DC-731_468x332.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
Dear neil@#################,<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
It is important we know the status of the (BMW####################################) bought otherwise, legal action may be taken against you since you have not replied with (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DETAILS) payment made to your account by our client Mattew Scott via PayPal.We request for the (WESTERN UNION MONEY TRANSFER DETAILS) in less than An hour and we will credit the money into your account or face the consequences of LEGAL ACTION. <br />
<br />
We believed you entered into bidding agreement by requesting money through PayPal, and by non response to the payment confirmation made to your account you have violate PayPal agreement. However the buyer has already contacted us in other to make report about your non response. We are ensuring to make PayPal a safer place, therefore we need to set confidence on our users. <br />
<br />
Therefore, if your Money is credit into your Account before the transfer, that means the (BMW ###############################) will not be Picked. From IC3 we give you An Hour to send the Pick-Up to the Pick-Up Address given to you by your buyer, and also send the Money Transfer Tracking Number immediately to us to verify the Transfer .Immediately we confirm the transaction.You will receive a confirmation e-mail that your account has been credited.<br />
<br />
NOTE: <br />
Failure to respond to this means your Name and Address will be forward to the law enforcement Agency in your Country which may result to an Arrest, because you are practicing Scam, And your Account with PayPal will be BLOCKED, In order to free yourself from this'' Send the money within 5hours and send the money transfer details Tracking to PayPal for them to Verify. If you have any comment on this issue do not hesitate to contact us.If the information you wish to provide pertains to an emergency situation, . Although we check our e-mail frequently, we do not consider it to be an alternative to telephonic contact in emergency situations.Feel free to contact us directly to this mail PP30945@mail2consultant.com.<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
United Kingdom Field Office <br />
METROPOLITAN POLICE<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/19/article-1194051-05649F77000005DC-731_468x332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="332" width="468" src="http://i.dailymail.co.uk/i/pix/2009/06/19/article-1194051-05649F77000005DC-731_468x332.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/4/9/1239231971580/An-alleged-terror-suspect-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="276" width="460" src="http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2009/4/9/1239231971580/An-alleged-terror-suspect-001.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42449000/jpg/_42449948_scotlandyard_ap.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:left; float:left;margin-right:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="300" width="400" src="http://newsimg.bbc.co.uk/media/images/42449000/jpg/_42449948_scotlandyard_ap.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
United Kingdom Field Office <br />
METROPOLITAN POLICE<br />
<br />
<br />
Thanks for your co-operation.<br />
Yours sincerely.<br />
<br />
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------<br />
<br />
I ran him around some more, with fictitious Western Union details etc, then reported him to Paypal and Gumtree. I think you'll agree though, that it's all rather heavy, so be extra vigilant when advertising anything!neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-51798891565264598132011-01-08T18:34:00.000+01:002011-01-08T18:34:13.275+01:00Crazy Values Achieved In First Week At The Car Auctions!Well, what a week! The first few auctions of 2011 brought few surprises. As expected, dealers are clamouring to re-stock and values were retail and above for most cars in auctions I attended. <br />
For instance, at BCA Blackbushe yesterday, there were between 800 and 900 vehicles, and the pace was frightening! If you've seen the Kellogg's Crunchy Nut ad with Rob Brydon playing the Newsreader, imagine him as an auctioneer and you'll get the picture! Now I'm certain many cars in this auction were being "run up", but even so, most sold, and most of those were well over the odds. <br />
There was a batch of '58 plate Vauxhall Corsa Clubs, all blue, with good mileages. Not one went for less than £5,000. By the time the buyer's fees and transport costs are added, and then the vehicle inspection and valet, they will owe the dealer at least £5,500. Now search for one on Auto Trader, and the cheapest <b>main dealer</b> car is £5,495!<br />
This wasn't limited to prime stock, either. Cars with high miles and lots of damage were being snapped up aswell. I fully expected the "main dealer" type stock to make good money, but was amazed at how strong everything else was.<br />
So what does this all mean? Well, it's a great time if you are looking to sell your car in auction, but if you are thinking of buying, a dealer is likely to represent a better deal. <br />
Of course, there is a shortage of stock in the UK market, but there is also a shortage of consumers, and until the economy improves, I can't see things getting much better - new car registrations are tomorrow's used cars.<br />
So if you are buying your next car in auction, take <b>extra</b> care. Do your research thoroughly, as there is even less margin for error. The best bargains at the moment are probably convertibles, as it's a little early for them yet.<br />
<br />
My advice for die-hard auction fans would be to wait for the initial rush to die down before going out buying.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-90894290230973402922011-01-03T13:13:00.002+01:002011-03-04T22:09:50.406+01:00Other Useful Car Auction Sites And Related ResourcesTo avoid cluttering posts with links and buttons, all useful resources and partner sites will now be listed on this page. Lots more resources to help you when buying your car in an auction.<br />
<a href="https://sites.google.com/site/clamprescue/home">Wheel Clamp Rescue</a><br />
<a href="http://www.datachecks.co.uk/">Datachecks.co.uk</a><br />
<a href="http://auction.page.co.uk" alt="Auction Page at StartPage UK" title="Auction Page at StartPage UK" target=_blank><strong>Auction Page at StartPage UK</strong></a><br />
<a href="http://www.squidoo.com/how-to-buy-a-car-at-auction">Squidoo</a><br />
<a href="http://www.auctioncarbuyer.co.uk/">Car Auction Buyer</a><br />
<a href="http://www.motor-trade-insider.com/">Motor Trade Insider</a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-48955040465098809482010-12-29T15:35:00.002+01:002011-01-06T17:52:13.960+01:00How To Price Your Auction CarSo, you've decided which car you want, where to go to find it, what to look for when you see it, and how to bid on it when the time comes, but how do you decide how much you should pay for it?<br />
Well, this can be a surprisingly difficult exercise! As I've already mentioned, most trade buyers at a car auction will be valuing the cars factoring in reconditioning costs and profit margin, and this is something that a private buyer will also need to understand to some degree.<br />
Firstly, forget about any publications. I know, every other car auction tips website will bang on about Glass' Guide, CAP, or even worse - Parker's Guide. The key here is in the names - <b>a guide is just that - a guide!</b> If you could access all three of the most popular books, and cross-checked them for values, you would find huge differences. There are many reasons for this, which I won't bore you with, suffice to say that they are useless to a private individual.<br />
Indeed, when selling cars to other dealers, I have noticed how many are moving away from the guides altogether. What they do instead is work off the retail price they believe they can make and adjust for their margin and any recon costs. <br />
And this is exactly what a private buyer should be doing! Again, research pays off. Look on the car auction website to see which vehicles will be going through. If you are thinking of buying a later vehicle, search for that car on dealer websites, independent dealer websites, and private sales. Bear in mind, the varying levels of preparation these cars will have undergone, and what warranty cover you might get. Good places to do this are <a href="http://www.autotrader.co.uk/">Autotrader</a>,and <a href="http://www.motors.co.uk/">Motors.co.uk</a>. This is because you will find main dealers, specialists, and private sellers all in one place.<br />
Don't forget, you will need to price check like-for-like. Colour, mileage and specification all carry a premium, so if you buy a green car with cloth for £1000 less than you saw a black one with all the options for, have you really had a bargain? Also, bear in mind that you should be able to negotiate at least a little with a dealer, so factor in a bit of discount.<br />
<br />
Once you have established an idea of the retail price, you need to estimate how much you would have to pay to get a car to the standard you require. For example, if you were looking for a vehicle of the standard you could expect from a manufacturer approved used car programme, you would need to have an idea of how much a warranty would cost, or how much you would have to spend to remedy a major problem if you didn't have a warranty. Of course, most cars under three years old would have the balance of the manufacturer's warranty, but there can be exceptions, not always obvious! <br />
For example, even though a car in the auction may have full service history, if it hasn't been done to the manufacturer's specifications, or at the right intervals, the warranty can be invalidated. Don't assume that because a car has been leased, and the terms of a lease dictate that the vehicle is maintained that it will have been. Even if it has, if the service book is missing, it is extremely difficult to track down the history.<br />
When you have determined your budget, you then need to go through your checks on the actual cars at the auction, and estimate any work that needs doing to get it to the standard you require. <br />
Finally, you must deduct your buyer's fee, and you will have a maximum figure that you should bid up to. <br />
Finally, go and observe before you buy. You will be able to see if the car you are after consistently achieves a particular price, and this will give you an accurate <b>car auction</b> price guide. Chances are that in the current market, you will probably end up going back to a dealer, but whichever way you buy, at least you can be confident you <b>really</b> got the best deal.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-60723927831582598652010-12-24T13:27:00.000+01:002010-12-24T13:27:38.882+01:00Merry Christmas!Just a quick message to say "Happy Christmas" and thank you to all my readers. Hope you've found this blog useful and interesting so far and picked up some good car auction tips. <br />
This year has been a challenging and unpredictable time in the motor trade, particularly with erratic used car values and inexplicable auction results. No doubt the beginning of 2011 will be equally difficult, especially as bigger dealers clamour to restock for the new year. I look forward to bringing you more posts in the new year with plenty of news from the auctions.<br />
In the meantime, a little light reading to keep you going over the festive period!<br />
<br />
BCA have released their Top 10 Auction Highlights Form 2010, including a Bugatti Veyron, a vintage Ford Zodiac, a pink Smart car, and a Nissan 100NX disguised as a rabbit! For the full story, go to <a href="http://www.honestjohn.co.uk/news/auctions/2010-12/bca-top-10">Honest John</a>.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, auction companies are predicting strong results for the new year, They expect demand for good quality vehicles to be very competitive, making it all the more important to read up on your buying tips before you go! Full Story at <a href="http://www.am-online.com/usedcars/story/Customers-will-look-for-used-car-bargains-in-2011/42903081">Automotive News</a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-54292470731740226312010-12-17T16:30:00.000+01:002010-12-17T16:30:55.035+01:00" Winner's Curse "Hi, not really a post, but something amusing I just came across in, of all places, the Oxford Dictionary Of Psychology!<br />
<br />
<blockquote><b>Winner's Curse</b> <i>n</i>. A tendency for the highest bid at an auction to exceed the true market value of the lot or prize. It arises from the fact that the bidders' estimates of the value of the prize are unreliable; some bidders are likely to underestimate the value and others to overestimate it, and it is the bidder who overestimates it the most who is likely to make the highest bid and to win the prize, in which case the winner is, in this sense, a loser. The effect has been confirmed by both experimental and field studies. It can be explored with the following demonstration, based on a classic experiment published in the <i>Journal Of Conflict Resolution</i> in 1983. Fill a jar with coins and auction it off to the highest bidder among a group of friends. The average bid will probably be less than the value of the coins, because of *risk aversion among bidders, but the winning bid will probably exceed the value of the coins, dramatically illustrating the winner's curse and providing a small profit for the auctioneer. The phenomenon was first discussed in an article on the purchase of oil-drilling rights in the <i>Journal Of Petroleum Technology</i> in 1971and was subsequently analysed in depth by the US economist Richard H. Thaler ( born 1945).</blockquote><br />
I never knew this phenomenon was scientific fact! Think I'll count up my penny jar later!neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-34347785362274418132010-12-15T18:28:00.002+01:002011-01-17T18:24:28.690+01:00Used Car Scam To Watch Out ForThis might be a little off-topic, but if you are selling your old car privately, it's one you should be aware of. <br />
Basically, the scammers respond to your advert by e-mail, and usually sound like very serious enquiries. However, they are generally very easy to spot, as their English is very poor, and they often go down the old route of being very over-friendly. For example, they will often wish you and your family all the best, or promise to pray for you etc, etc!<br />
Most of the ones I'm receiving at the moment are coming through Auto Trader, and they are beginning to adapt to be more convincing. However, they all have one common theme, and that is to trick you into actually giving them your car, and some money aswell, for good measure!<br />
The way they do this is to pose as overseas buyers, with all sorts of reasons why they particularly want your car. They will offer to buy your car, and have it collected by a shipping agent. They will pay you, usually by cheque, the asking price + the shipping costs, which you will pass on to the agent when he collects. <br />
All will proceed smoothly, until after your car has departed and your bank informs you the cheque has not cleared!<br />
It is very important to remember that cheques can be returned even after your bank has cleared the funds into your account.<br />
Once this happens, you have actually paid somebody to take your car away for you!<br />
<br />
Here's one I received recently:<br />
<br />
Received: 24 November 2010 08:13<br />
<br />
<b>Customer Details:<br />
NAME: MR James Butler<br />
TELEPHONE:<br />
EMAIL: james.jbutler.smith@gmail.com<br />
<br />
Vehicle Details:<br />
MAKE: NISSAN<br />
MODEL: MICRA<br />
PRICE: <br />
<br />
Message:<br />
IS THE ITEM STILL FOR SALE ?CAN I MAKE YOU TELL ME THE BEST PRICE YOU WANT TO OFFER IT OUT AND THE PRESENT CONDITION OF THE CAR<br />
</b><br />
<br />
I actually replied to this one, and received the following response:<br />
<br />
<b>Hello<br />
Thanks for your mail and I'm satisfied with the asking<br />
price of the car . I will need you to provide me with your<br />
Name,Address and Phone # so i can forward it to my colleague to issue<br />
you a check that will include the cost of the item ,shipping,insurance<br />
and delivery and when you get it i will give you instructions on what<br />
to do. Once you have the payment, the shippers will contact you to<br />
make arrangement for the pick up of the item at your location. I will<br />
like to take off the advert from the internet and consider it "SOLD"<br />
to me in order to avoid miss-understanding with other customers.<br />
Thanks.<br />
<br />
Regards,<br />
Mr james<br />
</b><br />
<br />
Once you receive this request, it's best to steer well clear! Most sites are aware of these scams, and advise that you should only deal face-to-face, and with cleared funds. In fairness, you can be caught out with any payment method, but cash is favourite, just check notes carefully.<br />
<br />
Remember the Golden Rule: If it seems too good to be true, it probably is!<br />
<br />
Always trust your instincts, if something doesn't feel right, walk away. You're better off not selling your car than giving it away!<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, if you are buying privately, consider using an HPI type check like:<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.datachecks.co.uk"><img src="http://www.datachecks.co.uk/data120.gif" border="0" width="120" height="60"></a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-20607137572200521612010-11-30T23:20:00.027+01:002010-12-07T22:14:00.655+01:00Where To Find Your Local Car AuctionThe two biggest auction groups in the UK are BCA and Manheim, and between them they process tens of thousands of cars per week through 39 auction centres. <br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=11135"><br />
British Car Auctions</a><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/">Manheim</a><br />
<br />
These two groups handle the disposals of virtually all the major leasing companies and dealer groups, and so are probably the number one choice for later vehicles. They also welcome the public, and so are are good place to start for the private buyer.<br />
<br />
<b>To find your nearest car auction, just click on a location to go straight to the auction website.</b><br />
<br />
<b>South East:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.hobbsparker.co.uk/">Ashford, Kent</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=56">Blackbushe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.dingwallauctions.co.uk/">Croydon</a><a href="http://www.ebca.co.uk/"><br />
Eastbourne</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=71">Paddock Wood</a><br />
<a href="http://www.shorehamvehicleauctions.com/">Shoreham, Sussex</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cars2bid4.com/">Southampton</a><br />
<br />
<b>South West:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=57">Bridgwater</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Bristol">Bristol</a><br />
<a href="http://www.cornwallcarauctions.co.uk/">Cornwall</a><br />
<a href="http://www.husseys.co.uk/auctioncentre/auction-diary/carauctions.ashx">Exeter</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Gloucester">Gloucester</a><br />
<a href="http://www.swva.co.uk/">Poole</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Saltash">Saltash</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=74">Tewkesbury</a><br />
<a href="http://www.astonbarclay.net/westbury/">Westbury</a><br />
<br />
<b>London:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=61">Enfield</a><br />
<a href="http://www.auctions2000.co.uk/">Docklands</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Wimbledon">Wimbledon</a><br />
<br />
<b>East:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=2666">Bedford</a><br />
<a href="http://www.astonbarclay.net/chelmsford/">Chelmsford</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Colchester">Colchester</a><br />
<a href="http://www.angliacarauctions.co.uk/Content/home.aspx">King's Lynn</a><br />
<a href="http://www.eama-norwich.co.uk/">Norwich</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=72">Peterborough</a><br />
<br />
<b>Midlands:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=55">Birmingham</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Birmingham">Birmingham</a><br />
<a href="http://www.birminghamcarauctions.co.uk/">Birmingham</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Bruntingthorpe">Bruntingthorpe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=59">Derby</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Leicester">Leicester</a><br />
<a href="http://www.brightwells.com/Vehicles/Default.aspx">Leominster</a><br />
<a href="http://www.leominstercarauctions.co.uk/">Leominster</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Mansfield">Mansfield</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=65">Measham</a><br />
<a href="http://www.newarkmotorauctions.co.uk/">Newark</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Northampton">Northampton</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=70">Nottingham</a><br />
<a href="http://www.arrowauctions.co.uk/index3.html">Redditch</a><br />
<a href="http://www.staffordmotorauctions.co.uk/">Stafford</a><br />
<a href="http://www.wilsonsauctions.com/telford.asp">Telford</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=75">Walsall</a><br />
<a href="http://www.astonbarclay.net/prees-heath/">Whitchurch</a><br />
<br />
<b>North West:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.burnleyauctioneers.co.uk/">Burnley</a><br />
<a href="http://www.borderwaymotorauctions.co.uk/">Carlisle</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Haydock">Haydock</a><br />
<a href="http://www.liverpoolmotorauction.co.uk/">Liverpool</a><br />
<a href="http://www.stoodley.co.uk/">Manchester</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Manchester">Manchester</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=43">Manchester</a><br />
<a href="http://www.westcoast-auctions.co.uk/">Poulton-Le-Fylde</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=73">Preston</a><br />
<a href="http://www.radcliffecarauctions.co.uk/">Radcliffe</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sthelensmotorauction.co.uk/splash.htm">St.Helens</a><br />
<br />
<b>North East:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.bridlingtonmotorauction.co.uk/index.asp">Bridlington</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=58">Brighouse</a><br />
<a href="http://www.bawtryauctions.co.uk/">Doncaster</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=A1%20Knottingley">Knottingley</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sma-group.co.uk/locations/leeds.aspx">Leeds</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Leeds">Leeds</a><br />
<a href="http://www.independentmotorauctions.co.uk/">Leeds</a><br />
<a href="http://www.motorauctions.co.uk/">Leeds</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Middlesbrough">Middlesborough</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=67">Newcastle</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sma-group.co.uk/locations/newcastle.aspx">Newcastle</a><br />
<a href="http://www.m1auctions.co.uk/">Sheffield</a><br />
<a href="http://www.carandvanauctions.co.uk/CarAndVanAuctions/manheim_auctions_washington/">Washington</a><br />
<a href="http://www.g3remarketing.co.uk/">Whitwood</a><br />
<a href="http://www.ylc.co.uk/">York</a><br />
<br />
<b>Scotland:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.wilsonsauctions.com/scotland.asp">Dalry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=60">Edinburgh</a><br />
<a href="http://www.morrisleslie.com/">Errol</a><br />
<a href="http://www.centralcarauctions.com/">Glasgow</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=62">Glasgow</a><br />
<a href="http://www.manheimremarketing.co.uk/locations/centre/?auction_name=Glasgow;rm=about">Glasgow</a><br />
<a href="http://www.intercitymotorauctions.co.uk/Stock_New.aspx?site=glasgow">Glasgow</a><br />
<a href="http://www.sma-group.co.uk/locations/kinross.aspx">Kinross</a><br />
<a href="http://www.intercitymotorauctions.co.uk/Stock_New.aspx?site=perth">Perth</a><br />
<a href="http://www.shotts-auction.co.uk/">Shotts</a><br />
<a href="http://www.goanm.co.uk/tsa/weeklyauctions/vehicles/index.html?">Thainstone</a><br />
<br />
<b>Wales:</b><br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.clwydauctions.co.uk/">Clwyd</a><br />
<a href="http://www.auctioneers.co.uk/">Merthyr Tydfil</a><br />
<a href="http://www.british-car-auctions.co.uk/Default.aspx?page=69">Newport</a><br />
<a href="http://www.newportauctions.co.uk/">Newport</a><br />
<a href="http://www.wilsonsauctions.com/queensferry.asp">Queensferry</a><br />
<a href="http://www.smva.co.uk/">Swansea</a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-55016000292999504442010-11-17T23:01:00.001+01:002010-12-24T00:04:12.957+01:00Top 10 Things To Look For When Buying At AuctionSo, I've talked a little about looking over the car you are considering buying, but what should you look for? Well, as we already know, your time is limited, so a full inspection is impossible, but there are some quick checks that will identify some of the more serious issues you might find at auction.<br />
1.MOT. Check the length of the MOT. If it is very short, or expired, be careful. Although it is normal for people to dispose of cars just before services MOT's etc are due, it may be there because it has failed. <br />
2. Bodywork. Although it takes years of practice to master, it is important to look for BAD body repairs. It is highly unlikely you will buy any used car these days that hasn't had a bumper scuff or stone chip repaired, but poor paintwork will seriously harm your vehicle's value later on. It might also alert you to more major damage. Try to look at the panels from all four corners, as well as straight on. Space will impede this, but you are looking for misaligned panels, filler and colour differences. Look at the gaps between panels to see if they are even, and look down each side of the car to see any panels that might stick out. Look along the "swage" lines that go down the sides of the car to see if they are straight. If they are wobbly, chances are the panel is full of filler. If you spot bad bodywork, your next step will depend on your level of knowledge. Chances are, if you're reading this, it won't be that great, so it's probably best to leave it alone. It can be very difficult to estimate paintwork without being able to get underneath the car. Also be aware that on many cars now, wing mirrors can be fortunes to replace, so be cautious of damaged mirror casings.<br />
It is also possible that a car at auction with this kind of repair may have had serious damage. Don't forget, a car will only be registered on VCAR if an insurance company has decided not to repair it. This means that self-repaired vehicles and ones that have been done by the insurers will not show up on any HPI-type registers.<br />
3. Tyres. A simple, brief check can save you a fair few quid here. Check by sight and feel across the full width of each tyre to make sure they have decent tread.<br />
4. Glass. Check the windscreen headlights and rear light clusters for damage. All can cause a car to fail an MOT, and can be costly to replace.<br />
5 Interior. Look for bad rips in the cloth, or leather, worn steering wheels, and damaged or cracked dashboards.<br />
6. Warning lights. Many vehicles turn up at car auctions with instrument displays that look like Christmas Trees! Yellow Engine lights, or often the glow plug light on diesels are usually emissions-related and caused by a faulty sensor. Although they are unlikely to be a major problem, they will need to be diagnosed, and the faulty sensor replaced. Not usually a big deal, but a Lambda Sensor on a Mondeo is £20, the same sensor on a Corsa is £60. I found out to my cost the other day that a coil for a VW Polo is £120 + VAT! It is also worth noting that these problems are not always straightforward to find, even with diagnostic equipment. Airbag lights again are usually caused by a sensor, but it is possible they are indicating something more serious. Any red lights, particularly engine lights mean the car's computer believes it has a serious engine fault. It's not always right, but it's risky to ignore it! ABS lights can be as simple as a sensor, but can be very expensive!<br />
7. Head Gasket Failure. Every time I visit a car auction, I see LOADS of cars with this problem. The trouble with this is the cost of fixing it. A cylinder head gasket itself costs a few pounds, but if it fails, it can cause serious damage, and because it is way down the engine, the labour to fit it can run into hundreds of pounds. There are many ways a head gasket leak might show itself: the most common are mixing of oil and water. Take off the oil filler cap, look inside the cap and into the filler neck. It should look like oil. If it's creamy, there's a fair chance there's water in there. Take out the dipstick - look for more cream on the end. A little froth on the filler cap can be condensation, but if it's on the dipstick, she's in a bad way! Look in the coolant expansion tank ( if the engine's cool ). The coolant should be clean, usually, pink, orange, or blue. If it's dark, get some on your finger's. If it feels oily, there's probably oil in there! When the car starts, watch the coolant bottle. If it starts bubbling, it's pressurising, which is exhaust gas escaping into the cooling system. Finally, check the exhaust. White smoke is bad news.<br />
8. Leaks. Again, difficult at a car auction, but if possible, check underneath for signs of oil or other leaks. As a rule, the further down the engine they are, the more expensive to fix. Again, look at the exhaust fumes, anything thick or dark coloured can indicate problems. <br />
9. Noise. Listen to the engine, does it sound noisy, rattly, or uneven? Any untoward noise could indicate serious trouble.<br />
10. Talk to the driver. Whilst the drivers at car auctions are not qualified experts, they get in and out of 100's of cars every day. Ask if the clutch and gearbox feels ok. As I say, not conclusive, but if the driver thinks it feels dodgy, it's probably not 100%<br />
<br />
This is by no means an exhaustive list, but avoiding the above will at least minimise your chances of buying a scrapper!<br />
<br />
See you next time!<br />
<br />
<a target="_new" href="http://EzineArticles.com/"><br />
<img src="http://EzineArticles.com/featured/images/ea_featured_2.gif" border="0" alt="As Featured On EzineArticles"><br />
</a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-15920392674654875032010-11-11T19:15:00.001+01:002011-01-06T18:02:24.907+01:00Selling Your Car at AuctionSo far, we've looked exclusively at buying a car from auction, but what about selling?<br />
Well, if you're looking for a very quick, hassle-free sale, then this route may be for you. You will, however, need to be very realistic about what price you expect your car to achieve. After all, if all the hype is to be believed, you can pick up cars for a fraction of their retail value at auction! <br />
At most auctions, privately entered vehicles will go through in their own section, and most people know which section this is. Be prepared that most buyers will be sceptical as to why your lovely example is at auction! <br />
The auctioneers will be able to assist you in setting a realistic reserve, and their advice is well worth listening to. They can look up an average of what similar vehicles have made recently, and will recommend a reserve at which your car should sell.<br />
Be aware, though, that car auctions charge fees for selling your vehicle, and they will be deducted from the selling price. There is an entry fee each time the car passes through the auction hall, as well as a selling fee, which is a percentage of the hammer price.<br />
If you do decide this is the right route for you, then you should do everything you would to sell your car privately. You need to make it look the best you possibly can. If you're not very handy with a spray can, then it's probably not worth attempting any bodywork, but a proper clean inside and out can make the world of difference. Don't forget the wheels and glass. Also, make sure you dig out all the documentation for the car. Buyers will adjust the value for service history and MOT, so make sure the auctioneer has plenty to talk the car up with. <br />
If your car has mechanical problems, it may be very tempting to put it through an auction and hope that a prospective buyer doesn't notice. I would ask you to give it serious thought before you do, however, as the poor unsuspecting buyer probably doesn't deserve to buy a lemon. <br />
Finally, please do not be tempted to try to push the bidding up yourself. I have seen people buy their own cars back in the past, and they didn't find it nearly as funny as we did!<br />
<br />
See you soon!neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-70121600232882842092010-11-07T16:33:00.001+01:002010-12-13T14:34:40.502+01:00The Car Auction BuyerWhilst researching other sites for this blog, I've come across a number of sites offering an Auction Buyer service. <br />
The basic idea of this is to take the risk out of the car auction for the private buyer, in return for a fee. <br />
On the face of it, this seems like a very worthwhile idea. Think of it as an insurance policy against buying a wrong'un at auction! You get the benefit of somebody with decades of experience in the motor trade, who has bought and sold thousands of cars at auction, and who buys at all the major car auctions.<br />
In addition to screening the cars, and doing the work for you, it would also eliminate the risk of getting carried away and bidding over your budget.<br />
Another benefit is that the professional buyer's fees would be less than a private buyer's, so although you are paying for a service, you would have paid a proportion of this anyway in indemnities. <br />
It would appear that some will accompany you to the auction (so you still get the experience!), while others just go on your behalf. Either way, this service could be a viable option for safely sourcing a vehicle at a used car auction. <br />
<br />
Please note, I have no direct experience of these services, so I am not in a position to recommend them. I would suggest that if you are considering using them, to do your own research, check their fees, and any terms and conditions carefully. <br />
Personally, I would be very wary of buying cars at auction for private customers, so I would expect them to require decent fees, probably deposits, and terms that ensured the customer was committed to buying the vehicle.<br />
<br />
From the research I have done, however, I have seen several testimonials for this company:<br />
<a href="http://www.auctioncarbuyer.co.uk/AuctionCarBuyer-Home.htm">www.auctioncarbuyer.co.uk</a><br />
Again, do your research, and go ahead if you feel comfortable. Please feel free to leave any comments about your own experiences.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-59084763681545904002010-11-04T15:18:00.006+01:002010-11-10T11:27:35.398+01:00Top 10 Tips for Bidding at the Car AuctionOk, so by now, you should have a shortlist of cars, with notes on what they may need doing to them and a maximum price. The auction will be well underway, and everything has started to hustle. Here's 10 quick tips to keep you safe!<br />
<br />
1. Stay calm, you'll notice that when the auction starts, there will suddenly be people everywhere, rushing, pushing and shoving and waving their arms around. There will be an instant increase in noise, both from car engines and the auctioneers. This is where the excitement begins, and a cool head is needed to stay focused on your objective.<br />
<br />
2.Try to follow each of your chosen cars into the hall, noting as much about them as you can. Listen to them and look in as much detail as possible. Don't get caught out watching the action and miss the driver starting your target vehicle.<br />
<br />
3. When you get into the hall, try to listen to the auctioneer. He may seem to be speaking a different language, but if you can decipher it you may learn things about the car that are not on the windscreen ticket. Pay particular attention if you hear him say " catalogue change " or something similar. Remember, at car auctions, the Sale of Goods Act does not apply, and if you haven't heard the auctioneer declare that the car has actually been written off, that's you hard luck!<br />
<br />
4.Despite what other advice articles may tell you, don't worry too much about trying to look like you know what you're doing. The auctioneers know virtually every trader, and they know each other. Anybody who cares will spot you for a private, no matter where you stand, or how cool you look!<br />
<br />
5. Stick to your budget! If you get involved in the bidding, it is unlikely you'll be able to tell who you're up against. It may be another private buyer, several traders, or even the bin in the corner! Yes, it's true, at car auctions, auctioneers will " run up " the bidding, traders may run you up for fun, or be competing against you because they have a real need for that particular car. Whatever the case, if you don't get carried away, and you do win the bidding, you'll come away with the car at a price you are happy with.<br />
<br />
6. Don't jump in too early - hold back and observe. It's useful to see how much interest there is in the car, but don't let this impair your judgement. If you've done your homework right, you can make your own decision on the car. Wait till the bidding slows right down before you register your interest. Don't leave it too long, but as a rule, if the auctioneer says "selling once", or "selling for the first", there will still be time for a few last bids. Don't forget, it's the auctioneer's job to maximise each lot, so he's looking for further bids. <br />
<br />
7. When the time's right, raise your hand, catalogue, or whatever and wait for the auctioneer to spot you. At this point, it will be useful to be somewhere he can easily see you. Once he acknowledges your bid, he will return to you if someone else outbids you. This is the point where your blood will really be pumping, so refer to tip 1. Stay calm! Stick to your budget! The feeling of excitement and competition in aar auction environment can be overwhelming. It may only be just one more £25 bid, but these soon add up. Ask yourself if you would have paid the extra before the auction started. You wouldn't, otherwise that would be your maximum bid!<br />
<br />
8. Be patient. Some of my best auction buys have been right at the end of the sale, when I haven't bought anything else all day. Stick to your plan, and stick to your budget. Be prepared to wait for the next car and start the process all over again. You may even need to come back at the next sale. As well as being a euphoric buzz if you buy a gem, it can be massively demoralising if you don't buy anything. Don't allow this to make you buy something for the sake of it, and certainly don't go for something you haven't checked out. If it's cheap beyond reason, there probably IS a reason!<br />
<br />
9. If you have reservations, LEAVE IT ALONE. If one of your target cars sounds a bit rough, or the driver suggests it doesn't feel right ( It's a good idea to talk to them, by the way ), take it off your list, unless you KNOW how to fix it. Then, adjust your maximum bid accordingly and proceed with caution. Problem cars at a car auction can have MASSIVE problems!<br />
<br />
10. Stay calm! Ok, I've already used this one, but in my view it's the most important. If you do this, then you can keep sight of everything else, stick to your budget, and avoid making mistakes. If you are the winning bidder, the auctioneer will either bang the hammer, in which case you've bought it, or "hold your bid". This is what's known as a provisional bid. In this case, your bid is below the seller's reserve, so the auction will contact the vendor to see if they will accept your bid, or negotiate on your behalf. In either case, you will need to give your details to the clerk at the rostrum and hand over your cash deposit ( usually £500 ). <br />
<br />
If you've bought the car, you will then be directed to the front office, where they will take your balance, complete all the registration details etc, and finally issue you with a "pass-out", which you present at the key office to get your keys, and give to the gatekeeper to let you out.<br />
<br />
If you bid has been provisional, you will have to wait for the vendor's answer. When the provisional clerk comes back to you, they will either inform you that your bid has been accepted, or tell you how much more the vendor wants. At this point, again, stay calm and think about it. Is the figure within your budget for the car? ( don't forget those buyer's fees! ).The car didn't make the reserve because nobody outbid you, so what does this tell you about it's value. If the difference is significant, you need to make a decision about whether you feel it is worth paying the asking price, or see if it goes back through next time. Don't be afraid, of course to go back with a counter - offer. You can tell the provisional clerk how much is the maximum you are prepared to pay and see what happens.<br />
<br />
On a final note, I would say " Have fun ", but a car auction is a risky place to spend money, so don't lose sight of the fact that you are there to do business. Regardless of the outcome, you will no doubt have an experience to remember.<br />
<br />
Good Luck!neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-14652257920410286462010-11-01T19:53:00.003+01:002010-11-10T11:28:11.764+01:00Car Auction -Taking The Plunge - Tips For Buying At AuctionSo, you're up for the challenge, and ready to enter the ring! Before you rush in and start waving your catalogue at the auctioneer, it's best to do a little preparation. One tip I see on a lot of other sites is get there early. I agree. Depending on which car auction you are attending, there may be up to 1,000 vehicles passing through in a day! If you've done your homework, you'll have a good idea of which model or models you are interested in. Don't be tempted to just get in amongst the cars in the viewing area, get an auction catalogue - you'll have to buy it, sit down with a cup of tea and identify which cars you want to look at. The reason for this is that at a car auction it's very easy to get carried away looking at all the lovely cars that are absolutely nothing like what you are looking for. One of the biggest and best tricks for buying at auction is to leave any emotion at the door. This is serious business! It is fun, and very rewarding if you come away with the car you want at a good price, but the heartache if you go wrong can be 10 times worse. Hopefully, if you've prepared right, you'll already know which cars suit your needs, or fulfill your desires, or both, depending on your buying motives! You should also know how much you would pay for one at a dealer, complete with warranty and all the goodies. Highlight all cars that meet your criteria, then proceed to the viewing hall and check them out. Start by walking right round the car, at first, just look for anything obvious - large dents and scratches etc. Don't forget the roof! It's unlikely if you're a novice that you'll spot any paintwork unless it's terrible, but try to look out for any colour mis-matches, dull panels, or poor alignment. If the left-hand side of the bonnet is 10mm away from the wing, and the right-hand side 20mm, it's a safe bet it's had some bodywork. Likewise, look for any gaps that just look too big, paint on plastic trim, foglamps or rubbers. Bear in mind, just because a car has had some paint, it doesn't necessarily make it a previous write-off, you just need to be satisfied that the bodywork is as good as you might expect from a dealer. If it isn't, then you need to estimate how much it would cost YOU to get it right. By the same token, also bear in mind that only vehicles that are written-off by an insurance company are registered on VCAR. What I'm getting at is that it's not unusual to see cars that have had extensive damage repaired but not show on HPI. Bear in mind also that it is not illegal to sell such a vehicle, or even not to declare it. There is only an offence if information is knowingly withheld. So, if you see anything at a car auction that makes you suspicious, it's best to cross it off your list. Once you have inspected the bodywork, try to check as much of the car as you can. Check tyre treads, windscreen for damage, interior etc, etc, then go back to the windscreen description. Check mileage, history, owners, whether there is a V5 and MOT, and whether it is sold as seen, or with no major mechanical defects. Once you are satisfied with all of these aspects, you need to value the car. Take into account all the variables that would affect the price, then adjust it for any work you may need to do. Costs of servicing and maintenance can vary massively, and it pays to have an idea of service intervals and maintenance schedules. Most Audis, for example will require a Cambelt change at around 70,000 miles. Chances are, if you're looking at one at a car auction with this sort of mileage, it won't have been done. There's no way of checking either! You may, however, be able to see when the last service was carried out. Chances are it's due, so factor it into your pricing. The last thing you want is to drive away feeling chuffed with yourself that you've saved £1,000 on a dealer price, only to find you need to spend £600-800 on a service and cambelt. Always take into account that there may be some unforeseen expenditure. Lastly, don't forget your buyer's fees. These are considerable if you are a private buyer, so be careful not to blow your budget. So, decide on your price and write it on your sheet. Do this for each car you have highlighted, then get ready for action! Until you are ready to bid, it's best to stay in the viewing hall. When the drivers start to run the vehicles through the hall you need to be on your toes. When they open one of yours, try to be close to it. Listen to it start and move, and watch for anything untoward. Follow the car until they pause, and you've got a few moments to properly check the interior, look for warning lights on the dash, get the bonnet open and check for leaks, signs of head gasket failure and anything else onerous. If you are still happy that you want to bid, follow it into the hall and get ready! Next post, we will look at the process of bidding at a car auction, and what happens if and when you are the highest bidder.neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-15132384380301684122010-10-24T19:59:00.003+02:002010-11-10T11:28:41.145+01:00Is the public car auction the place to start your used car search?Now that we have looked at where the used car auction has come from, let's see what they are like today. Most auction centres have a number of vendors in each sale. These include franchise dealer, lease and finance companies, smaller, independent dealers, and private individuals.<br />
It is important to gain as much information about the vehicle you are interested in as possible, and this should start way before you actually attend an auction. Get to know the standard spec of your preferred model, what options are available, and realistic market values. You should know how much you would pay privately, and at a dealer, because in the current unsettled climate, it is not at all uncommon to see desirable vehicles achieve well over retail price. One of the biggest factors causing this is the fact that most major auction companies now have an online facility, so you are no longer just bidding against the other people in the hall, but also dealers up and down the country.<br />
Also, due to the weak pound and weak market, there is a very strong export market, and you will see many used cars being bought to be shipped straight out of the country.<br />
The other information you should try to gather is whether your chosen vehicle has any know common faults. No matter how well a car is built, it is comprised of several thousand components. Sometimes engines have serious design faults, others may be prone to certain component failures. These are not always major, so it pays to know what to look for.<br />
A VW specialist I deal with recently bought a MkV Golf, and found it needed an ABS sensor. Didn't sound like a big deal to me, until he told me that it wasn't as simple as just replacing the sensor, and actually cost him £800, and that's TRADE! So even us "experts" can make mistakes! <br />
On top of this, when buying at auction, the sales are not covered by the Sale of Goods Act. In short, this means that unless a vehicle has been declared as having "No Major Mechanical Faults", a buyer has absolutely NO comeback should a fault be found after the hammer has fallen. Indeed, the majority of cars passing through the auction will be "Sold As Seen".<br />
So it helps to have a little knowledge, also to be able to spot mechanical and bodywork issues. The trouble is, until the car is just about to pass through the hall, it is locked. When the driver gets in it to run it through, there is a very narrow window within which you can check for warning lights, listen to the engine, and check under the bonnet, usually while the car is moving!<br />
Once upon a time, there would be sufficient margin to absorb some unforeseen costs, but the retail influence at the auction means that the prices are much closer to retail. In practice, then for the novice, it often turns out that the auction bargain can end up costing the same as, if not more than the nicely valeted example with warranty on the dealer's forecourt!<br />
Next time, we will be looking at the auction process itself, bidding, and how to pick the gems and avoid the horrors.<br />
<br />
Neil<br />
<br />
<a href="http://whatconsumer.co.uk/forum/second-hand-cars/10033-car-bought-auction.html">http://whatconsumer.co.uk/forum/second-hand-cars/10033-car-bought-auction.html</a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8255121090052549529.post-83221638800130929342010-06-23T11:26:00.005+02:002011-01-02T17:32:47.729+01:00A little background on car auctionsWell, this is my first post on my first Blog. I don't really read Blogs, so mine might be a little unorthodox! I hope this won't detract from its usefulness or interest, but please feel free to give me some pointers!<br />
So, where have car auctions come from?<br />
Well, basically they came about as places to dispose of unwanted vehicles. These days they call themselves things like "Remarketing Centres", but in the past, they were much smaller and less used. Most of the larger ones were "closed", or trade only. Dealers would send vehicles there that they chose not to stock. This could be for any number of reasons.<br />
For instance, on the whole, franchised dealers will only retail used cars of their own brand, so part-exchanges of other makes would be sent to auction.<br />
Most dealers, whether franchised or not will have a policy on what cars they retail. There are mileage criteria, condition, whether a warranty company will accept a policy on them, reconditioning costs and even the past experience of whether the particular model sells, or not.<br />
Also, most dealers have a policy on age, both in terms of the age of the car, and how long it has been in stock. It stands to reason - unless you have a concourse Aston Martin DB5, it's unlikely that your car is appreciating in value.<br />
To this end, when the car has been in stock for the given number of days, a decision has to be made as to how to dispose of it. Like all businesses, cash-flow is vital, and several thousand pounds tied up in a car that nobody is buying is dead money.<br />
This is usually when cars find themselves being sent to auction. There may not be a profit, there may even be a small loss, but the dealer will realise his capital to re-invest.<br />
There would also be a proportion of vehicles with known problems, not always, in fact rarely disclosed!<br />
<br />
In the early days, then, auctions were places that the public either had no access to, or avoided. People liked the reassurance of a car with a warranty, or at least to be able to take it back if there were a problem.<br />
As time has passed, however, things have changed. The larger auction companies realised that if they allowed the public in, they would make more money. They charge a non-account holder higher buyer's fees; retail customers bid higher than trade, so they realise higher prices for the cars, which in turn makes more money in seller's commission; higher prices meant that they could attract more and more dealers to send their stock there, which in turn meant more buyers were attracted by more stock.<br />
Indeed, the bigger auctions will often process over 1,000 cars in a day, and many, if not most of these will actually be good quality cars.<br />
So what's the problem? It looks like everyone's a winner, doesn't it? Well, in my next post, we will look at how things are these days, and what effect market forces have had on the whole thing.<br />
See you soon!<br />
<br />
Neil<br />
<br />
<br />
<a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com" title="web design company directory"><u><b>Small business web directory</b></u></a> by catagory and pages<br>Get listed under <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/vehicles/car_auction.html" title="car auction"><u>car auction</u></a> category. Also try at <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/beauty/"><u>Beauty</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/business/"><u>Business</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/construction/"><u>Construction</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/education/"><u>Education</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/finance/"><u>Finance</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/health/"><u>Health</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/insurance/"><u>Insurance</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/jobs/"><u>Jobs</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/medical/"><u>Medical</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/real-estate/"><u>Real Estate</u></a> | <a href="http://www.onlinebizdirectory.com/travel/"><u>Travel</u></a>neil mhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08095252068567984050noreply@blogger.com0