is buying a vehicle at auction typically a safe way to go?

Answer 1

It depends on what kind of auction you are talking about. I would be leery of the wholesale auction cars because they have been all over in various car lots and couldn't sell. The dealers loaded them up and took them to the auction where some other dealer will buy them and try to repair and sell on their lot.

If you are talking about auctions by the state or city, you sometimes can find some really choice buys. Sometimes there will be those that need tires or maybe a battery or something minor.

Usually city and state vehicles have been maintained much better than the average car owner. Mechanically, it probably is going to be in pretty good shape.

What would be a bonus is if you could have a mechanic check it over for you before you buy.

Answer 2

Nope ! Unless you have some way of previewing the vehicle or inspecting it. In most cases you won't have an opportunity to inspect it at all. If it has a recent or at least current state inspection sticker on the windshield and you can get the vehicle for less than the wholesale you may make out ok. If it is a Government or Police auction it's a crap shoot. A high percentage of auction vehicles are cars which dealerships did not want.

Answer 3

It's probably not the best way to go, you don't know how the auction got those vehicles. A lot of them are repos and have probably been abused because the current owner knew they weren't going to have them too much longer.

You could do a carfax search on the serial number to see who had it and where it was.

Your best bet would be through a private party, where you can meet the people who had it and get a good look at the vehicle.

Good luck in your search.