Help!!! Advice on an Auction?

[tigger 12]

Has anyone every purchased a car or know someone who has purchased a vehicle thru an Auction? I've never been to a car auction, but hear it's a good way to get better deals on used cars. In fact someone told me that a lot of car dealerships go to auctions to buy cars and sell at a higher cost of course. My question is, can you take the car you win to a mechanic before final purchase or run a carfax? My cousin is looking for a nice used car and she's nervous about going to an auction. We are concerned about the cars damaged from hurricane Katrina. How will you be able to tell if the car has had water damage if purchased at an auction? I read an article about 30,000 vehicles damaged from the New Orleans hurricane have been sent to Auctions all across the state .

 

[ChristmasElf]

I actually bought a car on Ebay! I got a really great deal too!
It turned out this seller was 5 minutes away from where we lived at the time so I was able to go and actually look at what I was buying.
I can say though that he had more then 150 cars and they were all beautiful with not a mark on them.

He had a wide assortment too. One car/truck had 800 miles on it was all.
If you want to see his place, I can send you a PM about his location where you can look around at what he has for sale. They ship to anywhere in the country.

I just re read your post. I believe if you run the vehicle ID through Car fax they will know if it was flooded. 20/20 did a story on this and you should look under the carpeting of the car in the trunk area as well as under the steering column where the gas and brake pedals are (the carpet can be easily moved her) and look for water ring marks. Sorry to not be of more help on the flooding parts.

 

[tigger 12]

Thanks ChristmasElf. I never knew you could purchase a car on Ebay. I'll have to check it out. You lucked out with the seller living so close.