Police Auto Auctions: a Blueprint to success 

So what is all the fuss about? Are police auctions really so great that no-one can afford to overlook them? The answer is both ‘yes’ and ‘no’. If you’re willing to put in the time and effort to track down the various auctions and thoroughly inspect the vehicles before you decide to buy, you will end up with massive bargains. This much is true.

>>Important notice: This is an overview on police auto auctions. For detailed listings on these auctions in your area, the best resource is Gov-Auction.

These auctions are where your local police department sells vehicles that have been confiscated. This could have been due to involvement of intentional criminal activity or merely abandonment by its owner. Now and again the police department also auctions off some of its own vehicles.  

Click here for upcoming and live police auctions 

So how do you find these auctions? When you first start looking for police auto auctions it may feel at some point that you are dealing with bigfoot, i.e. it’s heard of but never seen. A good way to start is to contact your local police station and find out when and where the next auction will be held. The officer will likely refer you to the administrative department in charge of these types of activities. If you’re lucky you’ll get to speak to the right people straight away and you’ll know what you need to know.  

If lady luck is not on your side, you’re second option would be to monitor the local newspaper. The police will normally announce auctions in these publications. Alternatively another option would be to subscribe to a dedicated auction database that keeps taps of auctions in your area.    

Auctions nowadays take on a variety of forms. Police departments are playing catch up with the 21^st century and increasingly utilising the internet as an outlet for its auctions activities. Many departments outsource the auction activities to private auctioneers. If held in real life, they tend to take the shape of public outcry.  

So as a prospective bidder, what should I do to really make a success of police auto auctions? The "silver bullet" is research. If you do proper thorough research before bidding on any vehicle you are just about guaranteed to make a success of it. Here are a few things that you should make sure to be on the lookout for. Follow this police auto auction blueprint, and you will almost certainly achieve success. 

4 steps before to do before the auction 

Step 1 

Most auctions allow for inspections a few days beforehand. This is every bidder’s chance to have a really close look at the merchandise that will be up for sale. Note everything down. This includes if the car has a dodgy paint job, suspect noises in the engine, any leaks, lights not working, etc. This is really important as all these defects may end up costing you money to fix. If you’re not too mechanically orientated, see if you can bring someone along that knows a car’s engine inside out. A properly functioning engine is arguably the most vital part of the car, so you need to ensure that it’s in good working condition.  

To read about the further 3 steps on the blueprint, visit Part 2 of this article on police vehicle auctions. 

Looking for great deals at police car auctions?    If you’re answer to this is yes, then I seriously recommend you have a look at Gov Auctions.   This is a guide and database updated on a regular basis with thousands of police and other government auctions. You won’t find quality vehicles, cheaper anywhere else. Click here to check it out now!