What are the most important things to check at an auto auction?

I want to go to a government seized auto auction to get a car. Since your not allowed to test drive these cars, I definetly will bring along my mechanic to look at the car. What are the most important things for him to check since the car is sold "as is"?





Also, most of these vehicles are newer (2000 or newer) so they're not very old.|||If your mechanic is an ASE Certified mechanic familiar with used car inspections he'll know exactly what to look for. If he's not, find one that is.





Auctions are a very risky venture, you need to be extremely cautious since there are so many hidden things that can go wrong with a car. Many of them undetectable, even after a thorough inspection.





The positive thing is you can generally find a real bargain at the auction. But don't expect to buy a car that is free of defects and won't need to be serviced. Assume that anything you buy will need at least one repair as soon as you drive it home.|||I have been to several such auctions and although you couldn't test drive the cars they would start them up so you could listen for any unusual noises, look for leaks and smoke and they would announce or have a sign on the car if there was a transmission problem or made noises when moving. If your auction does not give any information as to whether the car can move I wouldn't even consider bidding. Some auctions auction the car in place with the auctioneer moving from parked car to parked car. In others the cars are driven past the auctioneer. Beyond that check that the accessories work and check the condition of the tires looking for signs of suspension problems. Bring a copy of Kellys or Edmunds or NADA along with you to help appraise the value of a particular car based on condition, mileage, and accessories. Even if the car checks out perfectly assume you will need to spend several hundred dollars on hidden defects and bid accordingly.|||Look underneath the car and see if there's leaks. Test every single button/mechanical/electrical component. Also see if you're alowed to turn the engine on. If you can, turn it on, and listen for any weird noises. Shift into different gears, or into reverse, see if theres any grinding noise, or maybe if the engine starts to do minor revs uncontrollably (throttle linkage malfunction) good luck|||Generally if a car is taken care of inside(clean carpet, not trashed), they took care of the mechanic part of it as well. Check color of oil(how recently oil was changed), check air filter to see if its really dirty. Basic maintenance goes a long way.|||buying a car without being able to drive is very risky, especially if it has automatic transmission. Usually when you purchase a car from an auction or when you purchase a car in general, the first thing you do you look at is the VIN # make sure all stickers are there and they all match( there is always one on the drivers door jam and one on the dashboard) it would be best if u cal someone back at home or a friend and give them the vin number and have them carfax it!!!!that will give you an idea of the history of the vehicle!! its not usually 100% accurate but its helpfull...





and then the exterior, make sure that the car has not been into any major accidents, especially the front end and you find that by looking at the paint on the whole car( your mechanic should be able to know whether the car has its original paint or has been repainted). fresh paint isnt really a good thing, because in most cases it indicates that the car had body work done to it and that usually is a sign of accident. have him get under the vehicle and check the frame, also check for rust. then you get in the car and you start it up and listen to how the engine sounds (also a good mechanic will know if there is any weird noise or if engine knocks) sometimes if you are not famiiar with cars u hear noise you get scared but alot of times are minor things cause that. it could be a belt that needs to be replaced and so on. check the oil, transmission fuild in AT vehicles. Check all windows, sunroof, stereo, etc. A/C and Heat...leave the car running for at leat 10 minutes..





then you check the transmission, if you cant drive the vehicle the least you can do is to put the car in every gear and see if shifts smooth if jumps or grinds or does any weired noise leave it alone if it doesnt so you have a 80 percent chance that the transmission is ok as well.by the way u dont have to buy a perfect car but get a bargain!!!! meaning if the car needs a stereo or one of the windows does not work, you still can buy it but for less AlOT LESS than you would pay for one that has a good stereo or a windows that work ( Only minor things), keep in mind things get expensive pretty quick!!





BTW cars the look nice and clean dont mean they are in good mechanical condition.





yeah and if this is one of those auction where the batteries are taken out the vehicles so people cant start them up, DONT BUY!!DONT BUY!!





Good luck, hope u buy yourself a good car!!