Bidders have the possibility to inspect the cars they would like to bid on, so the risk you may buy a wrecked car is very low. There are a wide range of vehicles available at these auctions, from family cars to police patrol cars

Government auctions are a good place to start your search: authorities often seize the cars of those who are arrested, and citizens can bid on those vehicles. These cars may once be involved in crimes, and it is understandable if you don't want a car with a shadowy past, but you must know that buying from the government is perfectly safe. Most of these cars are in immaculate condition, and the government usually sets prices a lot cheaper than their normal price. You must know although that auction cars don't have warranty, so if something brakes, the buyer is responsible for repairing them.

There are some things you should keep in mind when you are buying a second-hand car: first, you must know things go a little bit differently than buying a car at a dealership. At an auction the buyer needs to bid, and feelings can get really hot sometimes, so first of all you must set a budget. If you stick to your budget, you won't get overboard as you try to outbid others, and won't spend more money than you wanted to. You must keep in mind there is nothing wrong in loosing the bid, as there are lots of auctions, and plenty of cars auctioned.

If you are not interested in government auctions, you will need to do a little bit of research, because only dealerships that can be trusted worth the effort. Usually banks and other financial institutions host the auction, and there is no need to worry about those. But you must check the records of a private company or individual, if you want to attend their auction. First hand information is best, so if you have friends or acquaintances who tried to buy from them before, ask them about their impressions. This way, you can avoid to be scammed.

You must also thoroughly check the car you decide to place your bid on. During the bid, potential buyers are allowed to look at the cars auctioned. Exterior of the car must be checked: don't worry about small scratches, as those can be repaired easily even by yourself. But if there are more serious damages, that need to be repaired or replaced at a service shop, you must be careful: reparation costs can easily overrun your budget. Remember, there are a lot of auctions with even more cars to be sold, so you don't have to buy if you don't want to.