A GUIDE TO BUYING YOUR CAR AT AUCTION
WHAT IS A MOTOR AUCTION?
“A MOTOR AUCTION ACTS AS A AGENCY BETWEEN SOMEONE WHO WANTS TO SELL A CAR, AND SOMEONE WHO WISHES TO BUY IT!”
Motor auctions allow companies, organisations and those people in the car trade to quickly and efficiently dispose of their surplus vehicles.
Our purpose built auction Complexes with rows of cars and specialised auction halls, can provide the alternative to finding a huge selection of vehicles at a FRACTION OF RETAIL PRICES!!
WHERE DO THE CARS COME FROM?
Many of the vehicles within our range of cars are ‘ex-fleet’ or company cars from major businesses who are looking to replace their current fleet and wish to sell their existing models. Majority come with full service histories.
These are cars that are taken in part exchange against new or newer cars.
End of contract, lease and finance repossessions from major financial institutions.
WHY BUY AT AUCTION?
We here at
That’s to say, you can buy any type of car in retail condition at well below retail prices.
To help in with your selection, we have fully trained staff at hand to advise you and provide relevant information to enable you to drive the car of your choice home today.
HOW TO BUY AT AUCTION?
HERE ARE A FEW KEYS POINTS THAT WILL HELP YOU ON YOUR WAY TO YOUR
1 DO SOME RESEARCH:
FIRST about your chosen car
1 Know your preferences for whatever reason, for a particular make or type of car (make, model, age, engine size, colour)
2 Familiarise yourself with the prices you would expect for those types of cars depending on the different date of registrations.
(If you do not know this, ask one of our sales staff who can give you some price guide information)
3 Allocate yourself a budget. Know exactly how much you have to spend.
1 Familiarise yourself with the layout of our premises (i.e. what age of cars are parked where). We have daily auctions and restaurant facilities available to everyone.
2 All vehicles are available for visual inspection during auction opening hours. Determine a day you want to come down: look at local press for details of upcoming events, posters in foyer, or visit our website.
3 Then ask a member of staff if they could explain the auction process to you.
4 We have a staffed help desk, ready to answer all your queries, big or small.
5 Just read on…
2 AUCTION PROCESS
The procedures for buying and selling cars at auction are quite straightforward, once you take a little time to become acquainted with them.
-ARRIVE IN GOOD TIME: normally an hour before the auction starts
-PICK UP A CATALOGUE (which is available on-line CLICK HERE)AND COPY OF TERMS & CONDITIONS available on the day of the sale. This will show you all the cars allocated for sale at our next sale.
-LOOK AT OUR CARS IN THE YARD
3 INFO ON THE WINDOW
On each car window, you will be able to see a sticker indicating the Make, Model, Date of Registration and any additional information available we have on the car often concerning additional extras.
Also you will information detailing the selling description:
All inspections and test drives should be carried out on our premises or in the presence of our staff.
-SPECIFIED FAULTS,
This information will also be displayed on the window sticker and the auctioneer will read out any particular faults noted by the Seller.
Any major mechanical defects found other than those announced by the auctioneer must be reported to the auction staff by
-SOLD AS SEEN
SPEEDOMETER
CORRECT (and therefore warranted)
NOT CHECKED (not guaranteed as accurate)
INCORRECT (not accurate)
The auctioneer at the rostrum will also announce this.
When making further enquiries about your choice of cars, please take down as much details as possible (use note section of this guide) such as registration number, lot number and make.
The Customer Service Advisors can then provide all information that we have on the vehicle as well as an Auctionneer’s estimate for the price it might reach. This is as its name suggests, just an estimation, based on past selling prices and guide book estimates.
Follow it into auction hall and wait for it to enter the auction ring.
It will be called in sequence of lot numbers as per the catalogue
The auctioneer has a bird’s eye view of the proceedings from the rostrum, so he shouldn’t miss you when you put your hand up to bid.
You don’t have to start the bidding, you can come in with a bid at any time. Generally, the price can increase as much as €100 for newer cars or as little as €50 for older cars.
At some time the auctioneer may declare the car “…on sale..” or “..on the market…”. This means it has reached its ‘reserve’ price, or the minimum amount the vendor is willing to accept, and the car is yours at the fall of the hammer.
If you win the bidding on a car that has not reached its reserve price, the car will be sold to you ‘PROVISIONALLY’. This means that the auctioneer will contact the vendor to ask if he’ll accept the bid, or will negotiate a price in between. .
If yours is the highest bid go immediately to the rostrum and pay a clerk a part payment of 10% (or minimum €250) of the purchase price IN CASH and give your name and details on the purchase slip provided. Cheques are acceptable for deposit only if accompanied by a cheque guarantee card.
IF OUTRIGHT – The money you will pay is a part payment for the vehicle. Your invoice and vehicle documents (if supplied) will be available within 10 minutes at the front counter where the remaining balance of the price can be paid.
IF PROVISIONALLY – Contact the person dealing with these sales in the main office after the car has come through the ring. If the vehicle is Company owned it will usually be the following day before clearance is given.
The money you will pay is a deposit and if your bid is unsuccessful, this will be refunded to you by Cheque or put toward another vehicle of your choice.
MAKE SURE WE HAVE YOUR CORRECT TELEPHONE NUMBER SO THAT WE CAN CONTACT YOU WITH AN OUTCOME.
8 PAYING FOR THE CAR
Settlement of your account may be made in cash, by bankers draft, by Building Society or Finance Company Cheque made payable to Wilsons Auctions Limited. All vehicles must be paid for within 48 hours of purchase. A personal cheque will be accepted, but the car will only be released when your cheque has been cleared. This usually takes five working days. IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS ABOUT PAYMENT YOU MUST CONTACT THE CHASHIER BEFORE BIDDING FOR A CAR.
9 GETTING YOUR CAR
After full payment is made, ensuring that all payment pending and cheques are cleared, the car is yours. Bring your receipt to the front counter and your keys and documentation will be presented to you. You will be issued with a “pass out”. This is to be presented to the security guard. You can then take the car from the premises and away you go!
10 CONDITIONS OF
These are the terms on which vehicles are bought or sold and are legally binding. All auction sales are conducted in accordance with the company’s conditions of entry and sale which are displayed at the Auction premises and within your catalogue. For full Terms and Conditions click here.
INSURANCE
Make sure your car is fully insured before you drive it away.
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