Calling all DU smartiepants! Is cheapcarfinder.com legit?

[supernova]

So I need to buy a car as somepoint this year. I think my van with 120,000 miles can hold together until I decide what to do.

I do know that I will buy a slightly used car, because I want to pay cash and not have a monthly car note to pay.

I found this web site http://www.cheapcarfinder.com/ just googling "cheap cars." The basic premise, buying cars at auction, sounds legit, but I don't know if the site itself is on the up and up.

Any thoughts? Feedback? Advice?

[mahatmakanejeeves]

1. Buying cars at auction

Maybe, maybe not. I've been to a couple around here. The cars were total junkers, and the mob in attendance, overcome by feeding frenzy, bid the prices to the stratosphere.

Might work for you though. Depends.

Edited to add:

I see that CheapCarFinder.com works through an affiliate program. If you do click on the many sites that tout it, be on the lookout for spyware.

[supernova]

3. See that's what I'm afraid of

I've been to plenty of auctions, though not for cars. And I know enough not to bid on something without seeing it. But I wondered if it would be a good way to find car auctions in my area.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

7. It's a matter of principle for me

I'm generally opposed to buying things at auctions, as the price of things being sold is always going up. As a buyer, I prefer a transaction in which the price of the items being sold is decreasing. Auctions work out well for sellers, but they do not have the best interest of buyers at heart.

Car auctions are usually listed in the local paper, if they are police auctions or auctions of abandoned cars. Universities and state agencies have auctions too. Usually they're getting rid of that stuff because the cars aren't worth **their** time to fix. The value of your time might be different.

Some charities do not hold their own auctions. Rather, they farm out that operation to auctioneers. Read the ads in the car classified ad section of your paper to see who is soliciting donations of cars. Then call them and see when their auctions are.

At some auctions, you are not allowed to start the car. Caveat emptor.

[supernova]

11. That's not always true

as the price of things being sold is always going up.

Prices go down on certain items for a variety of reasons:

-Buyers not that knowledgable about what they're bidding on. To carry over an exampe from the antique auctions I frequent: The estate lots might include a bunch of Beanie Babies. If none of the attendees that day know anything about the worth of various Beanie Babies, they are probably going to go for very cheap. Happens quite regularly.

It all depends on who is in the audience.

- It's the end of the day and nobody cares anymore.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

14. "It all depends on who is in the audience."

The magic words.

I must agree with you.

[ScreamingMeemie]

2. My husband has bought a couple of cars at auction. With good results.

I'd go to your local police auction though. One of the cars he picked up was a police car-an Impala with a sleeper big 8 engine. It can be well worth it. Good luck!

[supernova]

4. That sounds hopeful

LOL! I can just imagine Mr Grumpy heading down the road in an Ex-police cruiser. :D

How did he find out about the auction? Does this mean I have to start taking the paper again?

[ScreamingMeemie]

5. My mother works at a bank. And they get a listing of their bad car loans

and when they are going up. Here in MI you can contact your county to find out when they take place.


He had a blast with that car. :)

[supernova]

9. I think that's really the key

finding out about the auctions to begin with. I'll see of NC does the same.

I do think you have to announce auctions in the paper here though.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

13. Ask around. It's free.

Ask at banks, as another lister suggested.

You're in NC? The Commonwealth of Virginia has surplus equipment auctions from time to time. Some of the auctions are in Richmond; others are in Radford.

Department of General Services - Division of Purchases & Supply

Scroll down and click on "Surplus." You'll end up downloading .pdf files that list the items being auctioned off at each auction.

Surplus

Then click on "Auctions."

[supernova]

16. Wow! NC does the same thing

and you can even bid on line. :D

http://www.ncstatesurplus.com/ssp/public/ssphomepage/ssp.htm

[HEyHEY]

6. Oops sorry I thought you wanted "Smartasses"

Smartypants is not my field

[supernova]

8. Oh you!

:D :P

[mahatmakanejeeves]

10. Another data point

I Googled for CheapCarFinder.com. There are several links. Here's a hit that might be of interest.

Consumer Reports WebWatch Investigations: E-commerce: Don't Expect Free Rides from Auto Auction Sites

>>
CheapCarFinder.com is one of dozens of "auction guide" sites that regularly advertise on search engines and Web directories. Unlike CarsDirect.com, eBay Motors and other online marketplaces for new and used vehicles, auction guide sites claim to offer consumers steep savings by directing them to government and private auctions of seized vehicles in the consumer’s home state.

But, as Hufft found, many of these sites fail to provide a corporate address, phone number and clear disclosures of what they do with personal and credit-card information – which conflict with e-commerce practices recommended by consumer organizations and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC).

For example, CheapCarFinder.com, allowed Hufft to search for available cars by ZIP code but asked her to pay a one-time $35 subscription fee with a credit card before seeing specifics about the cars or any information on how to buy them. The site lists its owner as the Airon Corporation, with a suite address in Miami, but gives no phone number or additional corporate details. "I really need a car at a low price," Hufft says. "But at the same time I can't afford to lose money to a scam."

Airon Corporation, in fact, has an "unsatisfactory" record with the Better Business Bureau (BBB) of Southeast Florida due to unanswered complaints. What's more, Consumer Reports WebWatch could not verify any of the seven personal testimonials listed on CheapCarFinder.com.
<<

As always: trust, but verify.

[supernova]

12. Thank you

That's the kind of thing I've been looking for, but haven't found.

Nice work.

[mahatmakanejeeves]

15. You can find out about auctions

all by yourself for free. That seems to be the lesson of the CR article.

Once you get to one, maybe you'll get the buy of a lifetime, or maybe you won't. No way to know in advance.