Overhaulin'

Would you purchase a car from a police auction? Need advice on purchasing a good car for cheap?

I need a good car for a low price (max $5000, I’m really trying not to finance a higher priced car), and I'm considering going to a police auction (although I know nothing about the process lol) but the thought that something terrible could have happened in those cars freaks me out. Do they tell you WHY the car was confiscated? Can you change the license plate number? If you know about buying good cars for cheap, please give me any information you can, advice, websites? Anything! Thank you for your time. =0)

Public Comments

1. Yes you can change the license , no, they do not tell you the history of the car. There are bargains to be had if you research what is for sale and look up current value before you bid. Also, don't get caught up in a "bidding frenzy" where you wind up paying too much because it was a battle between you and someone else.
2. It's better to get a car that has a history of good maintenance. Auction cars are a big unknown. Most probably were not taken care of. If it was used by the police, chances are it was parked a lot with the engine running, which is not good. A new car dealer may be the best place to check on used cars, since they check them over pretty well. You can do pretty well for 5K.
3. I'm pretty sure they have to disclose the condition of the vehicle to the purchaser. Alot of these vehicles are confiscated from D.U.I.'s and D.W.I's and nothing is wrong with them at all. It's part of the process, you get a D.W.I., your car is paid for, meaning no loan on it, you usually loose your car in some states. Not sure if it is state wide. Hopefully someone will have more concrete answer for you on the info they give you about the vehicle. I do know that you could get an awesome deal on a car at one of these auctions.
4. Life is like a box of Chocolate, You never know what you get..
5. Not all government auction cars are confiscated. Most are actually surplus vehicles that are being replaced with newer vehicles. Here's an article that explains it in more detail: http://www.leaseguide.com/Articles/carauctions.htm .
6. thank you sooooo much!! i have no idea about the auctions either!