Is an impound auction car a good option for you? Folks looking for a good deal on a used car might consider the option.
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However, are they really a good deal?
Vlogger and TikTok value seeker Arii (@auntiiarii) says an impound car is one of the best ways to avoid Uber fees and public transportation hassles. Do the experts agree though?
Arii posted her advice to TikTok on Wednesday. It now has over 694,800 views. Here’s what she said and what the experts say.
‘Hope this helps!’
“Follow these simple steps if you trying to stop paying for Ubers you can get yourself in a car with no note,” Arii claims in her video.
She advises her viewers to call an impound lot in their area.
“Ask the impound lot when is their auction; what type of cars they have on the lot and if they can tell you anything about those vehicles,” she advises.
“Once you got all that information, call somebody that you know that’s good with cars, see if they can come with you to the auction lot so you can look at those cars and bid on them,” she continues.
“Now, do keep in mind, auction lot vehicles from an impound yard are not going to be perfect,” she warns.
However, she states, “The chances sometimes are greater than few because it’ll be a lot of older cars versus newer cars. The point is none of these cars are going to come with [financing].”
“You’re going to bid on that car for example if it’s a [2017] Nissan Altima and if the highest bid is $1800 that car is yours. Cash out,” she claims.
She advises purchasers to take the car to a mechanic to perform maintenance but after that states “you can roll. You got a car.”
Are impound auction cars a good deal?
Strictly speaking, impound auction cars can be a very good buy if you’re looking for pure utility.
“These cars are often in very good condition and provide you much better value than you first realize. Since they are pre-owned and the agencies are looking to recoup their cost as quickly as possible, they are offered at quite low prices as well,” according to Auction Ride Safety.
StreetDirectory.com reports that impounded cars up for auction are often “new or near new and in very good condition.” Most have been repossessed due to non-payment and the finance companies involved are simply looking to recoup as much money as they can as quickly as possible.
BestOptions.net states, “One of the main advantages of buying a police-impounded car is the potential for substantial savings.”
Another TikTok user, Peace Connoisseur (@peaceconnoisseur), agrees. In a video posted three days ago, she states, “Thank you. I just found three lots. One of [the cars at auction] was a typical over $100 but the other? Under $1,000.”
Where do they come from?
Impound auction cars “are vehicles that have been seized by law enforcement for a variety of reasons, including traffic violations, involvement in criminal activity, or being abandoned on public property.”
If the vehicles are not claimed in a certain amount of time, often only 30 days, they are put up for auction.
According to Fife Towing, “Auctioning of abandoned vehicles is often organized to assist in recovery of cash used during towing and the time the auto was stored in the yard. This is usually done if the owner of the vehicle is not found, the owner doesn’t want the car anymore, or if the vehicle has overstayed in the yard.”
The process varies from state to state and even municipality per laws and statutes.
If you buy an impound auction car
Per WikiHow, there are several recommended steps to buying an impounded vehicle at auction.
WikiHow suggests you should research auctions in less populous areas to decrease competition. The article also advises you to research the vehicle as much as possible.
Other tips include bringing cash or an approved loan for your purchase and bringing “a set of tools, car oil, and an air pressure gauge.”
Or, as Arii advises, “Somebody that you know that’s good with cars.”
Like her, they also advise having the vehicle fully inspected after purchase.
What her viewers thought
In the comments, viewers offered other advice.
Ms.mikestah13 (@ms.mikestah13) wrote, “Get there early before auction starts to checkout the auction inventory (some tow yards let you purchase before the auction), go within the middle of the month 13th-25th [to] avoid being bid up.”
One viewer stated, “I did this before. I was paying hundreds a month for Ubers so I just bought a car with a transmission about to go out for $600 and drove it until it broke down for six months.”
Another said, “I paid $1,900 for my 2012 Honda Accord. Been driving it every day for eight months now.
“I go to the auctions, buy cars, clean them up a little, then post them on HyreCar. Make my money back and some,” another added.
@auntiiarii Hope this helps! #buyingacar #fyp ♬ original sound – Arii 🦂
The Daily Dot reached out to Arii via email and TikTok messenger for further comment.
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