Sneak Peak: Carriage Trades First Online Auto Auction

Carriage Trade is making a big change in the way that we do business with our new online auto auction. It is the first time ever that dealers and the public can sit in the comfort of their homes, while watching or bidding in the auction. 

To familiarize everyone with what the site and the auction will look like, we have decided to give you a preview and also a little tutorial. This way when the auction opens online for the first day you won't be figuring out how to navigate through our site.  The auction site will be open starting at 4:30pm on Mondays, for customers to go on early and check out he vehicles being offered. 

Step 1: Getting to the Live Auction Site

Go to Carriage Trades site, www.CarriageTrade.com, and click on the "Live Auction" button at the top right. Next it will bring you to our Directions and Disclaimers page, please read this page before clicking "View", "Bid", or "Pre-Register". Once you have read this page then click "Pre-Register" and fill out the information on the next page. (You will need to pre-register at least 24 hours in advance of the next scheduled auction to be able to bid. We will try to work as fast as we can and get everyone set up quick, but please leave us enough time to make sure you get registered in time). If you are already registered click "View" or "Bid" to log in.

Step 2: Logging In

Once you are registered you will have a username and password, which you will enter here to get into the auction site. You may also look on this page to view our auction calendar and view the inventory for future auctions.

Step 3: Navigating the Auction Site.

Step 4: Side Navigation

For quicker access to some of the most popular features, you will find four links to the left

of the screen.

Step 5: Your Account

Your account allows you several options to help you manage your buying through convenient, interactive, automated systems that can keep track of your desired inventory.

Step 6: The Auction Screen

A. Live Audio and Video Feed.

B. Vehicle being auctioned at that time with details and photos.

C. Upcoming Vehicles, this makes it easier for you to browse ahead and view what you may want to bid on. It also gives you more time to look the vehicle over.

D. This is where messages, chatting and announcements will show up, and you will also have a chat feature as well. So that you may ask certain questions or concerns you may have. (Please note: it will be much easier, convenient and faster if you ask questions before the auction starts. Once the auction starts it will be hard to answer your questions and keep up with the auction as well.)

E. Here the bids will show, and it will say if it is a floor bidder or another online bidder. To the right of this screen will be the bidding or selling box, if you are selling a car in he auction you can control what you want to sell it for here, but if you are bidding you will use this box to put in your bids for each vehicle.

Step 7: Sit back, Relax, Enjoy and Good Luck!

For more information visit the links below:
Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction
Carriage Trade Auction Process
Carriage Trade- Buy Now
Carriage Trade- Sell Your Car

Have you been to Carriage Trade before?
If so, we would like to hear about your experience and we encourage you to share that with us on our Facebook page, Blog or write a review.

You can stay connected by "Liking" Carriage Trade on Facebook, follow us on twitter, or visit our website for updates on upcoming  auctions.

Why Buy A Car From An Auction?

If you are interested in upgrading your current car, an auction can be the perfect place to do it and save money. With the current recession for most people buying a brand new car is not an option. Luckily you can always find a good deal on a good car at the auction.

Buying a car at a live auction also adds a certain excitement to your vehicular purchase. While it's often just as exciting making the rounds to your local dealer and hunting down your ideal ride, an auction adds an element of the unknown and that underlying sense of competition amongst you and your fellow auction goers.

Some people may say that auctions are scams or a way for companies, dealers and the public to sell you a car for a higher price than its worth. This is not the case, what most people tend to forget is doing there own research on vehicles and getting a close look at the car. Carriage Trade wants to help you find the right car at the right price, and that is why auction lists are posted online days before the actual auction. Some vehicles may be added in at the last minute, but for the most part they are posted in advance. We also encourage buyers to arrive early and have a look at the cars they are interested in buying.

It can be easy to lose your focus at the auction and get caught up in a bidding war with others. All you have to do is have a maximum you are willing to pay and don't go over that. Also include the fees that are charged, to account for what you are willing to spend. Just keep those things in mind and you will see that choosing to buy a car from an auction is a better and smarter choice.


For more information visit the links below:
Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction
Carriage Trade Auction Process
Carriage Trade- Buy Now
Carriage Trade- Sell Your Car

Have you been to Carriage Trade before?
If so, we would like to hear about your experience and we encourage you to share that with us on our Facebook page, Blog or write a review.

You can stay connected by "Liking" Carriage Trade on Facebook, follow us on twitter, or visit our website for updates on upcoming  auctions.

Carriage Trade Auction Tips

If you have never been to an auction then your first time can be a little overwhelming. Even if you go to auctions regularly, it still can be a place where you may get lost in all of the mayhem. So we have a few tips to keep you focused and not only buying a good car, but the car you want.

Tip #1
The first thing you want to do when attending the auction is to arrive early.It takes our auctioneers less than one minute to sell a vehicle. If you are trying to evaluate a vehicle while it is on the auction block, you are probably too late.

The auction starts Mondays at 5:00 p.m., so make sure you arrive early and inspect the car that you are interested in buying. Make sure you take a look at these types of potential problems:

• Body damage
• Rust
• Leaks
• Unusual tire wear
• Damage to the interior such as water damage and cigarette burns
• Check for the smell of mold

The best thing you can do is bring a mechanic with you who is familiar with potential mechanical problems.

Tip #2
Once the auction begins go to the lane that will have the car you are interested in. Each of the cars have a number on the windshield, for example 1-44 means that car will be in lane one and will be the 44th car to go on the block. The first number is the lane it's in and the second number after the dash is what number in line it is.

Tip#3
The next thing to do is make sure you are watching the different color lights that come on for each car. Each light represents something different. Some cars are only sold to dealers and not the public.

• GREEN LIGHT: Gives the buyer until 5:00pm the day following the sale to arbitrate a vehicle for any issues with the motor or drive train.
• YELLOW LIGHT: "Listen" used when making announcements or when a change in the brochure is in order. 
• RED LIGHT: Vehicle is sold "As is with all faults"
• BLUE LIGHT: "Title Attached"
• MAROON LIGHT: DEALERS ONLY. 
• NAVY LIGHT: Public Sale. All bidders are welcome. 
• ORANGE LIGHT: Over 100,000 miles or true mileage unknown (TMU). 

Tip #4

Make sure you know the car you are bidding on. At Carriage Trade the cars will begin on the block and within seconds move outside and the next car in line will pull up, however the bidding may still be going on for the car that has just pulled away. So pay attention to what the auctioneer says and listen for the announcements when a new car is introduced.

If you follow those four tips, you should have no problem getting what you want for the price you want. We wish you good luck and have fun at the auctions. We hold them every Monday at 5 p.m. except holidays. 

For more information visit the links below:

Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction

Carriage Trade- Auction Process

Have you been to Carriage Trade before?

If so, we would like to hear about your experience and encourage you to share that with us on our Facebook page, blog or write a review. 

You can stay connected by liking Carriage Trade on Facebook, and visiting our website for an update on the next auction.