Smartphones may replace your car keys!!

“Traditional car keys will likely become obsolete and be replaced by technologies offering even greater security and convenience,” said Nielsen. “Motorists will need to adapt with the technology to avoid the hassle and expense of smart key replacements.”


I know what you're thinking, what could possibly be used instead of your own keys to start your car? 

The answer is, your PHONE!

The metal car key is fast disappearing, replaced by “smart” electronic car keys and fobs (frequency operated button).  Now AAA says it expects smart keys to be transitional technology, soon to be replaced by people’s phones. 

The auto club said Chevrolet and Nissan already have special mobile apps that can be used to monitor and control car functions.

“And, Hyundai recently unveiled a more advanced concept that allows motorists to enter and start a vehicle using a specially configured smartphone that can then interface with the vehicle to provide additional functions and services. Some of this technology could be seen in vehicles as soon as 2015,” said John Nielsen, AAA director of automotive engineering and repair.

AAA said it rescued 4 million drivers who locked themselves out of their cars last year, a number that has held steady for the last five years even as more autos come with electronic keys and fobs.

Smart keys were once available only in luxury brands such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz and Lexus but now are offered by most automakers either standard or as an option. Many contain a transponder that allows motorists to enter and start their vehicle key-free.

For more information about Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction 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 Makes Selling Your Car Hassle Free

Are you looking to sell your car and upgrade to a newer one, or just want some extra cash? At Carriage Trade we have a couple different options for you. You may either sell your car at our auto auction that we hold every Monday, except major holidays, or you may sell Carriage Trade your car. It is very simple and easy to do either option, and to make it easier we are going to list easy instructions how to get you there.

Easy steps to selling your car at Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction:

1. First thing to do is go to www.CarriageTrade.com, (or you may click on the links provided).
2. Hover over the "Sell a car" tab and click on "Public Car Sales"

Now you can choose from the options available:

Option 1 - Sell your car at the auction

The process is simple. No waiting five or seven days to see if your vehicle makes it to your reserve price. No picture taking or ad writing necessary.

• Register your vehicle with Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction (doing so will have your vehicle offered to hundreds of buyers at once).

*You must be registered with Carriage Trade to buy and sell cars. Registration can be done online by clicking on the Membership Signup link below. It only cost $30, is valid for one year and you can buy and sell as many vehicles you like. A seller fee also applies, however it varies depending on the price the car is sold for. The lowest fee you can pay to sell your car is $85. Here is a Sellers Fee Chart.

• Simply bring your vehicle with the title to our auction before 12:00pm the day of the sale.
• The vehicle will be assigned a lane and run number and will be auctioned in turn.
• You need to be present to tell the auctioneer how much you want for the vehicle and to approve or disallow the sale.

It's that simple!

Option 2 - AutoTrader Vehicle Purchase Program

• Click the Auto Trader picture below and fill out the information needed about your vehicle to generate an offer.
• Once you have completed this step and received an offer, then you may come in to Carriage Trade to redeem it at any time during office hours. A representative from Carriage Trade may also contact you to set up an appointment, or you may contact us to set up your appointment by calling (610)-825-7085 ext. 2426 and ask for Jen Groff.
• Once you are here, the vehicle will be inspected to assure that all information submitted online is correct. Afterwards if you want to take the offer provided, you can receive a check that day for the amount.

*Here's a tip: If you are not happy with the offer, but still want to sell your car, you can run it through the auction to see if you can get the money you want.

Never thought selling your car could be so easy did you?

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.

You Had Questions, We Have Answers.

At Carriage Trade we get similar questions, concerns and complaints from customers. So we have decided to list those questions and answer them. Our goal is to make everyone aware and more knowledgeable about how Carriage Trade operates.

Common Questions

Q: What is Carriage Trade Public Auto Auction?

A: Carriage Trade is an auction house where the public and dealers may buy and sell vehicles. That means that Carriage Trade is not the seller of all the vehicles, so pay attention to the private sellers that are selling the car you are looking to buy.

Q:Who is responsible for inspecting the cars?

A: The buyer is responsible for inspecting the car before the auction. We give buyers a chance to get a look at the cars before the auction where they can lift the hood, look at the interior and exterior, look at the tires, and even start it if the keys are available. Buyers are allowed on the lot at 12:00 p.m. the day of the auction to do these inspections.

Q: What kind of fees are there?

A: The fees vary depending on the amount spent on a vehicle, click here to see Carriage Trades fee schedule. There is also a tag and title fee, which also varies depending on what needs to be done and if you are out of state or not. PA fees for tags and titles range from $163-$199, and out of state fees range from $108-$147.

Q: Are there any condition reports?

A: Condition reports are done on cars only if it is requested by the seller. Buyers may run a Carfax report on their own.

Q: Are there pictures to view of the cars online?

A: Pictures are available for some cars, but not all. This is because cars may come in late or the inventory is so large, that there isn't enough time before the auction.

Q: What do the lights mean at the auction, are they important?

A: The lights at the auction are very important, as they display the selling condition for each car when it comes through the lane. Here is what each color light means:

• 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). 

Q: What does As-Is mean?

A: As-Is means that the car is sold with any faults and any problems that may occur at any time. Buyers should be sure that the vehicle they are purchasing is the one they want. *You may not want to buy the car, if you didn't inspect it.*

Q: Can I return the car because it wasn't the one i wanted?

A: No. Unfortunately some buyers come to the auction for the first time, and are not prepared for the experience. 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 have any other questions, please contact us by phone at (610)-825-7085, on our blog or our Facebook page.

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.

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.