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.