Gov Auctions

Shep - buyer beware!!!! - these cars usually do not come with a warranty unless new car warranty applies, does not come with guarnteed title of ownership, you cant test drive it and who knows the type of work its done, BUT you are going to buy it cheaper than from a dealer who by law (in Vic) has to g'tee title, supply a warranty and will normally negotiate any minor repairs that you want done and most govt 4wd's have done a lot of 4wd work as thats what i was purchased for and i'm sure that youll find a lot of good luck and a lot of bad luck stories about the auction system but its your choice - good luck - tim

TB I go 4wding with got a late mod Dual Cab Lux from the auctions with a smashed door... Ex Parks one.

He got it for $10,000 less than Redbook recommends..

He fixed the door for couple hundred, and sold it after 6-8 months and cleaned up!

Thats one good story, there are many bad ones out there too. Afterall, lots of them have under 60,000klms on them, couldnt be all bad....

Buyer Beware.

I think it's a homework situation. Go looking for what you want. First though check out the prices and decide if the difference is worth the risk. Most government vehicles will be serviced at the correct intervals and probably not have been involved in really heavy four wheel driving.

Except maybe the DSE 'pigs' that have been out there fighting the fires!. Not being rude that what us CFA firies call the trayback slideons the boys in green use.

It will however have been treated with disrespect and have dings and bumps and scratches. It's probably a matter of how much risk you want to take for a higher 'return'. I'd be in it, but my brother-in-law has a caryard and finds anything I want 'as traded'. See ya Royce

all the above yes but also bear in mind these factors - the increase in beaurocrat salaries over the last few years, the increase in fashionability of large 4WD's (stand outside private school during drop off session) and the attraction of salary packaging vehicles - means there are appearing a lot of 4WD vehicles that did not belong to departments for actual offroad beatings but belonged to highly paid individuals in a department that never took them off road and after 3 years have returned them to the relevant governement vehicle supplier for auction as "government vehicle". this is what is happening to my bosses' NM Parjero - its only dents come from his kids running into it.

Shep it would be a good idea if you could tell us what state you are in as the auctions are different in every state and what is right in one state could be completely the opposite in another. I am obviously only refering to state gov auctions.

Just bought my 2001 4.2TD st wagon at auction Ex Qfleet 30k Km snorkel b/bar tow bar. all it need is an interior detail and new snorkel top. has balance of new warranty + for $460 they extended the warranty to 6 years 100k total.
I saved $15k on redbook price!
If you but "ex Goverment,Qfleet " you are reasonably safe, a revs cert came with it.
Brian

Without trying to put you off buying at auction,govt or otherwise,look in this forums archives,a couple of months ago peter or paul asked same question about viabillity of ex police nissan patrol, whithin a short period of buying,lots and lots of querys concerning g/box ect, like any purchase BUYER BEWARE.

shep,
i agree with most of the above except the ownership issue. in nsw and qld all auctioneers by law must guarantee title.
a few years back i wanted a twin cab. watched the syd gov auctions, they will fax lists, noted prices, obviously not cond, about 6 weeks later an auction with 14 varied twin cabs. i flew down from the country and even with my limited knowledge was able to work out which gov departments had better vehicles. noted auction order and graded my 3 choices in preference. purchased my second choice at the right price and no problems since. mine had 18 months left on new car warranty.
rta and water board for example a lot "cleaner" than forrests and police.

Caution!!! Watch for the older vehicles at the auctions... Auto group auctions in brooklyn has a little workshop out the back where they cut and shut their older model vehicles.

Looked at an 86 model extra cab Hilux looked great! Low kms clean interior, Got closer and they had sprayed the rims while they were still on the car so there was paint on the rear drums. Paint runs everywhere, they didnt even mask the car up properly so there was overspray everywhere. Underneath the car was a shocker! holes in the chassis rails (rust) there was NO way that she had done the amount of kms displayed on the dash

Two weeks later looked at a 95 model hilux tray petrol, practically the same as i said before except, when the car went to auction a man from the crowd ran over to it "Supposedly" on his mobile phone lifted the hood, had a quick look under there and bidded for the car, got it for $9,800. What a bargain! So I called the auctions 3 days later asking if the car had been sold and it hadn't. It was there 3 weeks later when i was there and the same man ran from the crowd on his phone and did the same thing and bidded for it! hard to work out hey?


Watch for the dummy bidders they are there, though if you are looking at a newer model vehicle you should be pretty right.

Thank`s guys I didnt think I woud get that many responses,
I`m a family man so I`ll be doing plenty of homework and I`ll be taking on board all your comments ,but also trying to save a buck ,I`ll let you know what i end up with,hopefully a good story.
Shep

I purchased my 99 troopy from pickles auctions 18 months ago and couldn't be happier.It was previously owned by Sydney Water and was in as new condition, low klms,and still had 12 months factory warranty.I immediately insured the car for market value which was $15000 more than the purchase price, try doing that from a dealer purchase.
thanks Paul