Ebay Trucks

Buying trucks or commercial fleet at auction? Follow this helpful guide

For those of us used to the thrill of bidding for items on ebay, buying a truck or other commercial vehicles at auction can be a bit of a nerve wracking experience, especially if it is your first time buying at auction. The consequences of purchasing a poor quality item on ebay are not necessarily that bad; but if you happen to be a business owner or if you are charged with purchasing fleet vehicles on behalf of your company, the stakes are much higher. Buying a poor quality vehicle without realising it can be a costly mistake; especially to a small business.

My first and foremost piece of advice is to give any potential purchase a basic inspection wherever possible. This will reveal some of the easiest to spot issues such as rust at crucial points etc. To help you further, enlist the help of someone who may wind up using the vehicle or at least someone in the know, this will minimise your risk. I recommend taking notes and photos on each vehicle so if you build up a selection of potential purchases, you will always have something to refer back to when making your decision. Not only this, but the photos will be a good reminder of the vehicles overall condition.

After the initial checks have been made I advise that you dig deep and follow the suggestions below:

1. Know your vehicle’s intended purpose. Few people think this through properly. They see a vehicle and think “That’ll do the job” but they fail to consider its potential future use and often other crucial factors are forgotten. These impulse purchases equate to money poorly spent as the vehicle will be unfit for future changes in use. Consider carefully the needs of your business and how versatile the vehicle is as its use may be dictated by the company’s future growth. Can you change between refrigerated and non-refrigerated trailers for example? You might need something to move large loads now, but what will those large loads be like in future? Will the same vehicle be able to move those loads?

2. Do your research. Buying at auction can be an incredibly cost effective way to increase your company fleet or gain your first commercial vehicle and the best way to get the lowest price is to do your research. View other auction listings and get a fair idea of what your preferred vehicle type and model is. This way you can spot the potential bargains and buy when the average price falls.

3. Ask questions. As always, mileage is a solid indicator of usage and potential wear and tear but sometimes asking about the vehicle’s history can turn up some surprising results. Did that truck spend most of it’s time taking heavy loads on long journeys up mountains? Or was it used to cart light loads over short distances? A vehicle’s past usage can be a good indicator of where you can expect to see future problems arise thus giving you the chance to set aside funds for a particular maintenance job well in advance. Not only that, but an honest, personal review of an ex-commercial fleet vehicle can help you make a more informed decision; sure both trucks have a sleeper cabin, but which one can carry the widest variety of loads? Ask all the same questions you would if you were buying the vehicle for your own use and if you can, ask the opinion of someone who would realistically be using the vehicle. Just because you like it, it doesn’t mean to say it is the best vehicle for the job.

4. Always run a registration check. Auctions are a great way to get great vehicles at great prices. Although the majority of auctions go smoothly some deceitful individuals will try to exploit auctions to sell stolen, damaged or questionable vehicles. To avoid these people and their goods, it is always wise to run a registration check on any vehicle that catches your eye. The DVLA offers a free registration checking service, although other ‘paid for’ searches can include other extra pieces of information that may be useful. To use the DVLA service all you need is the vehicle registration number and vehicle model. Enter these into the site and you will be able to view the date of manufacture, vehicle colour as well as tax brackets. If the orange flatbed in front of you appears on the DVLA as a silver people carrier, you know that this is an auction lot you ought to avoid.

If these are already habits of yours, excellent. If not, I hope you will find these useful. The more you immerse yourself in auctions both on and off line, the quicker you will develop that ‘gut feel’ for a real bargain when you see one.

Remember, ask questions and keep an open mind. Happy bargain hunting!

We have a wealth of experience in this field so if you would like more information on trucks, commercial or fleet vehicles, visit us at Truck Auction World.

About the Author

We have specialised in commercial fleet for many years. This led to our founding of Truck Auction World. At Truck Auction World we have a global network of vehicle sellers providing all kinds of commercial fleet from trucks to steam rollers. If you would like more information please visit us at http://www.truckauctionworld.com

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