It’s not always easy to get the car you want at a price you can afford to pay. When you shop at a typical car dealership, you’re constrained by what they have for sale, and there isn’t a lot of flexibility in the price. However, one buying option that’s often overlooked is a public auto auction.

What is an auto auction? It’s an event where both individuals and dealers can purchase vehicles by bidding on them. The real advantage is that you have more control over your purchase.

Has the price been bid up past your means? Just stop. Or perhaps no one else is interested in that custom sports car, and you can pick it up for next to nothing. You don’t have to fall in with the demands of the dealer. You can buy the same way he does and avoid the markup.

You have more than one choice when it comes to purchasing a car from a public auto auction. The conventional way is to attend the auction in person. You join the crowd of all the other people looking to purchase a vehicle. To bid on the vehicle you want, you lift up your bid paddle. The last person to bid is the winner.

Another way to bid is live via the internet. An online auto auction is gaining in popularity as a convenient way to buy a car. More and more auction houses are now set up for real time online bidding.

Oftentimes the auction you’re interested in isn’t located close to where you live. But you can still bid on what you want right from your home. You’re bidding on the car the same as if you were at the auction in person. Instead of raising your paddle, you input your bid through your computer. It certainly beats sitting there and holding up your bid number for the auctioneer to see.

You can find a lot of great deals at a car auction. Many of them auction off donated vehicles, usually with no minimum bid required. Of course, there’s usually a good reason that the car was donated. It probably needs a lot of work. However, if you’re mechanically inclined, it can be a great way to save a lot of money.

Buying your vehicle at an auto auction is a whole different way of doing business. You bid on exactly what you want and pay only what you can afford. You can buy your car the same way the dealers do and save yourself some money.