Should I buy a car at auction?

LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
So my current car is a bit fucked. A 2006 xtrail that has a fucked catalytic converter(throwing engine code), head gasket on its way out (recently shown signs of the sealant not sealing right anymore after 4-5 months so not good) and an oil cooler oil leak (drips onto the exhaust making an hot oil smell when it gets hot, fixed this 1.5y ago but the ). Likely to be around 4-6k to sort out by my guess. If it was running right I could sell for ~4k so not really worth it.

Something sparks some curiosity and yesterday I jumped on Manheim auctions and spot a skoda scout 2015 110tdi model in manual with 96k on the clock. It's exactly what I've wanted but there aren't many around when I have been in the market. I have a preference for a manual car and there aren't many wagons that suit.

So I threw a bid on as 10k was an excellent price and no one was bidding. I winnitnbut don't get the reserve. I get a call and can buy it for just over 13k once I consider transport to me and buying fees. It will need rego (just expired so can be inspected ad renewed easily).

Item Not Found

www.manheim.com.au www.manheim.com.au

Current value is ~ 17-22k so I'm in a pretty good position. I'm assuming it needs a decent service including a timing belt for the 100k coming up. I also am in lockdown so if anything unexpected comes up in an inspection ( after buying it) I can likely shop around/ import parts without too much frustration. They are known known be reliable, particularly the 2.0L VW diesel engines. So I'm hoping there isnt too much risk but I'm unlikely to put money into it that would bring jt beyond its resale value as far as I can see

Anyone have any warnings to consider? I won't be borrowing so I wouldn't be putting myself in a financial issue if it is a lemon.
 
Tubbsy

Tubbsy

Packin' a small bird
Staff member
The fact it's a manual is encouraging, so you don't have the potential DSG nightmare. That engine is pretty reliable I think.

If you can get an inspection that would obviously help.
 
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LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
An inspection doesn't seem feasible with the current restrictions. I would be much more comfortable if I could test drive but that isn’t an option with auctions or nsw restrictions
 
Dales Cannon

Dales Cannon

lightbrain about 4pm
Staff member
LPG said:
An inspection doesn't seem feasible with the current restrictions. I would be much more comfortable if I could test drive but that isn’t an option with auctions or nsw restrictions
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Revs check, service history check. Even plug rego into Hambo and see if anything comes up. Otherwise I got nuffin.
 
Staunch

Staunch

Eats Squid
Bit of a disclaimer - this is all personal experience/what I've learnt, not saying it's 1000% correct however just my view.

Nothing wrong with an auction car IF you know where it's come from. I have a Hilux purchased from auction that was ex-government fleet. Obviously it's much easier for them to flog them off this way when it becomes more financially viable to update the fleet rather than to continue servicing aging vehicles. I went and inspected it in person and it was in good condition and idled well, so I took a punt and it was a great choice. Ended up getting it for about 5k under current market price ~4 years ago. For that price, I was aware that it might need x/y/z done in the future, and it still came out as a better deal than a private sale. Have put another ~40,000kms onto it since and it hasn't missed a beat, everything is still in great nick. I've had in inspected by a reputable mechanic who was impressed, and I've done my fair share of work on it too and have been happy with everything I've found.

Ex-fleet vehicles (as long as they're not ex-mine) tend to be pretty strict with their servicing, some even have regulators in them which record and log excessive RPMs or speeding to hold employees accountable. They tend to be less thrashed than some random person's daily purchased off Carsales, or even worse Gumtree/Facebook (at least for 4WDs anyway).

In saying all that, with your car of choice I have no idea where that would come from. I'm not famililar with VW diesels, however I know some of the petrols are pain in the ass to source basic parts for, and have some shitty design flaws which are hard to rectify at times. If you can't go and inspect, don't know the source, and aren't familiar with common problems/likely additional cost to fix them, I'd be cautious.
 
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LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
I'm not certain of the origin of the car but I'll be discussing with the person when I call back. I expect this was a trade in, possibly a lease but it is a touch old for a 4 year. Being a family friendly wagon I suspect it hasn't had too hard a life but who knows.

From what I can see If I were to put in a new dpf filter and a turbo for (example higher cost repairs) I could keep the cost to me at or below the resale value. I think I would be unlikely to be beyond that.

I will fish for some more info when I call back. Hopefully some service history can be shown.

Haakon said:
You cant do inspections at auctions at the moment, and i would be wary of VW diesel at the best of times - lots of potential gotchas with upkeep of the stuff on them to keep the emissions slightly less than horrible.

For a manual wagon, this is a better bet if you're not fixing cars yourself.

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The i30 isn't quite big enough for my wants. From what i can see the 2015 2.0tdi is improved from the previous for emissions. I don't have a preference for diesel but I don't have start stop traffic and work is far enough that I shouldn't have ongoing issues with the dpf (beyond what might be there already).
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
LPG said:
I'm not certain of the origin of the car but I'll be discussing with the person when I call back. I expect this was a trade in, possibly a lease but it is a touch old for a 4 year. Being a family friendly wagon I suspect it hasn't had too hard a life but who knows.

From what I can see If I were to put in a new dpf filter and a turbo for (example higher cost repairs) I could keep the cost to me at or below the resale value. I think I would be unlikely to be beyond that.

I will fish for some more info when I call back. Hopefully some service history can be shown.



The i30 isn't quite big enough for my wants. From what i can see the 2015 2.0tdi is improved from the previous for emissions. I don't have a preference for diesel but I don't have start stop traffic and work is far enough that I shouldn't have ongoing issues with the dpf (beyond what might be there already).
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I havent had a tape measure out, but I doubt its any smaller inside than an Octavia...
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
Haakon said:
I havent had a tape measure out, but I doubt its any smaller inside than an Octavia...
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It is good for its size, but so is the octavia, there is a fair difference in sizes from what I can see.

Haakon said:
Just say no to diesel... Its anti social cancerous crap, and its also expensive and troublesome. You're been warned ;)
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I agree and would never buy a diesel new, however once someone has put that much environmental impact to manufacturing a car you might as well get as much use out of it as possible. The most environmentally friendly thing to do is to repair and drive an existing car than to buy a new one (up to a point of course).
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
LPG said:
I agree and would never buy a diesel new, however once someone has put that much environmental impact to manufacturing a car you might as well get as much use out of it as possible. The most environmentally friendly thing to do is to repair and drive an existing car than to buy a new one (up to a point of course).
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Thats not necessarily true... The short answer is "it depends", the longer answer is the very vast bulk of life time emissions from an ICE vehicle is in its use. Even on Victoria brown coal, an EV will pay off its manufacturing emissions in a couple of years.

Besides, with diesel its not just the greenhouse emissions, its the toxic shit that causes cancer and smog....
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
Haakon said:
Thats not necessarily true... The short answer is "it depends", the longer answer is the very vast bulk of life time emissions from an ICE vehicle is in its use. Even on Victoria brown coal, an EV will pay off its manufacturing emissions in a couple of years.

Besides, with diesel its not just the greenhouse emissions, its the toxic shit that causes cancer and smog....
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Surely you are not suggesting that people abandoning good modern vehicles and going Ev is the way forward for the environment?

The vehicle has been manufactured and it is reasonably ok for the envoronment accordingly to standards from 2015. Whether I am driving it or someone else the emissions and toxins are going to be in our airspace. It may even be better than someone else as I won't dpf delete it or be driving it in stop start traffic.
 
S

SummitFever

Eats Squid
If the car's not an ex-gov fleet car, I'd avoid it like the plague, particularly if you can't test drive it. Unless it's something rare, exotic or both with known providence then for the seller it makes no economic sense to put a car in an auction. Ergo, it's probably got something wrong with it.

You might get lucky, but I think the odds are stacked against you.
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
LPG said:
Surely you are not suggesting that people abandoning good modern vehicles and going Ev is the way forward for the environment?

The vehicle has been manufactured and it is reasonably ok for the envoronment accordingly to standards from 2015. Whether I am driving it or someone else the emissions and toxins are going to be in our airspace. It may even be better than someone else as I won't dpf delete it or be driving it in stop start traffic.
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I am yes if that car still has more than a few years left in it. Greenhouse wise. But for human health/air quality, absolutely crush that pos now...

And the "its going to be emitting anyway" is a not a robust argument...
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
SummitFever said:
If the car's not an ex-gov fleet car, I'd avoid it like the plague, particularly if you can't test drive it. Unless it's something rare, exotic or both with known providence then for the seller it makes no economic sense to put a car in an auction. Ergo, it's probably got something wrong with it.

You might get lucky, but I think the odds are stacked against you.
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This.
 
LPG

LPG

likes thicc birds
Haakon said:
I am yes if that car still has more than a few years left in it. Greenhouse wise. But for human health/air quality, absolutely crush that pos now...

And the "its going to be emitting anyway" is a not a robust argument...
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I understand your point of view and disagree. I think I agree with your intentions but methods aren't realistic in my book.
 
Haakon

Haakon

has an accommodating arse
LPG said:
I understand your point of view and disagree. I think I agree with your intentions but methods aren't realistic in my book.
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Practical or not, thats just what the maths and physics say at least. Can probably dig out a few references on this if you're interested.
 
link1896

link1896

Mr Greenfield
Typically I'd agree, but in covid times?


Pre covid times, my guess, a dealer took this as a trade in, knows it has an issue.
Issues could be as simple as a 40km hole in the routine service (book never stamped, or never actually serviced) or something more sinister.

If it were a fine example, the dealer (assume it's a new car dealer) would have offloaded it to their usual clientele of second hand dealers.

The only time auctions make sense from a sellers POV is large fleet sales or government. Both factor in usual auction price into their pricing model, plus they buy at great rates.


BUT with everything closed in NSW for how much longer, the above might not hold true.

i.e

Dealer trades in on a new car, offers stupid trade in deal.
customer decides in lockdown can't sell privately, fuck it, I'll take 10K for it.
Dealer wants to exit traded in car for book value plus costs.


Hard to know. times are strange
 
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