Car Auctions in North Boston, MA 01862 1632: Public Online Salvage Auto Auction | A Better Bid (2024)

FAQs

How to buy cars at auction in MA? ›

Without a business licenses, you will need a Broker's help to bid on clean titled vehicles, and without a dealer's license, you will need a Broker's help to bid on salvage titled vehicles in Massachusetts. Don't want the hassle of licensing? Search our No License Required inventory.

You could get stuck with a lemon

Auction houses usually sell cars as-is, meaning you don't have any recourse if your purchase turns out to be unsafe, severely damaged, or in need of costly repairs.

On average, car dealers markup cars up to 30% that are bought at auctions. There are several reasons for this. The used cars at the auctions are not in a perfect driving condition and sometimes they won't even appeal to many bidders, that's why they are cheaper than the dealer's shops.

The auction house had been impacted by the Great Recession, and business did not fully recover until 2018. In 2021, Barrett-Jackson purchased the Phoenix-based Collector Car Network, which included several classic car publications and the Future Collector Car Show.

Sometimes the car is a trade-in. Some cars at auction are from rental fleets, retired because of age or high mileage. Other cars at auction are repossessed by a bank because of missed payments, for example, and sold to the auction. Wherever they come from, expect to get a great deal on a used car at an auction.

Avoid talking loudly or disrupting the bidding process. If you need to leave the room, do so quietly and without disturbing others. Don't bid on items you're not interested in: It can be tempting to bid on multiple items just for the thrill of the auction, but this can quickly lead to overspending and regret.

You should verify the accuracy of any site prior to bidding, as not all are worth your time. Many online car auction sites only sell to dealers, so it is recommended that you use a site that's open to all customers or work with a third-party middleman to get your bids through the site.

Often dealers will send vehicles to auction to avoid a hassle. A vehicle may be too old, have a mileage discrepancy, have a bad CarFax, or have other concerns. Auto auctions take vehicles as-is. This makes selling at a car auction a great way to get rid of complicated units.

Most people understand what they are, but how do car auctions work? While some are held indoors, most auto auctions are outdoor events. Cars are lined up in rows with a ring man in charge of identifying bidders for cars in each of these rows. Like in any auction, people place bets and the highest bidder wins.

What does "dealer only" mean? ›

Dealer-only auctions are strictly closed to the general public. Only licensed dealers can attend. It's not feasible to obtain a Dealer license unless you are planning on getting into the business of purchasing vehicles to resell as a business. Obtaining a dealer license is an expensive and time-consuming process.

The wholesale value of a vehicle is the value that a dealer would pay to purchase it from a car manufacturer. In the case of trade-in vehicles, the wholesale price might also be the price a dealer would pay to purchase the vehicle from a dealer auction. In any case, wholesale value is a measure of dealer cost.

The biggest car auction in the US is Copart. With an extensive inventory and a user-friendly online platform, Copart caters to a wide range of buyers, including dealers, dismantlers, rebuilders, exporters, and individual consumers.

To sell a car at the Barrett-Jackson auction, the seller is responsible for paying the entry fee based on the time of day of the auction and the lot number. There is also a seller's commission of 8 percent of the hammer price and the buyer pays a 10 percent buyer's premium on their purchase.

Tickets can be purchased in advance directly through the online ticket tab on the Barrett-Jackson.com home page which will connect you directly to our official ticket partner AXS. It's easy, it's fast, and it's available anytime, anywhere!