BUYING A CAR FROM AUCTION: Can I Buy a Bargain?

[@bjglendinning]

Hi Matt, loved this video. I remember going to Frimley Auctions with my dad back in the late 70's, he was a civil servant (on rubbish pay) and boosted the house income by buying cars at auction, fixing them up (as you do) and selling them for a profit. This meant my parents paid off our mortgage 12 years early! Best bit for us as kids was we got a chinese takeaway every time he sold a car for profit!

[@Kentish9494]

This is a great story

[@DEJF90]

Love that story!

[@wpjohn91]

What was your go to meal as a kid?

[@scotspie501douglas7]

you could do that years ago with out the internet and without the history on line checks change days now and with modern cars auctions are all tied up the motor trade is a rip off with all the bodies tied into it AA RAC all know it keep saying wet belt engines with joe bloggs picking up the tabs on this

[@TheOriginal_BigMac]

😅 lovely story from simpler times

[@timrhodes9810]

Love the content Matt, more auctions please

[@Phuc_Yhou]

Exactly how to act at auctions, be extremely picky, do all the history/mot checks, note the lot numbers and watch the vehicle start and drive in, but most important don't catch auction fever and bid over your budget plus fees.

[@abstractgroove160]

Whoever specced a brown Volvo with a beige leather interior is a man after my own heart.

[@GrrMeister]

GeoffBuysCars would snap it up !

[@vonsauerkraut]

Boring 😴

[@stephenwalton2633]

Wild!

[@philipmulville8218]

Hero.

[@garethkerr8649]

Good video Mat, I’d definitely watch more of this type of thing

[@MatthewJBD]

Only sociopaths name their children Matthew with one T

[@nickscott8488]

"I massively overbid..." 😂

[@mikaelwiberg2938]

😂

[@kamseihra]

Headlights need a buff and a set of reg plates

[@erroristmusic]

Not really, great price for such a car.

[@alexvuffelen1993]

😂😂

[@meirb7415]

😂😂😅😂

[@mawin5899]

Completely with you on all those decisions, you didn't put a foot wrong. There's an awful lot of shit cars in auctions. I went once and saw cars going for what seemed way over what they should be so generally put off by the whole thing.

[@tonygray6587]

Car UK, Chops Shifting Metal, you have joined the elite of dealers who use G3! Hope they pay you well for the publicity. ,

[@carukchannel]

Not a single penny, we go to buy stock. Filming is a bonus and makes interesting content

[@tonygray6587]

@@carukchannel No offence, it was said tongue in cheek!

[@robinthebobin6537]

7:18 : "Golfs are normally pretty good news let's look at the Golf shall w- OH 'ang on a sec Mazda 3" - My ADHD brain's attention span explained in 3 seconds😂

[@mattevans7150]

Definitely enjoyed that as content. Eye opener for those of us wanting to buy via auction as a private purchase, rather than as a trader. Surprised by the amount of info that the auction house provides for each car as well.

[@flybobbie1449]

Do they supply a short guarantee, in which case they may have to disclose all known faults.

[@WyreForestBiker]

I went to auctions on a weekly basis in the 80's and 90's. it's a very dangerous place for the uninitiated but if you know what your doing there are decent cars to be had. In the early days there was no info on mechanical issues at all , you just had the start-up and drive into the hall to assess the vehicle and then back your judgement.

[@spmcdade901]

Hi Matt, Very good to see how you reacted in an auction, and honestly it was very educational to the likes of me (one of your punters). Good luck sorting out the Renault!

[@HighPeakAutos]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@davidwhyte4348]

Hi Matt would really love to see you doing a video that involves you buying a car from Japan or Australia as cars there are really fresh and usually well cared for plus it would be good too see what’s all involved in getting it over and see if there is a profit to be made, or you could just keep flipping car from home that’s great as well, best of luck with your auction car hope it turns a profit

[@alexdalgleish1061]

Mat Watson did similar video. Plenty of obscure Toyota Hybrids that would be useful.

[@wpjohn91]

Second this comment

[@ccooper8785]

I have only been to 3 auctions in the past. Each time I came away thinking "this shows how crap used cars are before the garages tart them up for sale". It was so bad on the last visit that I thought the car I was replacing was the best one in the neighbourhood...

[@TheHumblePaintSprayer333]

I have a real soft spot for Renaults especially older ones, I grew up with Renaults my dad, mum and uncle worked for Renault parts distribution for over 40 years in Reading and Swindon so as a kid I used to got to all the new model launches and they were fantastic they had top catering in and would raffle off a new car to the staff My dad had a new lease car every year normally a new model, the whole time he worked there and we would have to go to London to pick it up I loved it running around the compound looking for the registration number as a kid Happy days Can’t wait for the Laguna video Great job and I was really surprised you haven’t gone to a auction before God bless 🙏👍

[@ASW_TV]

My first and last experience with G3: After years of loyalty to BCA, I decided to try G3 and purchased 40k worth of cars. Upon delivery, all eight vehicles had significant engine or gearbox problems. I contacted the site manager, but he showed no interest in resolving any of the issues. Wouldn’t touch them with a barge pole.

[@FTFLCY]

I've seen many other auction vids on YT in which they seem to buy any old crap. Nice to see Matt being properly picky. The car he left with says a lot about him, and it's a quality with which I can fully empathise.

[@jordz121]

Yeah hes got alot of restraint and able to manage the urges - good signs for sticking at something for the long haul 👍🏽

[@Barbarapape]

I havn't been to a car auction for years, but i used to go with a friend that ran a body shop so repairing any cosmetics was not an issue, but for mechanical work we had to pay trade prices. The main issue we found is that you can't road test the cars, and there was no internet to check the mot's on. Best of luck with the the Renault, i hope you don't need to overspend on it.

[@Mariazellerbahn]

4:15 Spot on. Cars that go through auction are there for a reason. Usually unsaleable junk needing a lot of work.

[@flybobbie1449]

Would have thought most are dealer exchanges they want shut of.

[@neilcarter6543]

I had a Jeep Cherokee on a 3-year lease and at the end it went straight to auction.

[@kennyg4744]

Absolute rubbish. There are a lot of dealers who work on a stock profile. e.g. The might only deal in £20k+ German cars. Therefore when they get a trade-in against one of their cars, they send it straight to auction. The auction will list the vendor. Get to know the dealers and their typical stock profile. I have bought 30 - 40 cars from auction in the last couple of years and never had a problem. Always factor in £300 - £400 for some repairs and prep and you will have a decent car with a nice profit margin. I know a Land Rover dealer that instantly sends every non Land Rover trade-in to Manheim auction regardless of make, model, mileage, age or condition. I have bought a few of their trade-ins and done well out of it.

[@Chris-h3f5u]

Have you looked at Lee at the car pitch. He goes to the auctions and buys a fair few. He doesn't seem to have an issue with them

[@virgin26]

Rubbish, I’ve bought several cars from Auction, some only 3 years old and still in warranty. Where do you think the cars on the forecourt are from at your local

[@jamesknightreading]

Really interesting Matt. Well done for not getting carried away.

[@RoryWilson-o9c]

Good video Matt. Could you explain at your “reveal video” what a buyer’s rights are when buying from an auction as opposed to buying from a dealer or indeed a private seller. There seems to be a lots of misinformation around this topic. 👍🏻

[@Ultravox1981]

Loved the video. Yes, would like to see more. Funny thing is, you bought an older car that doesn't have as much tech as all the newer ones with warning lights. Me thinks the car industry should go back to simpler days and easy repairs and that would put it back on its feet. The way its going, under 10 year old cars will be going to landfill because people can't afford to keep them running. (eg couple of quid for a headlight bulb in the old days, £700 for a light unit now. No wonder so many new cars are running around on one headlight!!!) Keep up the good work. Love the channel.

[@paulstansfield8693]

When I was looking for quality stock, I trolled the private sales, always got a better car, two keys etc, plus I new who owned it. I still made money from auction cars, BUT, I may have looked at 200 cars, to buy 2. I couldn’t compete with the guys with deeper pockets, so needed to buy right.

[@markbrennan4693]

Avoid Matt, used to great for a bargain decades ago. Now where the detritus of cars end up. Motors that get traded in full of issues and sent straight to the block. So easy to get sucked into bidding. Great content Cheers Matt.

[@abd_l1298]

loving your videos lately, keep it up.

[@JohnStedman-d4s]

A really engrossing episode, and it will be interesting to see how the Laguna Coupe matches up to your expectations. Your ToyTube Channel has become the best window onto the UK used car market, and is a fascinating experience for viewers. Keep it up!

[@lawrencepeak8309]

That was something different. Thoroughly enjoyed it. I have bought many cars at auction, just for myself. If I was bidding against a dealer and I paid a few pounds more than he was prepared to pay I felt I had a bargain, don't remember any pups.

[@davidmehlhorn726]

Great video. I’ve gone to a few auctions but never bought anything. I get the impression that they’re a dumping ground for dealers to rid of troublesome cars. I passed a guy who’d bought a focus only for it to break down a few hundred metres from the auction site. Saying that, I’d have bought that Laguna too as I had one back in 2011. Great car, never gave an issue, very frugal on diesel and so so comfortable on long trips.

[@James-ld2jc]

Liked that Matt. Looking forward to seeing the Laguna

[@ronniefront511]

Jesus that auction was like a sad graveyard of unloved motors 😢

[@garysaul9827]

Definitely do more videos like these, love the excitement of an auction and you never know when the next bargain is going to pop up✌️

[@michaelarchangel1163]

You did well with that Renault. It was clearly a cherished car. I once paid a fair bit over top book for a Kawasaki Z900 motorbike which was much the same. Sales of such vehicles tend to go to people who won't want to change to something different every five minutes but will continue to look after them for years and appreciate something decent that didn't cost an arm and a leg to begin with.

[@paulbradford8240]

I have been to some auctions in my time, although not for a few years. My advice is to get as far back as you can to see who is bidding. Then, in my view, the most important thing, be the last one to bid. You'll see how long you've got and you'll surprise those already bidding. When someone asks to go up less than the next bid, i.e. £775 instead of £800, you know you are close to their limit. Set your limits too. If you didn't get it, you couldn't afford it. Don't look at it as a missed opportunity. Interesting. I don't mind seeing more. I feel car prices are not so negotiable now that private buyers can no longer buy at auctions.

[@davidroberts3914]

Private buyers can buy at live auctions, with G3 you need to register with them , it costs £50, other auctions like bca and Wilsons allow pvt buyers too, i go regularly.

[@paulbradford8240]

@davidroberts3914 Thank you. I didn't realise that. It looks from their website it's just for traders

[@paulmew1395]

I don't often comment Matt, but I had to this time as this was very enjoyable to watch - please do more!

[@AB-cg9np]

UK car salesmen … “a piece of software said this is only worth that” … sounds about right.

[@LowreyContractorsUK]

Like your honesty. Served me well in business for 47 years.

[@vickybatchelor6858]

Great to see you at your first auction, Matt. You're so picky, it's hilarious 😂😂

[@davidridge5287]

Definitely got his head screwed on, you'd soon be finished without high standards, auction fever is a real thing.

[@nigelh4617]

That was a bit of fun. Interesting to see what's bubbling up at a typical car auction at present.

[@TimFenton-dx4xe]

Enjoyed this, looking forward to another one, thanks 🎉🎉🎉

[@deaks25]

In the early 00's, a mate and I used to go to a local auction regularly. Neither of us could afford to buy anything, it was more for a day out. We were both Top-Gear watching petrol heads and we'd go first thing, have a wander around, pick out a few cars we liked and tried to guess their price. We made a full day out from it, and it could be a relatively cheap way to spend a day. I have fond memories of it. I assume these days auction places need you to be registered etc, but back then, at least at this place we went it was open to the public and anyone could rock up.

[@kevjaffray]

Best video in a while Matt, more auctions please 😁

[@danmiddlehurst6462]

Really good video... I spent quite a bit of time as BCA in Enfield with my neighbour and a dodgy auction in South East London seeing all sorts of shite roll through... Most of which running on K seal!. You are right.. Most of the cheaper auction stuff is crap that people are binning off

[@PaddyWV]

In the past I've been an auction groupie. Paddock Wood, Eastbourne, Maidstone, Old Norwich. The best things are usually the cafés - especially the sausage or bacon sandwiches! Often sat in all day, writing down the prices they went for and it wasn't long before I could price them as they came in! The Fleet sales can be boring. The older ones are more fun. Like the low mileage Yugo 413 that came back through Eastbourne four weeks running and was eventually laughed out of the ring ........ by the auctioneer!

[@ashleybarker937]

Paddock Wood had a great cafe. Shame it's shut down now.

[@TheSavin1]

I bought 2 cars at auctions in late 80s and early 90s. I was very much an amateur, but both cars were decent. Lots of great tips in this video.

[@CintiaJigs]

This video is award-worthy!

[@leeruston5055]

Please do more 👍

[@roystonvehicles9129]

Great video, I bought a 15 plate quasgui at auction recently, 4k with fees, rebuilt gearbox, drop links, clutch, new screen, paint, 2 tyres, vallet, mot, service, wheel refurb and it's ready for sale, up at 5295,got 5600 in it, ha, ha, be careful at auctions.

[@BriannaMoore-h7l]

You just get what makes good content!

[@AWMJoeyjoejoe]

People. Stop liking a bots comment.

[@Drenwickification]

@@AWMJoeyjoejoeyou don’t seem to realise it’s bots liking the bots comment

[@luntoinside]

@@AWMJoeyjoejoeI think that’s why people are liking it 😅 the irony hey

[@Verudur]

How do you know it's a bot?

[@livc444111]

Laguna 2.0 dci: Two rubber pipes on the dpf, to one perished and causes the engine light to come one. Door locking mechanism also prone to failure. Great cars apart from those two faults.

[@paulmarc7116]

First looking forward to this

[@bossahmed4085]

Hi Matt, love your videos and content. It's because of you I got into car sales, whilst working from home I would have you playing in the background. I learnt quiet a bit from your KZbin videos. Thanks. Shame I missed you on day because I'm at g3 every other week. Maybe next time.

[@Djwatzy]

11:42 get the badge in 😂😂

[@roshanvincy3251]

liked this video, great content. One thing i learned from another video is that you need to stay near to the bidding bay when the car pulls over so that you can hear the engine as well as the overall car from any unusual noise

[@wilf18]

What a load of sheds.

[@alanbeale1379]

Great video Matt, it was really enjoyable and brought back some fond memories of auction days. The good thing today is there is so much vehicle info on the windscreens and you have excellent tools like Carvertical to check a vehicle history. In my day it was very much pot luck and often down to your gut feeling about a vehicle. It woud be nice if you could do some future auctions. Its amazing how clean and modern the auction house you featured was. My local auction house was an old greasy rag pad and you would be lucky to buy a cold cup of stewed tea!

[@stephendonkin5497]

Can you do another top ten vehicles you recommend

[@paulwoodward9659]

Hey Matt, great video, took me back to 1978 and i bought my 1st car at Deeside auctions in North Wales. A bright yellow Mk2 Ford Cortina ( nicknamed the flying banana). Loved that car !!!

[@456Brian]

i used go to that one as well

[@BRFC23]

G3 are really pushing the influencer partnership content to get more public buyers attending. Clever stuff!

[@mawin5899]

Depends, not sure what G3 policy is but many auctions are trade only and you have to show your credentials before you can enter and bid.

[@marksmith762]

Interesting change. Love the Laguna Coupe. They’re a lovely rare car with lots of style

[@patrickmcteigue]

I wonder if Joe & chop.s are there.

[@tomoreilly9932]

Always love the auction vids,watch lee on car UK and Joe at shifting metal,always great to see.i thought you'd won the mercedes,till that last online £50 ,but that's car auctions for you,make sure you're head rules your heart

[@Baconroll699]

Does a dog piss against a lamp post ? Of course you can Matt. You’re a good man Matt

[@stanelder9995]

Nice change of scene Matt! We have a friend who does exactly this for a living in the US (Florida). He buys as a wholesaler to supply stock to some smaller used car retailers, so he’s making money on the margins. He spends his working life walking massive auction yards (Mannheim etc.) looking to pick out some cherries from the weeds!

[@LarneyJ]

Doesn’t buy a £2k Mercedes but does buy a £700 13 year old Renault 🤦‍♂️ I can see the over spend already

[@MrAvant123]

Certainly in BCA it is now far less likely to get anything good because they keep back the 'best' vehicle for their online sales site Cinch I have bought at auction 25 years or so ago and had one hit one miss and one disaster ! I was always under the impression that the trade hated Lagunas ?

[@markyboy7012]

Don’t think there’s such a thing as a good car at auction.

[@markcarpenter8250]

Good alternative. I am really surprised that you have only just lost your cherry after a number of years in the trade. Well done Matt!

[@armandobond7736]

Can anyone go to these auctions?

[@BRFC23]

Yes, that's why G3 invited Matt- to promote it to his subs!

[@ElonMusk87216]

Yes

[@warwickdavis6519]

Nah have to register as a sole trader or business for these. Its G3 auctions, they linked in the description

[@connclissmann6514]

My experience was show up with a cash deposit of 500 quid, get a biders number and you're there. You really need to be able to pay within the next banking day or your deposit is forfeit and the car goes back into the next auction, according to the local auction house rules.

[@davidlloydgriffitify]

Yes. And it free

[@neilmoors4162]

Hi Matt, enjoyed that. Love your ever evolving content, and the fact that you’re also staying true to the original stuff we all love.

[@composedlight6850]

AUCTION --- they are jjust well rubbish, all the stuff people dont want or on the point of failing .

[@erniestarkey8856]

There are a lot of car dealers who have people gp to Auctions for them. Don't be disappointed for your 1st time. Pros out there know how to haggle. Great video.

[@arranshuker]

Good video Matt and I love the Laguna Coupe. Good buy there.

[@NGMonocrom]

6:24 ~ Oh look! Matt's favorite vehicle of all time. 😆 For some bizarre reason, they sell well. In America that model is the Rogue Sport. Proved so unpopular with customers it was discontinued here about a year ago.

[@shabba890]

Nice cars but petrol is the wrong choice. Diesel 1.6 strong as an ox

[@jcfallows]

Thanks for this, Matt. I really liked it. If you end up bidding against the public, they always push to high against a dealer who has to make a profit reselling. Don't they have 'dealer only auctions'

[@simongilbert2704]

yes ,,, great video ,, you did the right thing passing on most of that junk ;;

[@rm55555]

Definitely do more car auction videos. Easy way for viewers to learn a lot about different cars in short space of time and to learn the tricks from a wise man!

[@kermathmichael]

Really enjoyed this video. For your 1st Auction, you were very restrained and didn't get carried away. Mercedes was a good looking 4x4. I'd have struggled to keep my hand down😅. I've bought a few cars from auction. Two were good and two.......not so good. Great content👌

[@Peter-vu9wr]

Matt liked this a lot, there isn't much not to like about all your videos, Thanks for the entertainment

[@TheChrysler56]

I liked watching this one Matt. I’ve never been to an auction before either and I’m 63 years old. Shame about that ML though. Must take ages to look through the various vehicles that take your fancy. Don’t be put off by the 3D number plates as I have those on my 2013 63 reg VW Touareg and I can tell you I’ve never missed a service ever. At only 68000 miles and I’ve owned this one since 2016 she’s a great car. Not in any hurry to trade her in just yet.

[@karhuhtal]

Already eagerly waiting for a video on the car… wonder how much he’ll overspend on it, cheers Matt!

[@H4M24UK]

This brings back so many memories as a kid going with my dad to car auctions.

[@martinblaylock7473]

What a great idea Matt. Really interesting content that shows different ways to buy cars. I’ve always thought about buying an auction car, but not been brave enough. These cars are here for a reason after all, a great video that I reckon you could do again.

[@JustBens]

Tip for bidding always be decisive and confident, if your in a bidding war and the other buyer sees you unsure or hesitating they know you are approaching your max so will keep upping. Set your limit and keep going hard they then bottle it first as you haven’t telegraphed your running out of money

[@tonypacke6954]

Unfortunately a lot of cars that have some difficult electronic problems that have proved difficult (and expensive) to fix so the ideal place to dispose of.

[@dmc9487]

Enjoyed this one. Not a fan of many french cars but that would interest me. More like this please Matt.

[@josephmifsud8261]

A great and interesting video. No massively overbidding here, which is something I would have done with a classic

[@jasonelliott3162]

I now live in Málaga, but a few years ago when I was a bit skint I used to get a new (to me) car every 6 months or so from BCA at Brighouse. It was a bit of pot luck really, in the £700 to £1500 range, but towards the ends of the auction, when the boys with transporters had had their fun and bought their quotas, you could get some real bargains. I particularly remember a petrol V70 4x4 and a BMW 535 as highlights, both under a grand. That early morning buzz though; bacon butties, tea in polystyrene cups, the old boys who worked there patiently ignoring people popping open the boots as the cars crept along in the queue to the hall, the auctioneers talking at 500mph, the non-runners getting towed, but most of all it was the smell and the sound. Great days.

[@Mr.Wrong1]

Nice one. Never been to an auction myself as I suspect it could be so easy to get locked in to something you like and over pay in all the excitement. Bit different this video, enjoyed it. Thanks.

[@TomDavies86]

Really enjoy the channel Matt, nice mix of content, and so well done. I wasn’t expecting an auction video. Great stuff 👍🏼

[@stephendavies6949]

Hi Matt. Another excellent video. Very surprised it was your first time. But like pretty much everything, you took it in your stride, and made it entertaining and informative for us subscribers.

[@smithyhouses100]

You never fail to surprise us with your ability to do something different.Really enjoyed this one.Pity about the Merc,just went on a bit too high.Still you got the Renault,let us know how that goes and better luck next time.

[@jb39channel]

Great video Matt. Interesting content and well done for not getting carried away. Clearly a shrewd businessman.

[@Leeterry52]

Always like the forecourt walk around and the his just shows us the buying process too . Keep up the good vlogs.👍🚙🚗

[@flemmingsorensen5470]

That was super interresting! Im the kind of guy, that would spec a brown Volvo... with beige interior ☺️

[@ecoplanetrewards3061]

I watch a few channels that buy from this auction, it just shows you the quality of what they are buying.

[@cricketingdave]

I enjoyed this. It was interesting to hear your thought process. I went to a couple of auctions before owning a car and met a dealer at one who kindly gave me a bunch of tips, like comparing the panel gaps, looking down the side of the car to check the line, etc. I never bought a car at an auction, but I made some small use of the knowledge later.

[@_PJW_]

The follow-up video is well worth watching too.

[@Macwy1]

Really enjoyed that viewing, havent been to a car auction in nearly 30 years!

[@neiltully9742]

very good content Matt, as a fan of Merlin Auctions in ireland ,,you done the whole process justice ..as people lose the run of themselves

[@robgibbsofficial]

Hey Matt, I watch all your videos every week. I really enjoyed this content in particular, your assessments pre auction. More like this please. Ps shame about the ML!

[@davidorama6690]

Anyone selling an ML in the UK is best advised to get it detailed then park it out of the front of Matt’s house with a For Sale Sign on the windscreen.