Five things you didn’t know about vehicle auctions

Buying a second-hand car can be a bit of a chore. For starters, it usually involves a flurry of potentially awkward phone calls followed by a seemingly impossible mission traipsing across town for a series of a test drives.

If you’re lucky, finding the right car at the right price, and trusting it is in tip-top condition, can be done in a day. But, sometimes, it can take weeks.

What if there was a simpler solution? One that could be done from the comfort and convenience of your home or office, and can be over and done in less than a couple of hours? Sounds too good to be true, right?

It’s not. It’s real. And it’s all about buying a near-new car through an established auction house such as Pickles Auctions.

So, here’s five things you might not now about buying at auction that make it super simple, convenient, and hassle-free with Pickles.

Pickles makes auctions easy, right from the very beginning.

On top of sourcing top-quality near-new cars from some of Australia’s leading financial institutions, fleet and leasing companies and vehicle manufacturers, Pickles is Australia’s largest re-seller of government vehicles, which ensures it has a massive inventory at any one time with over 1,500 new arrivals each week.

Prospective buyers can view all the vehicles on its website pickles.com.au, each of which is showcased with a collection of images that highlight key aspects of the exterior and interior of the car. All cars are also supported by a comprehensive condition report following a thorough examination by Pickles’ team of expert mechanics or inspectors.

If you require additional information, prospects can arrange to visit a Pickles facility and inspect the vehicle personally. Alternatively, you can do it all from the comfort of your home as bidders can speak to a Pickles consultant to arrange a virtual inspection via video call.

Pickles’ digital experience goes well beyond its catalogue and offering online vehicle inspections. Users can also participate in auctions and buy vehicles via the internet, allowing them to cast a broad net across the entire country to find the right car at the right price.

And Pickles offer a variety of convenient online solutions that appeal to different buyer types.

Those that enjoy the thrill of the chase, and revel in the banging of the gavel, can participate in any auction in real time from the comfort of their home or office just as if they were physically there. The PicklesLive auctions can be viewed online via the PicklesLIVE website via any internet browser or users can download the PicklesLIVE app to watch and bid on a smartphone or tablet.

If you’re not familiar with the mechanics of how an auction unfolds, it is recommended that new users register as an observer first and watch how it works before jumping in.

Alternatively, the PicklesONLINE function allows users to enter a bid at any time prior to auction, set a maximum price and then let the computer do all the hard work for you. During the auction, the system will automatically keep bidding in incremental amounts until you are either the winner or reach your prescribed limit. Pickles will then send you a notification if you are the successful bidder or have been outbid.

Lastly, you can skip the entire auction process altogether and ‘buy now’ from a selection of hundreds of cars under the PicklesGo banner.

Whichever route you take, the journey doesn’t end when the gavel hits the block.

Pickles offers a seven-day buy back guarantee* on a large selection of its fixed price vehicles, providing a greater sense of security in the purchase. If you are not satisfied with the vehicle within the first week, Pickles will take the vehicle back and refund the purchase price and any associated government fees and stamp duty paid to Pickles in the original transaction.

All vehicles sold through Pickles auctions are delivered with any remaining balance of the factory warranty.

However, if the vehicle’s manufacturer warranty has expired, and you want that peace of mind with your purchase, Pickles can arrange extended warranty coverage, with optional policies available for five, three or one-year periods.

Continuing the convenience of never having to leave home, you don’t have to personally collect the vehicle from the auction house either.

When organising the sales transaction, a Pickles consultant can arrange to have the vehicle transported and delivered directly to your home or office, as well as organising finance and insurance if required.

All in all, buying a vehicle at auction is a simple, fuss-free solution. And with hundreds of near new cars – from popular hatchbacks, family-friendly SUVs, four-wheel drives, dual-cab utes, vans, trucks and buses - arriving each week across its vast, Australia-wide network, Pickles makes finding the right car at the right price a painless process.

Check out the Pickles website for more information, a calendar of upcoming auctions and to check the fleet of vehicles for sale.