Whether you are planning to buy or sell a vehicle on an online auction, your best weapon is knowing the value of your vehicle. This may seem like a no-brainer, but online auto auctions are slightly different from the usual buyer/seller interaction, and additional points need to be taken into consideration when determining the value of your vehicle. When both buyer and seller are armed with a realistic value, they have great negotiating ability. By doing their research, both sides increase their chances of striking a winning deal.
Because values vary and change so frequently, the best place to start your research for the most up-to-date information would be on the internet. I highly recommend the following three websites for their most current values. They are Kelley Blue Book at http://www.kbb.com, the National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) at http://www.nada.com, and Edmunds at http://www.edmunds.com. All three sites are free of charge. I recommend that you visit each one and take note of each of their respective listed values, as well as their respective criteria for determining those values. For example, each site figures in an assumed annual mileage, and this mileage varies with each of the sites. Kelley Blue Book assumes an average annual mileage of 13,000 miles. Average annual mileages above this, in turn, lower the value of the car. Meanwhile, Edmunds only assumes an average of 12,000 annual miles. Thus, Kelley Blue Book values will tend to be higher due to the higher annual miles allotted for vehicles.
Another important fact to point out is that car values also vary by the region in which they are located. A southern model of your car may be worth more than the same car from Northern Minnesota due to environmental factors such as weather. A Hummer might have a higher value in the Colorado Rockies region than a Mini-Cooper due to popularity or demand. Therefore, check the local markets of where the car your are interested in is located.
Is the seller a dealer or a private owner? A dealer will markup the value to cover his various expenses, whereas a private seller does not have such expenses as overhead or commissions.
Finally, research eBay's sales archives. Here, you can access nearly a month's worth of closed auction information and discover the average final-bid prices of your particular make and model. Now, you will have an even better idea of the current value.
You will notice that the values may be even lower on eBay or other online auctions. You need to keep in mind the reason for this. Remember, with online auctions, the buyer is not only incurring the purchase price of the vehicle, but also the risk and expenses of traveling to pick up and/or transport the vehicle, as well. A good seller will recognize this and adjust the value accordingly while making the final negotiations.
In the end, if as a buyer you purchased the vehicle at or below wholesale, you have obtained a great deal and have received the car for which you have longed. Congratulations! Never go blindly into an online auction without knowing the value of your vehicle. By doing your research, you will have either saved (or earned) yourself more money in the end. Best of luck to you!
Justine Wright
http://www.bestBMWauctions.com
Source: http://www.ArticlePros.com/author.php?Justine Wright
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