Listen to the Auctioneer...

Once the car is in the auction ring, it is the centre of attention for perhaps hundreds of potential bidders. Listen very carefully to what the auctioneer has to say about the car, you don't want to miss a thing. He may refer to the MOT as "Ticket". He may say "this one has a full ticket," meaning a full year's MOT. He may say "this one's had just two owners from new and has been driven in from XYZTown,". Listen carefully.

The auctioneer has a bird's-eye view of the proceedings from his perch up on the rostrum, so he won't miss you when you put your hand up with your bid for the first time. You don't have to start the bidding, you can come in with a bid at anytime. The price will usually increase in £100 or £50 amounts on newer cars and in £25 or £10 amounts on older cars. If you are involved, make sure you know how much you are bidding each time. Most auctioneers rattle on at an alarming rate, but your listening practice should have prepared you for that.

The bidding always slows down towards the end as the auctioneer tries to coax an extra few pounds out of the bidders. If you have the highest bid and are within your price limit, don't lose the car to someone who jumps in with a last second extra tenner, the auctioneer is certain to look back in your direction. Auctioneers miss nothing. At some time the auctioneer may declare the car "..on sale.." or "..selling away..". This means it has reached its 'reserve' price, or the minimum amount the vendor is willing to accept, and the car will be sold to the highest bidder. If you win the bidding, the car is yours at the fall of the hammer.

If you win the bidding on a car which has not reached its reserve price, the car will be sold to you 'PROVISIONALLY'. This means that the auctioneer will contact the vendor to ask if he'll accept the bid, or will negotiate a price in between. This can take seconds if the vendor is at the sale, or longer if the auction has to make a phone call. Either way you will have to pay your deposit