How Do You Participate In An International Car Auction
How do you participate in an international car auction? The availability of automobiles in the United States is abundant, but sometimes you may want to find a foreign car that is not on the regular import list or is so rare that very few make it our shores. International car auctions are the best way to find that rare car. Though it sounds expensive, bidding and shipping a car from a foreign country is easier than you think.
The opportunities to own a unique Mercedes Benz or a Bentley have increased for the common man due to rising oil prices and the availability of a larger shipping fleet. The only challenge is arranging all the details of your purchase and getting the car back home.
The most expensive way to attend an international car auction is to actually go to the auction in person. This is a good way to combine a vacation with your business, but if you are under time restraints and can't leave the United States for some reason, you can hire a proxy bidder to bid for you. A proxy bidder will inspect the merchandise in person and report to you any defects or benefits the car might have. Once the car is improved by you, the proxy will ask for a final price that you are willing to pay. With the details in place the proxy will either email you or call you during the auction. He or she will let you know what the increments of bids are and you tell him when or when not to place a bid.
If you win the car, the next challenge is to find a place for storage until arrangements for shipping can be put in order. The proxy can either fill this responsibility or you can arrange for the local shipyards to pick up the vehicle and transport it to the holding area of a local port. Remember that the transportation costs and storage fees are your responsibility to pay. In some countries a certain time period is allotted for non-payment and then your car is confiscated by the courts. If you have never bought a car abroad, consult an expert on car shipping.
This again is another accrued cost that will significantly impact the over all price of the car. Taxes and duties for import are another expensive undertaking the buyer has to consider.
Once shipping is decided on and paid for, the buyer also has to secure delivery to a United States port. The port may be close to your home, but some shipping services only deliver in New York or New Orleans. The cost of transport from these cities to your home can also impact the total expenditure of the enterprise. The entire process from purchasing your car at the car auction to actually getting behind the wheel can take weeks or months. It is worth it when you are driving that dream car, but the overall cost may make the ride bitter sweet.
