By: Gov Auctions | 11 July 2016
GSA Auctions Can Produce Cheap Car Deals for Buyers
How do you acquire a second-hand car? Most probably you go to your nearest or trusted car dealer, ask for recommendations from friends and family, or check out the listings in Craigslist or eBay.
Do you know that you can actually get a great vehicle for an incredibly cheap price at an auction? In fact, to be more specific, you can join a General Services Administration (GSA) auction.
What Is GSA?
GSA is an independent agency of the federal government, which simply means that it forms part of your very own government. It performs a variety of functions, but they are related to procurement and management of a wide variety of assets. While that may sound easy to you, it really isn’t. To give you an idea on how important the agency is, know that it has a budget of more than $26 billion each year and is composed of over 10,000 employees
What’s Their Business with Auctions?
One of the most common misconceptions when it comes to auctions is that the government has no business in participating in it. On the contrary, some of the biggest auction programs are sponsored or organized by the government itself.
There are many reasons why GSA auctions are beneficial especially for those who are seeking high-quality second-hand vehicles:
- They have a very huge inventory of vehicles. All agencies in the government need vehicles, which may range from sedans that are converted into police cars, trucks, airplanes, and vans.
- These vehicles are more likely new. Can you imagine the government spending money on vehicles that may not be reliable in the first place? For this reason, they have to decommission or change their old units after a few years.
- They are also more likely to be properly maintained. The government allocates a good amount of money for the maintenance of the vehicles not only to make them last longer but to also ensure the safety of the users.
- They have clean titles. Of course, the government will never use vehicles that may have unclear or missing titles, more so keep vehicles that may be branded as lemon, junk, or salvage.
Unloading of Assets
GSA ends up holding auctions mainly to unload their growing assets. As mentioned, the agency is in charge not only in the acquisition but their management. They know that vehicles that are no longer needed or have been labeled as surplus will only eat up a part of their budget for maintenance. Rather than cost something, they might as well earn something from these assets.
GSA auctions are available to the public, giving you a great access to some of the best possessions of the government. They may be scheduled in a local level, so don’t forget to visit your state’s official website or GSA website for information on when the auctions will be. Another option is to subscribe to online auction listings that can generate an extensive number of auctions that may be happening within your area, including GSA auctions.