Geez, there's just so little "real" information on open-to-the-public  auctions and the many web sites that claim you can buy cars for as little as $100 ... or pay just 90% of retail. You've probably seen them ... lots of hype.

It's a shame they oversell themselves because there are indeed opportunities to save a lot of money.

And while I happen to be a member at four of these sites, and they're most definitely worthwhile (some more than the others), the marketing hype can't help but create false expectations for many people outside the industry.

And if you do a search on Google to try to find some information or reviews of these sites, it's unlikely you'll find anything realistic ... just alot of "click here to save 90%" hoopla. I've tried extensively and the results have been pathetic.

But again, I'm not saying that there's not really good deals at these auctions. There are. But they make it sound like you join today, either bid on an online auction or go to drugs without prescription online an auction this afternoon and then drive off in your beautiful 2005 Audi TT for $500 ... zip, zap, zoom, you're done.

I can tell you from experience that this just isn't going to happen in the real world. Can you get a great deal on the Audi TT? Absolutely. But it will likely take some time and it's not going to be practically free.

So, lets talk reality here. Auctions CAN fit into your strategy for getting a great price on a car. And these auction web sites CAN make this easier for you. But let's look at both the pros and cons to establish realistic expectations. Then you can be in a better position to decide if this is something you'd like to pursue or not.

First of all, there aren't a ton of open-to-the-public auctions to begin with. This means it's likely you're going to need at least some amount of patience. Some auctions are quarterly, some are monthly and there are a few that are weekly. They've got to build up an inventory of cars so it justifies the cost of putting on an auction. And this takes time.

So, unless you're a bit lucky, you probably won't run out to an auction to get your car this afternoon. I guess what I'm saying is it's not like visiting as many Dealerships as you want in a single weekend.

Next is pricing. There's going to be other shoppers bidding ... maybe even some Dealers. You're not going to get a "good", late-model car for a few hundred dollars. That being said, it's not unheard of to get a $20,000 car for $10,000 to $14,000 ... or a $15,000 car for $7,000 to $9,000. You can indeed get excellent buys below trade-in values, and sometimes way below. But just forget about real nice cars for "under $500", as is often the hype.

Are there cars for under $500? Of course there are. And often good buys too. But they are not the late-model cars.

Next, you may have to go a distance. The good auctions may not be right next door to you. Many auctions do not have online bidding. They're at a physical location. So, bear in mind that it may not be be particularly convenient.

All of this being said, it is true that there are excellent, money-saving deals at public auctions. But please be prepared to both spend some time at it and to pay more than the hype implies.

It's hard to deny that the price of buying a new car is always on the rise, making purchasing a car akin to buying a house. At least getting a loan for one is as much as a home equity loan in many cases. One way to get around paying such high prices for a new automobile is to find a repo car sales auction and get one for a fraction of the dealer sticker price.

This makes sense if you think about where most auto-dealerships get their used cars; repossessed and seized car auctions. By buying cars well below blue book value your local used car dealer then turns around and sells these cars to the public at or above blue book value. For years the car dealers were the middle men between vehicle auctions and the car buying public. That has changed with the proliferation of online car auction sites.

So where are all these cars being auctioned off come from? Many of them are bank repossessions where their customer can no longer make the payment on their loan and the bank takes the car back. The bank then puts the car, truck, or SUV up for auction with the idea of making back the amount that was left on the loan but not much else. This is the reason that you can find such good deal at repo car auctions.

There are several advantages to buying you next car at an auction instead of visiting your local dealership.

There is usually a large selection of quality cars, trucks, and SUVs to choose from. You will find every make and model as well. Again, many of these vehicles are new or 1 to 2 years old and are in excellent shape. Just because they were repossessed does not mean that they were not taken care of before hand.

You can also find significant cheap Levitra savings on your next vehicle purchase, which is what makes these auctions so enticing for new car buyers. In many cases the winning bid will be thousands less then you would pay for the same car at a used car dealer.

Instant gratification in the fact that you got the car you wanted for a great price. Not only that you also get to drive it home with the title in the glove box. You will be expected to make full payment but once the deal is done you own the car free and clear.

If you are in the market for a new vehicle then repo car sales can be a great way to get the car you want for a great price. Take advantage of what car dealers have known for years, there isn't a better place to buy cars at big discounts then an auto auction.