How To Buy Cheap Used Car For College-Bound Kids

When I think of the dog days of summer, I think of going to barbecues with my bowl of macaroni salad, or going to outdoor concerts, which is the only place Pinot Grigio tastes good in a paper cup. End of summer to me means sun and fun and carefree days.

But that’s probably because I don’t have any children and I never have to rush around buying last minute supplies like binders and pencils and tubes of Elmer’s Glue. And what about shopping for the older kids? The ones going off to college? Not only do they need pots and pans and lamps and bedspreads, they generally need cars as well.

Parents: have no fear. You can easily afford to buy your son or daughter a quality used car. One that is safe and reliable and comes with low mileage. You can purchase these cheap used cars through used car auctions.

There are quite a few databases online, but not all were created equal. Based on user experience there are a few sites worth checking out:


Car-Auctions.com is a WYSIWYG (What You See Is What You Get) site. For $29.99 you get unlimited access to their database of car auctions without a whole lot of other bells and whistles.


Seize Cars.com is another good database. For a one-time fee of $49, you get unlimited access to all car and truck auctions, as well as auctions for boats and houses and electronics, etc. So, if you want to buy a car AND a family boat, this is a good choice.


Gov-Auctions.org was named America’s most trusted and largest resource for Government and police auctions. They also charge $49 for unlimited access to car auctions, as well as boats, homes, electronics auctions, etc. But they offer some things the others don’t.


For one, they have real 24/7 customer support. If you have a question – a real human being gets back to you with an answer. Pretty rare nowadays.


They also have a free auction tutorial which is not offered anywhere else. If you’re new to auctions, this tutorial will explain, step-by-step, how to get the car you want for the price you want.


Gov-Auctions.org also has a free car loan service where you can receive instant car loan offers with the best rates on the market, without any of the usual hassles. A definite time-saver.


So go ahead, buy little Billy or Amanda that car he or she really wants and know that you can easily afford it. And maybe, just maybe if you buy your kid a car, they'll stop buying you crap for Christmas.