Bakersfield offers bargain hunters a few unique options that make it easy to find used cars at great prices. Not only is makeup of the Bakersfield CA area uniquely located, but a number of variables make it an ideal place to find bargains on used cars. As is always the case when buying used cars, getting the best deals is all about knowing where to look and how to take advantage of them.
Bakersfield CA is Uniquely Situated
The first unique characteristics of Bakersfield CA are its location. It is unique because it is nearly equidistant from both Fresno and Los Angeles. You can reach either major city by traveling roughly 110 miles either north or south. This is advantageous for used car buyers because most people are likely to search for deals in Los Angeles and Fresno rather than focusing their search locally. This means less competition and less people to drive up prices at auctions. At the same time, Bakersfield is the focal point of the Bakersfield-Delano Metro Area. This means businesses and insurance companies in the immediate surrounding area often send vehicles to auto auctions in Bakersfield. This leads to a surplus in volume and greater selection.
Bakersfield CA Continues to Grow Quickly
Another key attribute of Bakersfield that affects used car bargain hunters is growth. Compared to most other parts of California, Bakersfield has growing increasingly fast. Over the last 40 years, the population has increased by more than 400%. This makes Bakersfield the single fastest growing city in California. By 2010, the population was more than 350,000. This growth is driven by the diverse local economy. This greatly affects the used car market. Anytime a population surges, it typically results in more new item purchases. For the car market, this means there is a surplus of used cars available on the secondary market with a comparatively low demand. This leads to lower prices and greater value for used car buyers.
Choose Your Used Car Search Radius Wisely
When buying a used car in Bakersfield, it is important to choose your search radius wisely. As Bakersfield continues to expand, it is easy to want to look outside of the immediate area for deals. In many cases this is the right move, but in the Bakersfield area it is a mistake. Not only does Fresno and Los Angeles get more attention from used car buyers, which means higher prices, but the immediate surrounding areas sends vehicles to Bakersfield. With the huge surplus of reliable cars on the secondary market, there is little reason to expand your search radius too far outside of the city limits.
Auto Auctions Offer the Most Savings and Value When Hunting for Bakersfield Bargains on Used Cars in CA
Used car auctions have proven to be the ideal solution for used car bargain hunters in Bakersfield CA. Not only can they offer significant savings, but also provide a tremendous amount of value. When you first start shopping around for used cars, it is important to distinguish between savings and value. People who focus solely on saving money when they buy a used car target only the lowest prices. This is ideal if you have an extremely limited budget, however the price alone should be your only consideration.
Whenever possible, you should focus on getting the best overall value for a vehicle at auction. Value includes both the total cost (including any necessary repairs) and the actual market value of the used car. For example, if you focused solely on price you would always buy a $1000 car instead of a $2000 car. However, if the $1000 car needed an additional $2000 in repairs and the latter did not, then you are not getting a good value even though you saved more money upfront.
2007 Mercedes-Benz CL S550
At a recent auction in Bakersfield, the winning bidder went home with a 2007 Mercedes-Benz CL S550 for only $5,100. The odometer had a reading of only 74,600 miles. There was minimal body damage in the form of minor dents and scratches. The estimated repair cost was less than $1000. This particular vehicle was silver with a 5.5 liter V8 engine. The estimated resale value was just over $38,000.
2011 Honda Civic LX
Another great example of Bakersfield bargains for used cars at auto auction is a 2011 Honda Civic. The winning bidder paid just over $3000 for the vehicle. It had less than 78,000 miles and minor damage to the front end. The estimated resale value was more than $13,000. This particular Civic was a gray coupe with a 1.8 liter four-cylinder engine.
2007 BMW 328I
Another winning bidder at a recent auction in Bakersfield CA paid only $10,000 for a 2007 BMW 328I. The estimated value of the vehicle was nearly $22,000. There was no noticeable damage to the vehicle. It started and ran fine. It was a black coupe with a 3.0 liter V-6 engine.
2010 Toyota Corolla S
A final example of the great deals you can find that Bakersfield auto auctions is this 2010 Toyota Corolla. The estimated value was more than $14,000, but the winning bidder paid less than $3000. There was noticeable damage to the side of the vehicle, although it was entirely cosmetic. This is an excellent example of how you can save money by targeting vehicles with noticeable cosmetic damage. The key is to make sure the damage is only cosmetic so there is no risk of mechanical problems. This particular vehicle started and drove great, so there is no expectation of any mechanical issues.
