It is easier than ever to find cheap used cars online in St. Paul MN. There are a growing number of online resources to choose from, but not all of them give you an opportunity to truly save on used cars. The trick is knowing which online resources provide you with the greatest opportunity to find cheap used cars online and which ones won’t. Here’s a closer look at the best online resources and some examples of recent cheap used cars which were discovered.
Resources to Avoid
There are a handful of online resources that will rarely give you an opportunity to find cheap used cars in St. Paul MN. All of these resources are tied in some way to car dealerships. There are a number of new websites which try to match you with local dealerships based upon the listed inventory. Unfortunately, you selected overcome the same problems associated with dealing directly with the dealership. Dealerships still have to maintain their profit margin even if they are selling online. To make matters worse, all of these websites either charge you or the dealership to get access to the listings – even if you don’t find cheap used cars that you like. Regardless of who gets charged, the expense is shifted onto your shoulders. If dealerships know that they will have to pay an additional closing fee or listing fee, they will simply add that into the sale price.
Hit and Miss Online Resources in St. Paul MN
The next category is online resources which sometimes will provide you with a lead on cheap used cars, but also include a growing number of listings done by dealerships. A majority of the online resources in this category divide free listings, such as classified ad websites. While they used to be a great place for you to connect with private sellers or other opportunities, they have recently become a common marketing tool for local dealerships.
Online Resources with High Success Rates
In general, the most beneficial online resources to find cheap used cars in St. Paul MN are quality online auto auction websites. These websites can include all kinds of auctions including listings from government fleet vehicles, the GSA, police seized vehicles, repossessed vehicles, and general local public auctions. All of these auctions provide the same opportunity as attending them in person with one huge advantage. By having access to all of these listings simultaneously, you now gain the ability to monitor multiple auto auctions simultaneously. This provides you with a greater pool of potential target vehicles and significantly higher chance of spotting a great deal when it arises.
Here are a few examples of online auto auctions in the St. Paul area and the great deals which exist. At a recent auction, a 1995 Toyota Camry LE with an automatic transmission, power windows and locks, and currently runs and drives sold for $326. While it did have high mileage, it was checked over by professional before the auction and no noticeable damage existed. A similar example was a 2004 Chevy Malibu classic with only 81,000 miles that sold for $3100. A final example was from a government auction held online. It was for a 2008 Ford Crown Victoria police interceptor with 90,000 miles. It included an upgraded suspension, transmission oil cooler, 17 inch steel wheels, and hand-operated spotlight. It sold for only $3550.
As you can see, there is definitely an opportunity for finding cheap used cars online in St. Paul MN. The key is knowing which resources give you the greatest chance of success. At a current online public surplus auction for St. Paul (7-18-2012), with less than one day of online bidding left there are still more than 20 cars selling for well below 50 percent of their market value.
