If you want to live or work in Los Angeles, it is essential that you have a car. Sure, there is public transportation, but unless you’re going through the city center, it’s too slow and inconvenient to get around the big metropolis. Virtually everyone in Los Angeles has a car. That makes Los Angeles a great place to find public auto auctions.

There are numerous public car auctions in Los Angeles, and it’s pretty easy to find out about them. One of the best places to start is with official police or OPG garages. These are city garages that have the official responsibility for towing and holding impounded cars in Los Angeles. Several hundred thousand vehicles are impounded by the LAPD each year. Of these, about two-thirds are redeemed by owners, but the rest of the cars become city property and are sold through public auto auctions. OPGs hold these auctions, officially known as lien sale vehicle auctions, once a week. You can contact your nearest OPG to find out when the public auctions are held. Auctions help the City of Los Angeles recover unpaid tolls and offer the public the opportunity to bid on and buy cars at low prices.

There are also a number of companies in and around Los Angeles that hold public auto auctions. A search for “car auctions” on an online search engine returned 26 companies in Los Angeles that hold regular auctions. Some of these companies specialize in certain types of vehicles. For example, Spectrum Auction Co. in North Hollywood and Palm Springs Exotic Car Auctions specialize in classic and luxury car auctions. Other companies hold auctions specifically for towed or repossessed cars.

Public car auctions are open to everyone, but it is important that you register in advance. To register for a public auction, you must provide proper personal identification. You may also need to pay a nominal registration fee. When you have registered, you will be assigned a bid number, which you must present to the auctioneer when you place a bid. Only people with bid numbers can participate in the auction.

Cars at public auctions are sold “as is” and therefore a potential bidder should have a “buyer beware” mentality. However, there is usually an inspection period leading up to the auction, which can take place a day or two or even a few hours before. You should take advantage of the inspection period to see what is on offer and get an idea of ​​the quality of the vehicle.