The people you see at an auto auction are there for different reasons. If you were assuming finding a great deal is the only reason anyone would go to an auction, I couldn’t blame you because that was what I thought to. But listen to this- In 2016, the National Auto Auction Association estimated the auto auction market at $100 Billion! That’s absolutely wild. That means there are tons of people profiting in ways we don’t know about. But let’s focus on the meat here and why you’re reading this article:

Here is a breakdown of 7 different personalities you’ll likely see at an auto auction (or any auction for that matter)!

1. The Elders

These are your experienced buyers. They have been in the trade for a long time and know what the price points are. They are the ones you should be careful of getting into a bidding war with as they will have a sense of where the price is too high. This is where it will be important to do your homework on the car you are targeting and have a firm price limit you will keep yourself to.

2. The Notetaker

Here is a guy or gal who has his pen and notebook and is writing notes on everything he sees going on with the car. He is unashamed of standing out since you will not see many pens and notebooks. Most likely this individual is numbers-oriented and makes decisions based on the facts

3. The Deal Hunter

Ah. There are some people you will only see during select seasons of the year or are only there to find a deal. These guys will be people who make their livlihood on the cars they buy from auctions. As you know auto auctions are a huge market. Scrape yards bid low on undesirable cars, rebuilders look for exotic cars or popular cars, and enthusiasts look for parts. These are just a few sub-personalities within the deal hunters group. Be careful with this group as they will tend to do all they can to maximize their own profits.

4. The Multi-Generational

You will often see a grandpa, son, and grandson in attendance together. This could simply be a family bonding activity, however it is also for the grandpa and son to nab a deal together. Sometimes there may be conflict of decision-making amongst the two. Most of the time the son is leading the charge at the end of the day.

5. The Noobie

These are your rookies. Eager to learn and get their first car. Often times they look like they don’t know where to go and seem a little lost. Or they try to act like they know what they’re doing a little too hard. It’s okay if you don’t know what you’re doing. Just ask as most staff are willing to help. I wouldn’t necessarily ask others as the folks in the crowd vary, but if you can strike up a conversation here or there, it could help.

6. Nervous Joe

Nervousness comes in two forms- excitement or pure fear. In this case, you will see people who seem very nervous, but are actually very excited to be there. This was the camp I was in. They are eager to get their first car just like the 1st timers, even if it might not be their first rodeo.

7. The Car Junkie

I met a guy once who bought 5 cars in 2 weeks (he was not a dealer so he had a day job). He also lived 200 miles away. I was shocked to hear how many cars he bought, but he said he just couldn’t’ stop buying since it was such a good deal. You’re going to see some people like this. However they will typically be buying cars at the lower price range.

Wrap up

So there you have it, the 7 different personalities you might meet at a car auction. This is not an exhaustive list as you will find people who might themselves in multiple groups. At this point, you probably relate to one type of person. Which one are you? Write in the comments below which person you think you would be!

As always, you can check out our other articles on tips to buying an auction car or understanding the pros and cons of buying on auction.