Mickey O
Well-known member
Great tip, I've also gone in on a lot with other bidders and split the stuff up.
Tips for farm auctions?
- Thread starter selohssa
- Start date
Great tip, I've also gone in on a lot with other bidders and split the stuff up.
IMCA38
Well-known member
Here are my strategies.
1- Dress warmly. I prefer Carhart bibs and a jacket.
2- I usually wear gloves when handling all the stuff. Never know when you might come across something sharp, greasy, dirty, or just plain gross, like a dead mouse in the bottom of a box!
3- I always drive my pickup so I have adequate hauling capacity. If there are big items that I might bid on, I'll take a trailer along too, so I can load up right away and get my stuff out of there!
4- I have a supply of bungies, ratchet straps, etc in my truck tool box to secure whatever I might buy.
5- I also carry a tool box with a basic supply of tools in case I need to dis-assemble something to make it fit.
6- Any decent auctioneer will have a caterer on site and they should be serving Brats or Polish dogs. Indulge in one- that makes the day extra special!
1- Dress warmly. I prefer Carhart bibs and a jacket.
2- I usually wear gloves when handling all the stuff. Never know when you might come across something sharp, greasy, dirty, or just plain gross, like a dead mouse in the bottom of a box!
3- I always drive my pickup so I have adequate hauling capacity. If there are big items that I might bid on, I'll take a trailer along too, so I can load up right away and get my stuff out of there!
4- I have a supply of bungies, ratchet straps, etc in my truck tool box to secure whatever I might buy.
5- I also carry a tool box with a basic supply of tools in case I need to dis-assemble something to make it fit.
6- Any decent auctioneer will have a caterer on site and they should be serving Brats or Polish dogs. Indulge in one- that makes the day extra special!
babzog
Well-known member
Bring warm, waterproof boots since many farms can get wet/muddy. Bring a hat - you'll be out in the sun for a long time. Bring a foldup chair to take a load off. Bring cash for food or bring your own. Wear old clothes - farms aren't a clean environment. Bring a small pack with snacks, water, moist wipes (to clean your hands after examining or rooting through a dirty lot) and a place to stash your small won items. Auctions at the start and end of the season tend to bring the highest prices (but this is only a trend I've observed). I like to stand near the front so I can see the items being sold.
Pay attention to the various instructions the auctioneer gives out. I missed one update last year and was waiting for the rest of the tools and shop contents to be sold after they broke to sell the tractors. They sold them then went to the shop and sold all that... all while I was waiting back at the tool wagons.
Pay attention to the various instructions the auctioneer gives out. I missed one update last year and was waiting for the rest of the tools and shop contents to be sold after they broke to sell the tractors. They sold them then went to the shop and sold all that... all while I was waiting back at the tool wagons.
Packard V8
Well-known member
First and most important - if it is going to be a large auction and you are carrying cash, never, ever go alone. Two is the minimum, three is better. In a crowd, you need help to watch your back, your wallet, your purchases and keep track of the lots coming up. Sometimes at a large auction, they will be selling in two different areas.
Accept the fact all auctions are rigged to some degree. It has been going on for thousands of years, since the first camel was sold in the town marketplace. The most savvy and experienced bidder is still only a semi-pro competing against professionals who do it every week for years.
Yes, there is always shill bidding. The only defense is have a max limit and never exceed it.
No, there is no reliable way to know how to psyche-out other bidders. Some have very low max and will drop out early if challenged. Some have bottomless pockets and don't care what you do or don't do - they're going to own that item.
Maybe, trust but verify. If certain items in a box or accessories on a machine/tool are critical to the deal, take a digital photo of the important pieces. I bought a lathe and when time to load it out, one of the chucks, a $500 item wasn't there. I pulled out my camera and showed the auctioneer the photo of the chuck sitting in the cabinet. I didn't pay for the lathe, but with the chuck, it was a good deal I really wanted.
Government auctions are the worst. I've seen gangs of thieves come early on the preview day disable cars/trucks/machinery so they won't start, pour oil under a transmission so it looks like a big leak, let air out of tires so the vehicle can't be moved, hide key parts of machines. The guards and auction employees were either bought off or scared off.
For a while, thieves were stealing a car, removing the wheels, doors and seats, then leaving it where it would be found. They'd then go to the salvage auction, buy it back cheap, replace the parts they had stored and re-sell it. When one friend who owns a body shop tried to bid against them, a big thug sidled up beside him and said, "That car isn't safe. Your wife or family might be harmed."
Auctions can be inexpensive fun, a source of bargains and a way to keep track of the bargains, as long as you go prepared, make your max bid list and keep your hand on your wallet.
Finally, if there were box lots of tools always keep track of who bought them and make an offer for the part of it you wanted most. Chances are, he's a dealer who is ready to take some profit right there.
thnx, jack vines
Accept the fact all auctions are rigged to some degree. It has been going on for thousands of years, since the first camel was sold in the town marketplace. The most savvy and experienced bidder is still only a semi-pro competing against professionals who do it every week for years.
Yes, there is always shill bidding. The only defense is have a max limit and never exceed it.
No, there is no reliable way to know how to psyche-out other bidders. Some have very low max and will drop out early if challenged. Some have bottomless pockets and don't care what you do or don't do - they're going to own that item.
Maybe, trust but verify. If certain items in a box or accessories on a machine/tool are critical to the deal, take a digital photo of the important pieces. I bought a lathe and when time to load it out, one of the chucks, a $500 item wasn't there. I pulled out my camera and showed the auctioneer the photo of the chuck sitting in the cabinet. I didn't pay for the lathe, but with the chuck, it was a good deal I really wanted.
Government auctions are the worst. I've seen gangs of thieves come early on the preview day disable cars/trucks/machinery so they won't start, pour oil under a transmission so it looks like a big leak, let air out of tires so the vehicle can't be moved, hide key parts of machines. The guards and auction employees were either bought off or scared off.
For a while, thieves were stealing a car, removing the wheels, doors and seats, then leaving it where it would be found. They'd then go to the salvage auction, buy it back cheap, replace the parts they had stored and re-sell it. When one friend who owns a body shop tried to bid against them, a big thug sidled up beside him and said, "That car isn't safe. Your wife or family might be harmed."
Auctions can be inexpensive fun, a source of bargains and a way to keep track of the bargains, as long as you go prepared, make your max bid list and keep your hand on your wallet.
Finally, if there were box lots of tools always keep track of who bought them and make an offer for the part of it you wanted most. Chances are, he's a dealer who is ready to take some profit right there.
thnx, jack vines
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Scout Driver
Well-known member
I have heard stories of lower-class citizens who will mark the inside of a distributor cap with a pencil before a tractor is auctioned. The pencil marks will cause the tractor to miss-fire and lower its perceived value by making bidders wary.
Scott
tonydanzah
Well-known member
babzog
Well-known member
Even with all the shenanigans that go on, I still can't wait for auction season to get rolling once again. It makes for a nice Saturday out with my son.
Sure signs that winter is over and done with: Tim's fires up their Rrroll Up The Rrrim To Win contest, Formula 1 begins and ads for auctions (other than the usual winter fare of collectible and consignment auctions) start appearing in the local papers.
Sure signs that winter is over and done with: Tim's fires up their Rrroll Up The Rrrim To Win contest, Formula 1 begins and ads for auctions (other than the usual winter fare of collectible and consignment auctions) start appearing in the local papers.
engineer2
Well-known member
Shill bidders can often be seen strategizing with the auctioneer before anything starts. They may be friends of the auctioneer: may not be dressed like you would expect, bidding on items that don't match the person, i.e. college kid bidding on a combine.
Friends/relatives of the seller: harder to spot, but may be seen repeatedly bidding on but not winning expensive items.
Of course the auctioneer can also point to no one in particular in the back of the crowd and bump up the price.
Friends/relatives of the seller: harder to spot, but may be seen repeatedly bidding on but not winning expensive items.
Of course the auctioneer can also point to no one in particular in the back of the crowd and bump up the price.